Jamestown Pride is celebrating National Coming Out Day with an event this Saturday.
The “Out Loud” event will take place at the Robert H. Jackson Center from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., Saturday, October 10. It will feature a mix of community members sharing their experiences, as well as an open-mic period for others in the LGBTQ+ community who want to share a testimony, celebrate themselves or a loved one, or provide support for the LGBTQ+ community.
National Coming Out Day is observed on October 11th each year, commemorating the 1987 National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. The founders and activists of the event believed that silence and compliance to ignorance are where homophobia takes root. They sought to celebrate the act of living openly, while using simple visibility as a powerful catalyst for equal rights and government action during the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
The first few decades of the observed holiday were frequently marked by people “coming out,” identifying themselves as part of the LGBTQ+ community. These days were used both privately and publicly to raise awareness.
Today, the National Coming Out Project is sponsored and managed by the Human Rights Campaign and is celebrated in several other countries.
This event is from and for both sides of the closet. Refreshments will be available.
For more information about Jamestown Pride, visit https://www.facebook.com/JamestownPride
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