National Coming Out Day | Photo by Arden Reimer | The Wright State Guardian
Rainbow Alliance and the LGBTQA+ Center commemorated the university’s 18 annual celebration of national coming out day on Tuesday.
History
Coming out day serves as a celebration of ‘coming out of the closet’ and raises awareness of the LGBTQA+ community.
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation explains that coming out day was first observed on Oct. 11, 1988, the anniversary of the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights.
According to assistant director of the LGBTQA+ Center Emily Yantis-Houser, Wright State University has celebrated coming out day since 2005.
“Not being on campus, we haven’t done a lot in the past few years, but for some reason I really wanted to, being back on campus and having a lot of new energy and a lot of new students, do something that was out and loud and proud,” Yantis-Houser said.
According to the assistant director, this was the first time in years that Rainbow Alliance had collaborated with the center on the coming out day celebration.
Celebration at WSU
The celebration took place on Tuesday, Oct. 11 in the Student Union Atrium from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and included activities such as drawing, painting and face-painting with other options for board games, prizes and more.
The event provided a safe space for all WSU community members including the LGBTQA+ community.
“I think [the event is] important because it includes a community that is generally outcasted or not well-received, and so for this event, it really reminds people that they are not alone and two, is that it gets better, the world is becoming a better and kinder place, and that they feel seen and included,” graduate assistant of the Culture and Identity Centers Isabel (Isa) Harney-Davila said.
Anyone was welcome to celebrate this day in history with the LGBTQA+ community at WSU.
“I want to say you don’t have to come out on national coming out day, but I think it’s a great day to celebrate those who have come out and those who choose to come out or are choosing to come out. And I think it helps the people that haven’t come out yet,” Rainbow Alliance President Emily Winkelman said.
