Sunday, Oct. 11, 2015, marked the 27th anniversary of “National Coming Out Day.”
27 years ago was the National March on Washington for lesbian and Gay rights.
“Every year on Oct. 11, people celebrate coming out as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) or as an ally,” according the human rights campaign website.
Since this week was Ally Week, Sara Carter, assistant director of programing for the student diversity office, thought it would only be suiting to have a program for coming out day.
“Part of being an ally is knowing how to live and support anyone who is in the LGBT community,” Carter said.
According to the Human rights campaign, “One out of every two Americans has someone close to them who is gay or lesbian. For transgender people, the number is only one in 10.”
Carter came up with the tribal board. On Tuesday, Oct. 13, Carter and many others were sitting on behalf of the diversity office with a tribal board, which are pins that students were to pin on themselves to show their support towards equality with a lot of colors.
Eric Howar
d, sophomore, really likes that Cabrini is interested in making people in the LGBT on campus feel comfortable, welcomed and loved.
“It will help students learn that we are all not the same when it comes to sexual orientation,” Howard said.
Students were asked to take a post-it note and write a couple of words of encouragement to those coming out, or those who want to come out but are afraid to. Carter expressed it was exciting seeing students and faculty come up to the table writing down all these thoughtful words for people and asking questions about gender and gender terms.
When Howard was asked if he feels Cabrini does a good job at making the LGBT community safe and welcomed, he responded, “Yes, because programs like these are supposed to open up the minds of people and see things different,” Howard said. “Sarah and Stephania Forte, a graduate intern, does a great job at talking to students, making them easy to talk too about anything one on one with any one of them.”
Being that Howard considers himself part of the LGBT community, he was surprised to notice how many people wrote on the tribal board.
“I was surprised because in today’s generation it’s very rear that you will have people that are very accepting to ones sexual orientation if it is not the same as their,” Howard expressed.
Carter is not finished bringing awareness to the LGBT community. She is planning on starting a new program called: Gender sexual alliance outreach (GSA). The program is a way for students to get involved by talking about different topics chosen by Carter, watching movies and attending other programs.
