What is the significance of National Coming Out Day?
Every year on October 11, we celebrate National Coming Out Day. This date was selected in honor of the 1987 National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights' first anniversary. On this day, we honor the courage of LGBTQ+ people who choose to live openly and come out. Despite its origins as an American awareness day, National Coming Out Day continues to have a significant impact on LGBTQ+ communities all over the world.
To commemorate this special day, the Heersink School of Medicine Office for Diversity and Inclusion—in partnership with MedPride—shared important stories from out medical students.
These stories show that while everyone is on a different journey, you are not alone.
Timmy (she/her/hers)
Tim McWilliams (he/him/his)
Mel Ebeling (they/them/theirs)
Charles Gagnon (he/him/his)
What piece of advice would you give to someone who is considering coming out?
"Express yourself and love freely as long as you feel safe doing so. Never sacrifice yourself to make others more 'comfortable.' If you feel the pressure to change yourself for someone, they probably are not worth changing for. Instead, spend time with others who will accept you."
Nadia (she/her/hers)
What piece of advice would you give to someone who is considering coming out?
"I never formally came out, so I suppose writing this post can make it official. I realised I was different during primary school. My sexuality has been fluid throughout my life, which has caused a lot of confusion. When it comes to sexual orientation, there is this expectation of having a specific label or classification. I don't think that’s fair or necessary. And honestly, I have never felt like I owed anyone an explanation of my sexuality. I have never had a heterosexual friend or family member sit me down and come out as heterosexual, so why should I have been expected to do so? I’m happy, healthy, and loved; that’s all that matters."
Kim Romanoff (she/her/hers)
What piece of advice would you give to someone who is considering coming out?
"Take your time; you'll know when the time is right. Eventually, the secret will feel too heavy to hold onto, and you'll want to tell people. It will be scary, but being able to live authentically is absolutely worth it."