The LGBT Center is celebrating people's "true selves."
Coming out is a big deal for anyone in the LGBT community, and the LGBT Center is giving everyone an opportunity to celebrate being out and proud.
There will be a rally celebrating being out and a discussion session on the first floor of Baker in the Bobcat Student Lounge starting at 11 a.m. on Friday.
Coming out is a lifelong process of self-acceptance during which people come to terms with an identity.
National Coming Out Day SpeakOUt shows the importance of coming out and shares people’s individual stories, according to delfin bautista, the director of the LGBT Center.
“Coming out is still powerful, even though we’ve made a lot of improvement as a university. It’s still important for people to share their stories,” bautista, who uses they/them pronouns and the lowercase spelling of their name, said. “Whether they’re coming out as an ally or an LGBT, it’s important for folks to put a face with our community.”
Three times throughout the day “I’m Coming Out” by Diana Ross will be playing over the speakers, and during the rally, members and allies of LGBT will share their coming out stories.
Stuart Blersch, an alumnus from the 1970s, will share his story about being a gay student on campus during a lunch discussion. The LGBT Center welcomes any alumni to share their stories about being an LGBT student here at Ohio University, as well, bautista said.
“We’re excited to offer the Ohio University community, as well as the Athens community, a chance to see what we at the LGBT Center are all about,” Ryan Lovingood, a second-year graduate student studying financial economics and public administration, said. “And to show the support systems in place for those who wish to come out or announce that they are an ally.”
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Those in attendance at the event likely will be a combination of OU staff and faculty, students and Athens residents.
bautista said people are welcome to participate in whatever they want to, as long as it's in a respectful way.
“I just want to see people be themselves,” Leah Yodzis, a junior studying health service administration and a student worker for the LGBT Center, said. “I’m excited to see their true selves.”
The LGBT Center will also march in the Homecoming Parade and will tailgate before the Miami football game. The center is hoping this will continue to build a bridge from the LGBT members on campus with the rest of Athens.
“Every year it takes on a different flavor,” bautista said. “We’re excited to continue to put ourselves out there and to raise awareness that LGBT people are here.”
National Coming Out Day is a great way to celebrate coming out in all ways, with all people, in a safe environment, bautista said.
“We look different. We express ourselves differently, but we’re also Bobcats.” bautista said. “We’re here and we’re queer, and we’re not going anywhere.”
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