Please look for rainbow ribbons to pin to your shirts (ribbons will be available at the beginning of the convocation in Wick Chapel). This year's convocation will conclude with a reception and a celebratory parade to the Panther statue, during which rainbow pride flags and general festivities will illuminate our campus.Īll students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to wear multiple colors on October 14th in solidarity with campus and global alliances between lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and straight people. Our speakers include Helma de Vries-Jordan, Marlene Lang, Tasha Alston, Isaiah Boyce, and Eileen Doherty. The speakers will begin at 12 pm (noon), but we will open up the Chapel at 11:45 am for refreshments and early seating. On Thursday, October 14th, please join us in the Wick Chapel for our Coming Out for Equality Convocation, featuring addresses by members of our campus community. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to come support this event! Additionally, it is a day in which we celebrate people coming out as supportive allies of the LGBTQ community. This is a day in which we celebrate people coming out as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, gender-queer, gender-fluid, or gender-non-conforming. The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford’s Pride Alliance, the Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences, and the Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies Program are proud to announce the 11th annual event in support of our diverse campus community and National Coming Out Day. Tips for Authentically Owning Your Coming Out Experience References: Here are a few resources to learn more about National Coming Out Day: We celebrate all who have come out as LGBTQIA, we support those who choose to keep their identity a secret, we commend the bravery it takes to Come Out, and we stand in support and solidarity with you! Happy Coming Out Day!
October 11th was chosen as the date to celebrate Coming Out Day to mark the anniversary of the second major National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights ( the march took place in 1987). The day is not only to celebrate those who've already come out, but to support those who choose to keep their identity a secret, or perhaps encourage someone to come out who's been thinking about it.Ĭoming Out Day was founded in 1988 by Richard Eichberg, a psychologist and Jean O'Leary, a gay rights activist, to raise awareness of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community and its civil rights movement. Coming Out Day day is meant to celebrate the act of “coming out” – when an LGBTQIA person decides to publicly share their gender identities or sexual orientation. 11) is Coming Out Day! We celebrate the LGBTQIA community, and we celebrate our support of the LGBTQIA community! National Coming Out Day is celebrated every year on October 11 throughout the United States and other countries around the world.