Gay and Lesbian Connection

Oct 11^th is National Coming Out Day, initiated by Rob Eichberg to bring awareness and promote acceptance of the GLBT community.  Why is coming out important?  It helps put a human face on the word homosexual, a word that’s fraught with misconceptions and half-truths. Each person who comes out can lessen the stigma about gays, and help educate the people around them that being gay is just someone’s sexual orientation.   

But coming out is a very personal decision, based on lots of variables.  So make sure you accept yourself first before you do, since there’s really no way of knowing how your family will react to the news.    

If you are ready to come out there are lots of resources to help you get through the process.  Go to a PFLAG meeting.  Find supportive friends.  Create a family of choice.  Read books, blogs, magazines.  Watch the film, “For the Bible Tells Me So.”   Find a therapist who specializes in gay and lesbian issues.   Go to a gay pride event.  You’ll see lots of straight allies there. Get involved in the GLBTQ community.   Don’t be afraid to reach out for help.   You don’t have to do this alone.  

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Coming out is a risk.  Just ask anyone who’s ever done it.  There’s really no way of predicting how some families will react.  That’s a little like holding out your hand to what you hope will be a friendly dog, not knowing if it will lick your hand or bite it.  But to stay in the closet is no way to live.

National Coming Out Day is October 11th.  Do you want to come out but need support?  Check out Rob Eichberg’s book, Coming Out an Act of Love, a step-by-step guide to understanding and accepting your homosexuality and dealing with other people’s reaction.     

Eichberg, a noted psychologist and founder of Coming Out Day stressed that one person’s actions of self-respect and love can begin to change the world.

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