By now, you might have noticed the enormous rainbow flag in the Idaho Commons and the pink and black triangles popping up here and there.
This is to draw your attention to National Coming Out Day, celebrated Oct. 11 each year. NCOD is a day of civil awareness and celebration for coming out and the discussion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues.
It is an event observed internationally by members of LGBT communities and their straight allies. NCOD events are aimed at raising awareness of the LGBT community among the general public in an effort to spotlight the LGBT rights movement.

Feminism and LGBT aren’t so different. Being a feminist or being gay are similar in it is a part of who you are; it is something you feel with your whole body. At the same time, it is something for which one is often mistreated, judged or misunderstood.
The fact is, LGBT rights and women’s rights are human rights. Why people are so inclined to distinguish one group’s rights from the other when they are in essence the same, I don’t understand. When it comes down to it, all groups fight for the same goal of equality.

Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled, including the right to life and liberty, the right to food and water, the right to work and the right to education.
I think we can all agree each and every one of us wants those rights not only for survival, but also because, as the preamble of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states, “recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.”

Seeing as we are still striving to create a just and peaceful world, NCOD is a great opportunity to promote equality and raise awareness about the diverse communities we live in.
NCOD can have different meanings for different people. Those who are already out can take it as a day of celebration and pride. For the closeted people, it’s a day on which they are encouraged to come out and talk about their sexuality. For others, it’s a day of support for their LGBT friends. For all, it’s a day of coming together for the common goal of equality.

Coming out, however, is not limited to one’s sexuality. I see NCOD as a celebration of self. NCOD is a day of realization — a day to realize who you really are and take pride in that. Push aside all the persecutions, fears and expectations, and see what’s underneath.
Coming out to oneself is perhaps the hardest yet most crucial step. After all, happiness, they say, comes from within. So, how can one truly be happy when hiding the best parts of oneself?

NCOD gives people the opportunity to be open and take pride in who they are, who they love and what they believe in. Coming out is the process in which a person first acknowledges, accepts and appreciates his or her sexual orientation and identity and begins to share that with others. Coming out is a continuous process that can be difficult and risky at times. Coming out and living openly is a liberating and empowering experience.
So, whether you decide to come out as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or as a feminist, atheist, Christian, vegetarian, Republican or communist, NCOD is the day to talk about it.

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