10/11/2011

Washington – The Human Rights Campaign – the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender civil rights organization – is celebrating National Coming Out Day (NCOD) 2011 with the theme  “Coming Out for Equality.”  NCOD – a globally celebrated event that encourages LGBT people and their supporters to be visible by living open and honest lives – is celebrated each October 11. 

“With each passing year National Coming Out Day takes on increased importance,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese.  “As we celebrate major victories like marriage equality in New York and the repeal of the discriminatory ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military, it is important to remember that the more we as LGBT people tell our stories and engage others, the more victories we will achieve”

To celebrate NCOD 2011, HRC will be on the Spelman College campus later today for Speak Out for Equality!,  an inter-college event celebrating NCOD and featuring top Atlanta area businesses, community-based nonprofits, and LGBT and allied students.  In addition to the Speak Out for Equality! event, HRC’s NCOD campaign again engages participants through a Facebook application that offered users a number of options to show their support for LGBT equality in the days leading up to October 11.  In an effort to involve even more supporters, the 2011 campaign offers multiple actions and opportunities to show support for equality including: donating their facebook and twitter profile status to share messages of equality, taking a quiz to learn more about LGBT equality, and even getting a discount on our Musicians for Equality Ke$ha “We R who we R” t-shirt.

Resources:

• Facebook application
• Coming Out Day history, information and resources

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.