Twenty-eight years ago today, hundreds of people marched on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. It was also the first observance of what became known as National Coming Out Day. For many LGBTQ Americans, the power of coming out is one of the most basic tools for visibility.
According to the Human Rights Campaign, one out of every two Americans has someone close to them who is gay or lesbian.The number drops to 1 in 10 Americans who have a transgender person close to them.
For many years Milwaukee’s Summerfest grounds has hosted PrideFest, but now, Milwaukee Pride, Inc. has branched out into events year-round. Today, the first BeOUT Milwaukee celebration will take place at South Second in Walker’s Point in partnership with the NOH8 Campaign.
“I think that one of the most important things right now is visibility and sharing personal stories, and I think that's exactly what coming out is," says Jeff Parshley of the NOH8 Campaign.
Among the entertainment and neighborhood tours included during the event, NOH8 will be stationed at the venue for an open photo shoot to help Milwaukeeans share their stories and interpret "no hate" in their own way. "The NOH8 campaign's first photo was taken in response to Proposition 8 in California, which ultimately banned same-sex marriage," Parshley explains. "Today, these photos mean and stand for so much more than that."
However, BeOUT Milwaukee is more than just an opportunity for celebration, according to Michail Takach of Milwaukee Pride. "We have to remember that the National Coming Out Day holiday was originated in activism," he explains. "It was not merely being present, being visible - it was being heard. When you look at the bullying epidemic [with LGBTQ children]...the astonishing rate of suicide attempts in this nation speak to the fact that visibility matters. People need to be seen and heard and then become, whether they know it...role models for others who need them."
During Milwaukee's first Coming Out Day event of its kind, organizers say the goal is to educate people about Milwaukee and the history of the LGBT-friendly Walker's Point neighborhood, and to inform people about local organizations that can offer support and to encourage a positive experience.
"When a family member comes out of the closet, the entire family comes with them," says Takach. "It is not just an individual experience, it's a collective experience that forms around that person and really influences several lives - not just the life of the individual... The idea is just to get people to this neighborhood, to be seen, to be heard in mass numbers, and to celebrate that we can do this."