National Coming Out Day

National Coming Out Day
NCOD logo designed by Keith Haring
Observed by	LGBT community & allies
Type	National, International
Date	October 11
Observances	Coming out
Related to	1987 March on Washington

National Coming Out Day (NCOD) is an internationally observed civil awareness day celebrating individuals who publicly identify as bisexual, gay, lesbian, transgender—coming out regarding one's sexual orientation and/or gender identity being akin to a cultural rite of passage for LGBT people. The holiday is observed annually by members of the gay community on October 11.^[1]

History

NCOD was founded in 1988 by Robert Eichberg, a psychologist from New Mexico and founder of the personal growth workshop, The Experience, and Jean O'Leary, an openly-gay political leader from Los Angeles and then head of the National Gay Rights Advocates.^[2][3] The date of October 11 was chosen because it was the anniversary of the 1987 National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights.^[1]

The first headquarters was located in the West Hollywood, California offices of the National Gay Rights Advocates. 18 states participated in the first NCOD, which was covered in the national media. In its second year, the headquarters moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico and participation grew to 21 states. After a media push in 1990, NCOD was observed in all 50 states and seven other countries. Participation continued to grow and in 1990 NCOD merged their efforts with the Human Rights Campaign Fund.^[1]

Observance

National Coming Out Day is observed annually to celebrate coming out and to raise awareness of the LGBT community and civil rights movement. The holiday is observed in a wide variety of ways: from rallies and parades to information tables in public spaces. Participants often wear pride symbols such as pink triangles and rainbow flags.

National Coming Out Day is observed in many countries, including Australia, Canada, Croatia, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. In the United States, the Human Rights Campaign sponsors NCOD events under the auspices of their National Coming Out Project, offering resources to LGBT individuals, couples, parents and children, as well as straight friends and relatives, to promote awareness of LGBT families living honest and open lives. Candace Gingrich became the spokesperson for NCOD in April 1995.^[1]

See also

	LGBT portal
	United States portal

• International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia
• LGBT History Month
• LGBT rights in the United States
• Mattachine Society

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} "History of Coming Out & Themes of NCOD". Human Rights Campaign. http://www.hrc.org/resources/entry/the-history-of-coming-out. Retrieved 11 October 2011. 
2. ^ "Robert Eichberg, 50, Gay Rights Leader". New York Times. August 15, 1995. http://www.nytimes.com/1995/08/15/obituaries/robert-eichberg-50-gay-rights-leader.html. 
3. ^ "Robert Eichberg, Gay Advocate". The Seattle Times. August 14, 1995. http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19950814&slug=2136369. 

External links

• National Coming Out Day (US)
• National Coming Out Day (Switzerland)