Today, HRC President Chad Griffin penned an op-ed in the Los Angeles Times, in which he shared his coming out experience, and encouraged folks across the country to live openly and authentically. Here is an excerpt from his letter, which can be read in full here:

"For lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans all across this country, coming out is one of the hardest things they will ever do. No matter what state you call home, a conservative church, community, or even your own family can inadvertently force you to suffer in silence. Even today, living openly in the face of that pressure can require almost superhuman personal strength…..If you feel like you’re not living as openly as you could, consider changing that on Saturday. And if someone close to you chooses Saturday – or any other day – to honor you by revealing the truth about his or her life, know what courage that took, and offer every reassurance and affirmation you can.”

As part of NCOD 2014, Griffin will be traveling to college campuses in the South next week to participate in forums about the critical importance of LGBT people and allies coming out and sharing their stories. In addition, through exclusive videos and a week-long blog series leading up to Saturday, HRC has been sharing the diverse experiences of people from all walks of life who’ve come out, and highlighting stories via Facebook, Twitter, and for the first time, Snapchat. HRC also released a compilation video of celebrities and public figures who made the decision to live openly earlier this year, including Former Miss Kentucky Djuan Trent  and actor Elliot Page, who came out at HRC Foundation’s inaugural Time to THRIVE Conference. 

For more information and resources on National Coming Out Day, visit HRC’s Coming Out Center and follow the hashtag #ComingOut.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

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