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Today, October 11, is a pretty special day – it’s National Coming Out Day! Here at Gurl, we’ve obviously always been huge supporters of the LGBT community, and we can’t think of many things that are better than a day dedicated to coming out. Whether you’re coming out as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender, it’s important to be proud of your sexuality.
But as any member of the LGBT community will tell you, coming out isn’t always easy. Unfortunately, there are still way too many people out there who fight against equal rights for Americans and who have bad things to say about LGBT’s. It’s just plain not cool. If you support the gay community, this is the perfect day for you to come out also: as an LGBT supporter! Doing that is way easier than you think – and we’re here to give you the super simple tips.
Vote, vote, vote!
If you’re over the age of 18, that is. This year, the theme for National Coming Out Day is “Come Out. Vote.” With the presidential election coming up (what? You haven’t noticed?), it’s a super important time to stand behind your views and vote for whichever candidate backs them up. After all, your elected officials have the opportunity to make major differences in the LGBT community, both good and bad. If you want equal rights for all Americans (we do!), voting for a candidate who is willing to fight for that is a must. Didn’t register yet? No biggie - just go here.
Get active and volunteer
If you’ve got some extra time on your hands (you know you do – get off Facebook!), volunteering is a great way to get totally active in the fight for equal rights. It’s also an awesome way to show support if you’re not old enough to vote yet. Check out The Equal Rights Center website for tons of tips on getting involved, make a donation to the ERA or HRC or check out even more tips right here. The point is, there are tons of ways to do this – you just need to be informed.
Show support to whoever in your life is LGBT |
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Go online
Okay, okay, I know I just said to get off Facebook… but actually, get back on there really quick. The HRC created this brand new National Coming Out Day Facebook app that is definitely worth checking out. All you have to do is click what you want your elected officials to come out for: Marriage equality, employment non-discrimination laws, combating bullying or full equality for LGBT Americans. Then post it to your wall so everyone can see, share and download themselves.
Enough with the insults
If you use the word “gay” as an adjective to talk about stuff you don’t like, you’re making things worse. It might seem harmless, but it’s totally not – making the word gay synonymous with things that suck is so not the way to fight for equal rights. Stop doing it, and tell your friends to stop doing it too. The next time someone calls a kid a “fag” or any other kind of derogatory comment towards LGBT’s, let them know how incredibly uncool and ignorant they sound.
Stand by an LGBT friend
If someone you know came out recently – a friend, family member, classmate, coworker – make sure you support them and stand by their side. That doesn’t mean you have to make them your new BFF, it just means you should let them know that you’re proud of them for coming out, and that you’ll be there for them no matter what their sexual orientation is. Trust me, they’ll appreciate your support.
Do you know anyone who has recently come out? Did you come out recently? How are you going to support National Coming Out Day? Tell us in the comments.
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