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A safe day for everyone who needs it
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Artigenda

A safe day for everyone who needs it

Coming Out Day takes place annually on October 11 and this is a safe day for everyone who needs it. This is the day when you should be allowed to share with everyone what your sexual orientation or gender identity is if you have not done so before. The day is safe in a world where not everyone is open to acceptance and empowerment.

This article previously appeared on Harm Jagerman’s website. Due to a change in business activities, it was decided to reproduce this article on Artigenda’s website.

Why is there no day when you are allowed to declare that you are straight?

It's all being forced upon us.

Precisely because of the above statements, it is a necessity that a day like this exists. A day when those who need a step have a safe moment to do so. On the other hand, why should this be limited to just one day in the year? Why couldn’t this happen tomorrow? Because today is a special day. Because today is Coming Out Day, hence. Unfortunately, it is still not normal for some parts of society to respect this because normal acceptance does not exist. Because sometimes emancipation is a long way off.

The question, of course, is: does a day help with this? When you consider that, for some persons, this can be a safe moment, then yes. For those persons, it can be precisely a moment of safety. On the other hand, it is a moment of finding enough strength from the expressions of support given by the right persons.

Not obvious

Don’t we all know the stories of exclusion, bullying, discrimination, and violence? Maybe you are that person. Was this close for you? This is precisely why it is a good time to reflect on what it means to be able to say who you are, what you are, who you want to be or where you want to be. Or what else do you want to say? No, it’s not obvious and the fact that it’s not obvious doesn’t make it OK. Therefore: Coming Out Day. The day is a far cry. That makes sense when you consider the day’s genesis.  

National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights

On October 11, 1987, people marched in Washington. This was the Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. With this, the participants, totalling 500,000, wanted to demonstrate against a federal Supreme Court ruling. The Supreme Court had ruled that it was justifiable to ban homosexual acts. The march would culminate in an annual day of commemoration. Later, this would be supplemented by the desire to be able to tell in openness who you are, what you are or what you want to be. So sexual orientation and gender identity. The day took on an international character.  

Themes

In the Netherlands, the days between 2009 and 2014 were themed. Everyone should have a sense of being able to express who they are, what they are and how they want to arrange or direct their lives all year round. Without limitations, without restrictions. As this is not (always) obvious, so this day remains.
The day shouldn’t exist. There should never be a restriction to speak out. It should be possible at any time. Unconditional. Without lack of acceptance. Without discrimination. Without violence. Let us hope that one day this day is no longer needed.
Coming Out Day

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