National Coming Out Day: Celebrating Courage and Strength

October 11th marks a significant day for the LGBTQ+ community and its allies worldwide:

National Coming Out Day. Established in 1988, this annual observance celebrates the courage and strength of individuals who share their sexual orientation or gender identity with others. It serves as a beacon of hope, solidarity, and acceptance for those navigating the journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance.

Coming Out is deeply personal and can be a very private journey for some. The decision to come out or not in no way diminishes their role in the community or lessens their identity.

I was 30 years old, sitting in the parking lot of a Cracker Barrel when I came out to my partner of 4 years. I was in a comfortable/safe place with the person I trusted most in the world, and it was still one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Even writing this article feels like a coming out of sorts, coming out to my workplace and colleagues. Once again, I’m in a safe place and this is still scary.

Members of our community may come out multiple times in life if the sexual orientation and gender they identify with changes as they evolve and grow as people. This doesn’t make the process of “coming out” any less of a challenge for many folks. Young people within our community who don’t have their independence as adults can be forced to remain “closeted” or even suffer horrendous ramifications for coming out as part of the LGBTQ+ community.

I’ve chosen to “out” myself as an adult in an attempt to chip away at some of the loneliness and despair suffered by youth who can’t come out safely. I just want them to know it’ll be okay eventually, even if it isn’t now.

Working for a company, like Best Egg, that celebrates diversity and encourages us to be ourselves is one of the many ways things do get better. Our BE Prideful community at Best Egg has provided me a safe space to be my authentic self. There is still work to be done here and in the rest of the world. But we should take today, National Coming Out Day, to celebrate those who have come out and stand proud, as members of the community and allies, for those who haven’t come out yet.