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Today is National Coming Out Day
Today is the 29th annual National Coming Out Day.
The Human Rights Campaign is celebrating the day with the release of a video highlighting the inspiring coming out stories of 15 people — including actress Sara Ramirez, Jay-Z’s mom Gloria Carter and WNBA star Sue Bird.
HRC also is featuring individual videos of Ramirez, Carter and Bird, as well as singer Lauren Jauregui; actor, model and musician Daniel Newman; actor Keiynan Lonsdale; singer Jake Zyrus; and actress Natalie Morales. Finally, HRC is marking the day with the release of updated editions of its Coming Out Guides in both English and Spanish.
“Coming out is one of the most courageous acts any LGBTQ person makes, and on this National Coming Out Day that courage remains essential to our continued progress toward full equality,” said HRC president Chad Griffin in a news release. “As LGBTQ people across the nation and around the world continue to come out, opposition to equality will continue to crumble. Sharing our stories is a key way each of us can fight back against attempts to turn back the clock on LGBTQ equality.”
Every year on Oct. 11, NCOD promotes a safe world in which LGBTQ people can live truthfully and openly.
This year, many celebrities and public figures have come out, including:
Shepard Smith
Sara Ramirez
Robin Lord Taylor
North Carolina Rep. Cecil Brockman
Bex Taylor-Klaus
Lauren Jauregui
Nico Tortorella
Mariah Brown
Ivory Aquino
Cody Alan
Taylor Bennett
Makonnen
Hanne Gaby Odiele
Texas Mayor Jess Herbst
Lilah Sturges
Bryan Stars
Anthony Bowens
Daniel Newman
Gia Gunn
Barry Manilow
Artem Kolesov
Shannon Purser
Shawn Barber
Ryan Santana
Peppermint
Miley Cyrus
Alia Shawkat
Keiynan Lonsdale
DJ GRiZ
Jordan Gavaris
Ryan O’Callaghan
Jake Zyrus
Lauren Duca
Savannah
Gloria Carter
Natalie Morales
Gavin Russom
Philippa York
Brian Michael Smith
Thomas Dekker
Greyson Chance
Sue Bird
Oliver Potter
Big Clive
Aaron Carter
Katie Sowers
HRC, in a statement, said this year it’s as important as ever to recognize the power of coming out — and for HRC’s more than 3 million members, supporters, volunteers and activists to use the power of their voices and stories to defeat attacks on our progress toward equality and secure protections for LGBTQ people in states and communities across the nation.
This summer, HRC launched HRC Rising, the largest grassroots expansion in its 37-year history, to resist the politics of hate, fight anti-LGBTQ legislation and fuel pro-equality candidates and initiatives.
For more information and resources on NCOD, visit HRC’s Coming Out Center and follow the hashtag #ComingOutDay.
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