By Dennis Richmond Jr.
October is the month of quite a bit. It’s National Hispanic Heritage Month. It’s also German, Italian, and Polish Heritage Month. Let’s not forget that October’s the month of ghouls, ghosts, goblins, and vampires. Folx will be celebrating Halloween. Perhaps the most unknown part of October is National Coming Out Day.
National Coming Out Day is a day related to the LGBTQ+ Community. It’s an awareness day to support LGBTQ+ folx “coming out of the closet.” The idea of coming out of the closet is when someone shares their sexual orientation with others. Coming out isn’t just about sharing sexual orientation. It’s also about sharing romantic orientation and gender identity.
National Coming Out Day or NCOD, was first celebrated in 1988. October 11th is NCOD because October 11th is the anniversary of the 1987 National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. Fun fact, the NCOD logo was designed by artist Keith Allen Haring. I’m glad that this day exists. Even though you don’t need a specific day to “come out,” it’s good to have one.
Addicted By Marcos, a New York-based fashion designer, said that coming out is “Living your truth.” Marcos went on to say that “coming out is being free.” Marcos knows how to snatch a trophy at a ball. Anthony Martinez, a New York-based Certified Nurse Assistant and Amazon truck driver, said that coming out “being true to who you are.” Martinez isn’t scared of living today, but years ago, it was a different story. Before coming out, “I was just scared of everybody judging me. “Martinez feared, “losing friends,” as well.
Marcos and Anthony are both living their truth. I had the privilege of meeting both, and they both are amazing folx who mean a lot to a lot of people. They wouldn’t be their authentic selves if they weren’t, “out of the closet.” Coming out takes time and it could only happen when the time is right. This National Coming Out Day, or Coming Out Season rather, it’s important that we continue to show love to those in the LGBTQ+ Community.
Dennis Richmond Jr. lives in Yonkers and is on Twitter @NewYorkStakz. He is a journalist focused on Black, Latinx, and LGBTQ+ Communities.
