Ithaca College

National Coming Out Day is approaching. Our campus observance of Coming Out Day will be held on Thursday, October 6. Events will include:
• Noon -- The student group Prism will hold a rally at Free Speech Rock.
• 7:00 p.m. -- Performance artist, poet, and playwright Lenelle Moise ’02 will be our featured Coming Out Day guest artist, in Emerson Suite B.

The theme of this year’s national observance is “Talk About It.”

Is there a lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) person in your life? Do you work with LGBT students? Does your curriculum include topics about sexual minority youth, adults, or families?

Timely tips for supporting those who are out, or those who may come out to you for the first time this week, are featured in these articles by the LGBT Coordinator:
• Ten Tips for Parents of a Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, or Transgender Child

• My Kid Just Came Out to Me! Now What Do I Do? Ways to Support your Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transgender Child

• Part 1
  
• Part 2
  

Coming out affects not just LGBT people, but our friends, families, and allies as well. There are a variety of excellent resources for loved ones of LGBT people who are coming out. If you are in the process of coming out to your family, there are a host of organizations appropriate for their particular needs:

PFLAG (Parents, Friends and Family of Lesbians and Gays)

COLAGE (Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere)

Straight Spouse Network (for husbands and wives of GLBT people)

If you are contemplating coming out as a lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender person, resources are available by contacting the coordinator of the Center for LGBT Education, Outreach, and Services. Online resources are also available:

Coming Out in Communities of Color: African Americans

Guía de Recursos Para Salir Del Clóset

Resource Guide to Coming Out

The annual observance of National Coming Out Day was conceived of shortly after the second March on Washington for gay and lesbian equality on Oct. 11, 1987.
A history of National Coming Out Day