In the midst of all the "locker-room talk" and email scandals, October 11 was a shimmering rainbow beaming through the darkening storm clouds of the past week of political madness.
National Coming-out Day is recognized as a day to celebrate LGBT+ pride and support all people within the community whether they have come out, are closeted, or are somewhere in between.
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It's no secret that the news has been swamped with accounts of sexual assaults, rapes and other various scandals recently. Its also no secret that a never-ending barrage of negativity has repercussions on the public's (and my) mood and emotions. Day after day, I, like so many others, became desensitized to the appalling controversies constantly uncovered by reporters.
So, on Tuesday morning when I suddenly found my social media and news feeds innundated with multi-colored positivity, I didn't know how to react. After processing depressing article after disgusting article after deathly article for so many days, my body and brain couldn't handle the sudden onslaught of the opposite. In shock, I scrolled through dozens of articles and blog posts detailing different interpretations of National Coming Out Day and watched more videos and short clips than I can count.
A Snapchat Discover story played clips of LGBT+ people and allies offering words of encouragement to others still closeted. Troye Sivan, a gay YouTuber-turned-popstar-sensation, published a video with Rolling Stoneandencouraged young people to accept themselves first, before coming out to anyone else. Twitter's #NationalComingOutDay feed overflowed with messages of love, gratitude and encouragement. An article by The Good Men Project discussed the importance of recognizing the day, even if it isn't specifically important to you.
As emotionally-draining as current new-coverage has been, you'd think more people around the country would have payed attention to the sudden wave of hope and light presented by the LGBT+ community on Tuesday, but when I read the article by the GMP, I realized how glossed over and ignored this day was. It was so important and momentous to some but not even realized by the majority of the population.
Days like National Coming Out Day aren't meant as days for every closeted gay person to come out. I think they are more meant as a celebration of individuality, community and self-acceptance. Plus, as certain political figures propose plans to fund gay-conversion therapies and extreme right-wing representatives plot to overturn marriage-equality, they stand as an even more prominent reminder to stay true to ourselves and loved ones and to stay positive.
There is so much to be sad about in the world; we need to remind one another of the goodness that exists, too. National Coming Out Day should have been a happy day for the gay community. It should also have been a happy day for everyone else, too.
