Coming Out Day To Focus On Gay Vote

Coming Out Day To Focus On Gay Vote
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: September 1, 2004 5:01 pm ET

(Washington) "Come Out. Speak Out. Vote." is the theme for this year's National Coming Out Day - encouraging gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans to talk to their families and friends about their lives, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation announced today.

"This year, we need more than 'I'm gay and it's OK.' We need our families and friends to say 'It's not OK to use gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues as a wedge,'" said Cheryl Jacques, president of the Human Rights Campaign. "We must talk to and involve our families and friends. Their voices are some of the strongest in the fight for equality."

In December 2003, the HRC Foundation conducted a public opinion poll that found while 77 percent of respondents consider themselves "out" as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, only 32 percent talk to their parents about public policy issues, and only 46 percent talk to their brothers and sisters about such topics.

In contrast, respondents were much more likely to speak frankly on these topics with casual acquaintances (57 percent) or coworkers (54 percent).

National Coming Out Day is celebrated every Oct. 11 to mark the anniversary of the 1987 March on Washington for Gay and Lesbian Equality. Each year since, thousands of GLBT people and allies have celebrated National Coming Out Day in schools, churches and businesses nationwide through workshops, speak-outs, rallies and other events aimed at showing the public that GLBT people are everywhere.

©365Gay.com 2004