alee_grrl | National Coming Out Day

Today, at least in the U.S., is National Coming Out Day. While the focus is generally on promoting acceptance and equal rights for those in the QUILTBAG spectrums, National Coming Out Day is a great day to celebrate the diverse aspects of our identity.

If I had to put some of the aspects of my own identity into words I would say that I am a cis-gendered female, predominately homoromantic, asexual pagan geek.

I came out as a Lesbian roughly ten years ago in a community that was conservative and hostile. I recently came out to my friends and some family as asexual. I have also been encouraging a broader discussion of sexuality, one that includes the desire spectrum (asexual, demisexual, sexual, etc), within the campus QUILTBAG group. The two coming out experiences have been both similar and different. I have not had the fear of physical harm this go round, nor have I had the fear of rejection that I had ten years ago. I have been nervous when I disclose, but I think that is a very human reaction to revealing any part of ourselves. I've been an out and proud geek/nerd for a long time, and even then I still sometimes feel nervous when I talk about liking comic books, science fiction,video games, gothic and horror literature, and fantasy. When we put ourselves out there and share things about ourselves it can make us feel vulnerable and exposed, especially if we perceive that we are outside of what our culture considers "normal." One of the nice things about events like National Coming Out Day is that they help show us that it is all "normal."

The Vermont Law School Alliance did two separate things for National Coming Out Day. One was a fundraiser that we have cheerfully titled "Skittlebombing" where people can buy bags of Skittles that come with a little card reading "We love you just the way you are." They can then place these bags in their friends' student mail boxes. It's a fun way of brightening up people's days and sharing a message of acceptance. The other thing we did was host a speaker who talked specifically about ways parents, friends and family can be supportive in the coming out process. The talk was only lightly attended, but it can be hard to get students and faculty to events particularly evening ones. However those who attended were very engaged and the talk lead to a lively discussion. I was very pleased with everything overall.

Additionally Outright Vermont did a fun social networking meme via their facebook page where they encouraged people to post a picture of themselves with text saying who they were plus out and one additional word. Here's the pic I posted. :)