National Coming Out Day!! What is it? Check Here!!

Hi everyone, I just wanted to let you all know that today, October 11th is "National Coming Out Day"... On this day back in 1988, the day was founded for persons who are gay, lesbian, bi, transgendered, etc to come out to family and friends and be accepted FOR who they truly are!! They are people just like me and you, who have family, friends, beliefs, values, education, love, respect, etc... and deserve to have the same rights as people who are straight! It is time that we turn the tables around and give everyone a chance at happiness and not condone anyone regardless of their orientation, race, religion, gender, etc... Here is one video you may be interested in:

TR Knight: National Coming Out Day PSA

Here is some history behind this day!!

National Coming Out Day is an internationally-observed civil awareness day for coming out and discussion about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) issues. It is observed on October 11 by members of the LGBT communities and their supporters (often referred to as "allies"), because October is LGBT History Month in the United States. It's also affectionately named "Gay Day", "Queer Day", or "Homo Day" by the LGBT community.
Contents


* 1 Coming Out/Being "Open"
* 2 History
* 3 Multi-national observance
* 4 External links

Coming Out/Being "Open"

It is highly encouraged for participants in this movement to wear gay pride symbols, such as the pink triangle, the Greek letter lambda, and rainbows, in jewelry and on their clothing, to demonstrate their presence in all walks of life, all ages and all ethnic groups, this contributing to being open, or "coming out", about being queer in every day life.

History

The day was founded by Dr. Robert Eichberg and Jean O'Leary in 1988, in celebration of the Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights one year earlier, in which 500,000 people marched on Washington, DC, USA, for gay and lesbian equality. National Coming Out Day events are aimed at raising awareness of the LGBT community among the general populace in an effort to give a familiar face to the LGBT rights movement.

Multi-national observance

In the United States, the Human Rights Campaign manages the event under the 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 the day in April 1995.

National Coming Out Day was not observed in 2001 in the United States as it occurred on the one month anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Despite its name, National Coming Out Day, so called because it originated as a national event in the United States, is observed in many countries, including Switzerland, Germany and Great Britain.

External links

* National Coming Out Day 2007
* An article addressing concerns regarding National Coming-Out Day
* National Coming-Out Day Switzerland
* Coming-Out Day UK Poster Camapign


Thanx to wikipedia.org one of the best websites EVER!!!! for that info!!!

My great friend Laura sent me this INFO...check it out!! Thank you so much!! And it's very very true... Laura and her bf have been nothing but kind to me and my significant other and they are open minded and have no problems w/ us whatsoever... u guys don't know how much u mean to me!!! And yes it's so true...read this!!

Can You Turn Me Straight?
Special Section 2007
At the heart of the controversy of gay rights is the question of whether homosexuality is a choice and, if so, whether it can be changed. Because the issue is deeply personal to many GLBT people who feel pressured to change, it has spawned a sort of cottage industry for therapists and ministers.

The belief held by transformational ministries is the idea that faith, perseverance and divine intervention can cure homosexuality. However, results from published studies on results of conversion therapy show anywhere from 0.4% to 15% success rates, even after four years of therapy.

Elyse Deleski, Ph.D. believes that any therapy that has such a low success rate shouldn't be taken seriously. In fact, these therapies are doing more harm than good.

What would you tell someone who felt they needed to change? Do you believe anyone can change their sexual orientation?






Quoting the Bible to Support a Dying Prejudice?
Special Section 2007
The Bible has been used for centuries to support various forms of predudice and power struggle. This includes:

to support the Divine Right of Kings in 1215
to oppose Galileo in the 17th century
to oppose Darwin in the 19th century
to support slavery and apartheid in the 19th and 20th centuries
to keep women from being educated, voting and being ordained in the 20th and 21st century
"Today the Bible is quoted to continue the oppression and rejection of homosexual people. The Bible has lost each of those previous battles. It will lose the present battle as well," said retired Newark Bishop John Shelby Spong.

"Just as the Church was historically wrong in its treatment of women, so now as a result of your leadership, we are espousing a position about homosexuality that is dated, uninformed, inhumane and frankly embarrassing," Spong wrote. "No learned person stands there today."

"I take the long view of history," Bishop Gene Robinson says. "The debate will end with full inclusion of GLBT people in the life and ministry of the Church. We're really only arguing about timing."

For many, it is only a matter of time before GLBT people are fully accepted and no longer rejected based on Biblical interpretations. How have you experienced or seen the Bible used maliciously or to oppress others? How many years do you feel are left before the gay community is fully accepted?



Here is one last video... Check it out!!

HRC 2006 NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY VIDEO

And to the people that don't accept us...try to live in our shoes for just one day... then maybe you can see what it's like on the other side of the fence...