By AJ Trager
National Coming Out Day is Oct. 11. Throughout the country this week LGBT people and their allies have celebrated the addition of 16 states to the number of states that offer legal same-sex marriage. It is a monumentous and historic week in American history.
But so is National Coming Out Day. This year commemorates the 26th anniversary of the 1987 national March on Washington for Gay and Lesbian Rights. Coming out still remains one of the most powerful actions one can take. Visibility not only gives a face to an issue but also personalizes the LGBT experience for people who, before, couldn't say that they knew a LGBT person.
For those in the LGBT community, "coming out" is not a process that only happens once. Many come out to friends, family, co-workers, sometimes over and over again and in different ways.
Ash Beckham talks about how everyone has a closet that they are either currently hiding under or have hid under in this Tedx presentation. She describes herself as a militant lesbian and tells the story about working in a diner and being approached by a young girl who didn't know if she "was a boy or a girl."
Chrysler works hard at maintaining LGBT inclusions. Their employee group, Gay and Lesbian Alliance, (GALA) was a part of Motor City Pride, and they are proud to be a longtime supporter of LGBT employees, communities and issues. They have been a leader among U.S. employers in providing domestic partner benefits since 2000 and have achieved a perfect 100 percent rating on the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index. For National Coming Out Day this year, they have put out their Faces of GALA exhibit with a "rainbow of vehicles" display at their headquarters in Auburn Hills.
In celebration of National Coming Out Day, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) released the following video to honor all those that have come out as a LGBT person or an ally. It takes bravery to come out to peers and community. HRC asks for a pledge to "LIVE YOUR TRUTH" and come out for equality in front of friends and family.
However one celebrates National Coming Out Day this year, remember all those that have come in the past and made huge strides for the LGBT community.
