October 11th is National Coming Out Day - A Moment in Gay History

Founded in 1988 by Dr. Robert Eichberg, his partner William Gamble and Jean O’Leary, National Coming Out Day (NCOD) aims to raise awareness of the queer community among the general population in an effort to give a familiar face to the queer rights movement.

 NCOD founders Rob Eichberg, Ph.D. and Jean O'Leary encouraged all people, of all sexual orientations, to "take your next step" in living openly and powerfully on October 11th.

 Participants are encouraged to wear queer pride symbols, such as the pink triangle (gay men), the black triangle (lesbians), the Greek letter lambda, and rainbows in jewelry and on clothing.

Although many assume that Gay History Month is June due to the number of gay prides and remembrances of the 1969 Stonewall Riots, October is the month we recognize Gay History.

LGBT History Month was founded in 1994 by a group of educators.  October was selected for the celebration because National Coming Out Day was already a widely established event on Oct. 11th, and organizers wanted to commemorate the fact that the first March on Washington by LGBT people was held on October 14, 1979.

"A shift happens within ourselves when we come out,” said Scott Emanuel of the ACLU of Eastern Missouri and Adult Volunteer for Growing American Youth.

“It is a game changer—an opportunity to say, "Here I am—just as I am." A similar shift happens when others come out about us; our parents, our siblings, our friends, even a coworker. They come out about their connection to us.”

The National Equality March will mark the 30th anniversary of the 1979 LGBT March on Washington and will be held on National Coming Out Day.