CAMPUS COMES OUT IN SUPPORT OF LGBT

Events celebrate National Coming Out Day by spreading awareness and promoting equality for diverse student population

Gary Cecil III
The Signal

Oct. 11 is National Coming Out Day (NCOD) for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community. UHCL’s Intercultural and International Student Services and Unity Club celebrated the day with events to help raise LGBT awareness.

One aspect of this day is to “promote tolerance, acceptance and solidarity of humanity,” said Alan Mansfield, Unity Club president.

National Coming Out Day promotes not just acceptance of the LGBT community, but of everyone.

Coming Out Day marks the anniversary of the March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights in 1987. On this day, half a million people were a part of this march.

“It is important for us to always be our 100 percent most authentic self on a daily basis,” Mansfield said.

This was the main purpose of Unity Club’s “Balloon Stories” event. The event featured an arch of balloons with ribbons attached to them across Atrium 1. Participants then wrote down their “coming out” stories or expressions of support and attached them to the ribbons on the balloons.

The stories included all people’s stories, not just stories describing coming out as LGBT.

“We want to include everyone… we want to show that the LGBT community is no different than any other social group,” Mansfield said.

Also in celebration of NCOD, IISS, in addition to helping Unity with its “Balloon Stories” event, featured its own event in which 96.5 Radio DJ Blake Hayes spoke out against discrimination.

Hayes said that what he wanted to do with his speech was to remind people that LGBT persons are here.

“Unlike with race, you can’t just look at someone and tell that they’re gay,” Hayes said. “We want to show kids who aren’t gay that it’s important to treat people equally.”

Initially Hayes seemed unsure why he even decided to become active in gay rights in the first place. He gave the impression that helping make a difference was simply what he should be doing.

“It’s incredibly rewarding that you can be a part of that,” Hayes said.

Hayes pointed out that one important reason to come out is because people who know LGBT persons will be more likely to stand up to defend and side with gay rights. Hayes recalls the change in his own family’s approach to gay issues when he came out to his family.

His father, whom he described as “blue collar,” may hear coworkers use homophobic slurs such as “fag,” and now he is the first to say, “that’s not okay.”

“Coming out is crucial for the fight to equality because it puts a face to the LGBT community,” Hayes said.

Hayes went on to indicate that it is especially important for the LGBT youth in Texas to know that they are not alone and that there are supporters. Hayes recalls a story from when he first came to Texas. Working as a radio DJ, Hayes was asked by a man to dedicate a song to his boyfriend. Hayes complied, originally expecting complaints. He only received one phone call. It was from a woman telling him that because of the dedication, his station was now her favorite.

“That was not at all what I expected,” Hayes said. “She called just to say thank you… maybe there’s a lot more supporters in Houston than I thought.”

Ally Week also takes place this month. This is when students are encouraged to stand up against anti-LGBT bullying. In honor of Ally Week, Unity Club will hold an Ally Panel Discussion featuring Sociology Professor Arch Eric, City Council Candidate Jenifer Rene Pool and Houston City Council Member Ellen Cohen Monday Oct. 15 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Bayou Garden Room.

Pool will discuss “working together, creating communities outside of your comfort zone.” Pool points out that the transgender community has been an unsung voice in the LGBT community for some time now. She said this might be because, until recently, the transgender community was not organized and that many people in the gay community do not consider her as a part of their community.

“But it is changing,” Pool said.

Pool challenges all who meet a transgender person to try to get to know that person.

“Have a cup of coffee with them and… you will find out how much you have in common,” Pool said.

These events are observed to help bring awareness to the LGBT community and to encourage support.

“We can always do more to educate younger people to get on the right side of history,” Hayes said.

For more information about Ally Week and Unity Club, visit www.facebook.com/unityuhcl.
 

 
The Signal reporter Meaghan Marquez and videographer Timothy Lapointe check out the different events held on campus Oct. 11 for National Coming Out Day.