Each year in October, we commemorate LGBTQIA+ History Month and on October 11, we mark National Coming Out Day. Both are occasions for celebration and reflection.
LGBTQIA+ History Month
LGBTQIA+ History Month was started in 1994 by Missouri high school history teacher Rodney Wilson, who had come out to his class after teaching a lesson about the Holocaust. Reflecting on what they had just learned, Rodney shared with his class, “If I had been in Europe during World War II, they would have put this pink triangle on me and gassed me to death, because I am gay.”
Wilson’s vision was a month dedicated to the teaching and learning of LGBTQIA+ history. Our history was not taught in schools in 1994 and is still taught in very few places today, underlining the importance of that work.
Our stories are varied and diverse. From transgender Egyptian Pharoah Hatshepsut, the poet Sappho, and Rome’s many gay emperors, through the Society for Human Rights, Eleanor Roosevelt, bisexual researcher Alfred Kinsey, civil rights activist Bayard Rustin, the Stonewall Riots, and intersex advocate Max Beck, our history is full of amazing people, places, and events. There are many great online resources that can help you learn more.
Each year in October, lgbthistorymonth.com highlights 31 LGBTQIA+ icons, one for every day in October. This year’s list kicks off on October 1 with someone near and dear to our hearts here at Fenway Health, philanthropist and longtime supporter Ron Ansin. He and his brother Ed, who passed away in 2020, were instrumental in the construction of Fenway Health’s flagship building at 1340 Boylston Street in Boston, which opened in 2009. The building is named after the two brothers’ cousin Mikki’s son Peter Ansin, who died in 1992.
During October, and throughout the year, outhistory.com posts LGBTQIA+ history news, updates, and projects. PFLAG’s website has a great LGBTQIA+ History Month resource page which includes information on books, movies, and websites focused on our history. The University of Northern Colorado’s Gender and Sexuality Resource Center has a great site highlighting LGBTQIA+ historical figures.
If you happen to be in San Francisco this October, you can visit the GLBT Historical Society Museum & Archives. If not, they have an extensive online collection of archival material, periodical collections, and oral histories.
National Coming Out Day
Wilson chose October for LGBTQIA+ History Month to coincide with National Coming Out Day, which had been established in the late 1980s. National Coming Out Day is an annual celebration of the courage exhibited by those living openly as LGBTQIA+. It is also an opportunity to raise awareness about LGBTQIA+ issues.
National Coming Out Day was first celebrated in 1988 based on the idea that the most basic form of LGBTQIA+ activism was coming out to family, friends, and colleagues. October 11 was chosen as the anniversary date of the 1987 March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. People in 18 states participated that first year and by 1990 it was being commemorated in all 50 states and internationally.
Coming out can often be a liberating experience. A study from the University of Montreal showed that lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults who are out have lower stress hormone levels and fewer symptoms of anxiety, depression, and burnout than those who are not. Many people also find new friends, chosen family, and a sense of belonging as they more a part of the larger LGBTQIA+ community.
Everyone’s journey is an individual one, though, with some being more difficult than others. This can be especially true for young people who may face rejection by parents or other family members and friends. According to a publication on youth homelessness from The Fenway Institute’s National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center, 20 – 45% of youth experiencing homelessness are LGBTQIA+. The majority of them report running away from or being forced out by their families because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
According to a research brief from The Trevor Project, support from others can be a protective factor in decreasing the risk of negative mental health outcomes for LGBTQIA+ young people and research has found a link between outside support and reduced risk of suicide attempts in lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth. Unfortunately, many of the recent anti-LGBTQIA+ bills in consideration across the country would make it more difficult for trusted adults to provide that support in a meaningful way.
One of the most important things family and friends who are not LGBTQIA+ can do to participate in National Coming Out Day is to be good allies. Three ways to do that include:
- Allow the person to explain the support they need. Don’t make assumptions. Be open to learning what you don’t know.
- Speaking out. Be visible. Interrupt anti LGBTQIA+ language and actions. Host safe spaces for LGBTQIA+ young people.
- Support LGBTQIA+ initiatives and organizations. Oppose harmful legislation. Encourage government officials to do the same.
For many LGBTQIA+ people, National Coming out Day is a joyous occasion. For some others, the idea of coming out can provoke anxiety. If you are looking for resources to help with your own coming out journey, The Trevor Project’s Coming Out Handbook and HRC’s Coming Out resources page have helpful tips and information, including inspirational coming out stories and messages from people of all ages.
We here at Fenway Health hope that you all take a chance to reflect and learn something new this LGBTQIA+ history month, whether you are part of the community or a friend, family member, or ally. We also hope that this year’s National Coming Out Day is a meaningful one, however you choose to celebrate it.