Bobcats share their experiences and stories of coming out loud and proud on National Coming Out Day SpeakOUt
Using the timely theme of coming out as a way of coming home, people were encouraged to share their experiences and stories of coming out to the public.
“However you choose to share, know that all are welcome,” delfin bautista, director of the LGBT Center, said in their opening speech for National Coming OUt Day SpeakOUt held in Bobcat Student Lounge. “Know that you are not alone and all of us here are fierce and fabulous Bobcat warriors.”
As a celebration of both Homecoming and National Coming OUt Day that falls on Sunday, the LGBT Center hosted its National Coming OUt Day SpeakOUt event on Friday. People were able to come out as they wanted, such as, but not limited to: lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, asexual and pansexual.
Kat Orcutt, a sophomore studying criminology and psychology, said it was her first time participating in a coming out event.
“It felt good to finally say this is who I am in a public setting” Orcutt said.
Orcutt, who identifies as pansexual, spoke about the importance of coming out events.
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“It gives (people) a chance to see that there are other people like me,” Orcutt said. “There are other people going through the same things as I am and hopefully (the event) will give them courage.”
Sarah Jenkins, program coordinator for the Women’s Center, also spoke about the event’s significance.
“It’s an important chance to talk about things that we normally aren’t allowed to express,” Jenkins said. “Here you can have a supporting community where you can express who you are and have people affirm that and love you for it.”
Citing the LGBT Center as a great place for resources, Jenkins said coming out is a personal process.
“You don’t have to come out to everyone at once,” Jenkins said. “But if you can find one person to be supportive and to listen to your story, I think that can be really important.”
bautista, who uses they/them pronouns and the lowercase spelling of their name, said it’s OK if people who are in the process of coming out are afraid.
“It is scary and confusing and (they should) embrace that,” bautista said. “There’s not a 'right' way or a 'wrong' way or a 'better' way, they’ll come out when they’re ready and that’s awesome.”
Orcutt said she agrees with both Jenkins and bautista’s points by encouraging others to come out to someone they trust, even if it’s not family.
Although the Supreme Court of the United States’ decision for the legalization of same-sex marriage was a step toward the right direction, Jenkins said, there is still much to be done in order to achieve equality.
“Yes marriage equality exists in this country, but we still have a lot of work to do,” Jenkins said. “For example, you can still be fired from your job for being LGBT in 30 states.”
In their speech, bautista spoke about the death of Keisha Jenkins, a transgender woman who was murdered only a few days before the event. Keisha’s death adds onto the list of more than 20 transgender people who have been murdered since the beginning of the year in the U.S., bautista said during the event.
“People are dying emotionally and dying literally,” bautista said. “And so I come out pleading and come out demanding change right now.”
At the end of their speech, bautista encouraged people to be ready to revolutionize the world.
“Today is a day of celebration, but it’s also a day of committing ourselves to ending violence and tolerance,” bautista said. “So come out, come out wherever you are, come out, come out whoever you are. Come out as you and come out now.”
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