Coming Out Day (10/11)
I forgot to do a post for this because I was at a conference all day long and my brain was fried by the end of the night haha
HAPPY NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY! :) (October 11)
I came out to my friends exactly 3 years ago and it's the best thing I've ever done. Speaking aloud about all the feelings and thoughts in my head was like a weight lifted off my shoulders - and I didn't even know the weight was there until it was gone. I just thought that's how I was supposed to feel.
October is Gay History month and it's stunning all of the things that have gone down in October - 365gay.com has an amazing day-by-day list.
We all know Coming Out is a daily process - we have to go through coming out every time we meet a new person, start a new class, a new job - even if we don't come out, it's still on our minds: should I? should I not? Will I get fired? Will they hate me? Will I be beaten? Will my partner get my insurance? For me, coming out is the only choice connected to homosexuality and that choice is reserved for the individual in every single setting. For me, I'm comfortable wearing a rainbow necklace, talking about being gay, working a job where people assume I'm gay, study in a program specializing in Sexuality Studies... I want people to feel like they can talk to me if they're having their own problems and I want people to recognize that gay people are everywhere. The idea that someone's not met a gay person is ridiculous- it's all about whether you're a person people feel comfortable coming out to. So BE that person. 1 in 10 people are LGBT - how many friends do you have? I speak up because I don't want people to assume I'm heterosexual because that's the default. That's what you assume when you meet someone. I don't like heterosexism and I try to quell that immediately with my personal identity.
I've been called a dyke, I've been threatened, I've been told I'm going to hell more times than I can count, but I also feel comfortable in my skin, I have a community I adore, and I feel like I'm being honest with myself and those around me. Of course, not everyone feels as comfortable as I do. I "look" straight (whatever that means) so I can pass - I don't get harassed when I'm walking down the street by myself. I have friends who are harassed daily because of the way they look because they cannot so easily pass for straight. Why does our society have to be that way? Why do people care so much about the gender/sexual identity of others? Shouldn't we be allowed love just like them? I won't say "we're just like you" because we're not. We are unique individuals, just like all heterosexual people aren't the same.
If you live in California, vote NO on Proposition 8! I don't want to tell you who to vote for in the National Election, but I will because Palin has a history of anti-gay actions. So please, please, vote for someone other than McCain/Palin.
So... to celebrate Coming Out Day and Gay History Month, go rent a positive queer film! "Imagine Me & You" "Better than Chocolate" "TransAmerica" "Saving Face" "RENT" "Trick" "Queer as Folk" "The L Word" "Will and Grace"... celebrate our successes, mourn our losses. I can only hope it'll just keep getting better from here.
Andrea Gibson's spoken word is so powerful.. take some time to check out her website andreagibson.org
"I Do" - gay marriage
"Swingset" - Gender
"Dive" - life
HAPPY NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY! :) (October 11)
I came out to my friends exactly 3 years ago and it's the best thing I've ever done. Speaking aloud about all the feelings and thoughts in my head was like a weight lifted off my shoulders - and I didn't even know the weight was there until it was gone. I just thought that's how I was supposed to feel.
October is Gay History month and it's stunning all of the things that have gone down in October - 365gay.com has an amazing day-by-day list.
We all know Coming Out is a daily process - we have to go through coming out every time we meet a new person, start a new class, a new job - even if we don't come out, it's still on our minds: should I? should I not? Will I get fired? Will they hate me? Will I be beaten? Will my partner get my insurance? For me, coming out is the only choice connected to homosexuality and that choice is reserved for the individual in every single setting. For me, I'm comfortable wearing a rainbow necklace, talking about being gay, working a job where people assume I'm gay, study in a program specializing in Sexuality Studies... I want people to feel like they can talk to me if they're having their own problems and I want people to recognize that gay people are everywhere. The idea that someone's not met a gay person is ridiculous- it's all about whether you're a person people feel comfortable coming out to. So BE that person. 1 in 10 people are LGBT - how many friends do you have? I speak up because I don't want people to assume I'm heterosexual because that's the default. That's what you assume when you meet someone. I don't like heterosexism and I try to quell that immediately with my personal identity.
I've been called a dyke, I've been threatened, I've been told I'm going to hell more times than I can count, but I also feel comfortable in my skin, I have a community I adore, and I feel like I'm being honest with myself and those around me. Of course, not everyone feels as comfortable as I do. I "look" straight (whatever that means) so I can pass - I don't get harassed when I'm walking down the street by myself. I have friends who are harassed daily because of the way they look because they cannot so easily pass for straight. Why does our society have to be that way? Why do people care so much about the gender/sexual identity of others? Shouldn't we be allowed love just like them? I won't say "we're just like you" because we're not. We are unique individuals, just like all heterosexual people aren't the same.
If you live in California, vote NO on Proposition 8! I don't want to tell you who to vote for in the National Election, but I will because Palin has a history of anti-gay actions. So please, please, vote for someone other than McCain/Palin.
So... to celebrate Coming Out Day and Gay History Month, go rent a positive queer film! "Imagine Me & You" "Better than Chocolate" "TransAmerica" "Saving Face" "RENT" "Trick" "Queer as Folk" "The L Word" "Will and Grace"... celebrate our successes, mourn our losses. I can only hope it'll just keep getting better from here.
Andrea Gibson's spoken word is so powerful.. take some time to check out her website andreagibson.org
"I Do" - gay marriage
Click to view"Swingset" - Gender
"Dive" - life