Flipping the Narrative: National Coming Out Day Should Expose the Haters
National Coming Out Day is upon us, and it’s high time we cut through the BS and get real. While this day has traditionally been about celebrating LGBTQ+ individuals unapologetically being themselves, the day would not even be needed if not for the transphobes, misogynists, and racists who put our lives at risk with their hatred and violence.
The premise of National Coming Out Day implies that being LGBTQ+ is something extraordinary, something that needs to be announced. But why should we continue to embrace this narrative when cisgender and heterosexual folks don’t have to declare their sexual orientation or gender identity? It’s time to throw that notion in the trash where it belongs.
So, what does National Coming Out Day offer aside from a moment of recognition? Does it genuinely ensure safety, secure funding, or bring about meaningful visibility? Let’s be honest; it often falls short. While it’s great for raising awareness and starting conversations, it rarely translates into tangible support or systemic change.
Visibility alone is not enough. National Coming Out Day has, in many ways, become a convenient PR stunt, a day when society acknowledges LGBTQ+ existence and then swiftly moves on. It’s time to flip the script.
Instead of celebrating the act of coming out, let’s transform National Coming Out Day into a day of reckoning. A day where the transphobes come out, the racists come out, the discriminators come out. Let them step into the spotlight, expose their hatred, and face the consequences of their bigotry.
We’ve had enough of celebrating a part of our identity that is simply valid because we’re human beings. Instead let’s hold accountable the people and the political, economic, and social systems they use to create laws and cultural norms that put our very humanity at risk. Risk of losing our homes, jobs, and, devastatingly, our very lives. Let’s spotlight and then put into action how to revolutionize a world that openly sanctions killing us in many cases without penalty. Let’s not forget Marsha P. Johnson, Sonia Rescalvo Zafra, Dee Dee Pearson, Ariyanna Mitchell, and the thousands of more known and unknown people who lost their lives for just being human.
In this reimagined National Coming Out Day, let’s rally cisgender and heterosexual allies to publicly denounce their prejudices and actively support the LGBTQ+ community with concrete results. And to be a true ally, it’s time you also stop hiding behind your platitudes of fake acceptance and examine your own feelings and behaviors about us.
National Coming Out Day must evolve beyond mere celebration. This day is no longer about us coming out; it’s about everyone owning up to their prejudice and working to create a more inclusive and equitable society for all.
Power without action is useless. Visit MarshaP.org to donate and sign our petition. It’s time to turn the tide and stand up against hate!
