Harvey Milk once stated, “every…person must come out…You must tell your friends if indeed they are your friends”. Revealing one’s true self to the world is often a trying process. It requires an individual of immense courage and immeasurable vigor. The idea of shedding a false self is daunting, but remaining hidden is suffocating. It is crucial to support the individuals which we love, or don’t love, however they may identify. Our generation possesses the power to accept one another, to change the pattern our ancestors have established.

Friday October 16th will mark the annual National Coming Out Day at Nashoba Regional High School. The national holiday was celebrated on October 11th, and marked the 27th anniversary. The first ever National Coming Out Day was celebrated in 1988 in remembrance of the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. The momentum built by this initial march created a world-wide fight for equality. Coming out day celebrates the LGBTQ community: lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and their allies.

Present day, citizens of the United States are making small, yet significant, strides towards true equality. This past summer, the supreme court case Obergefell v. Hodges nationally legalized gay marriage throughout all states. The world is sending a surge of support for the LGBTQ community.     

One out of every two Americans has someone close to them who is gay or lesbian. Join the force against hate. Everybody deserves the human right to be true to themselves. Speak out for equality and change the hearts and minds of others with your bravery.