DE Campus Life 10

Coming out of the closet is not always easy for people in the gay community, but Tim Rice says Saturday’s National Coming Out Day is the perfect opportunity to let people know about his sexual preference.

Rice, an undecided freshman from Cobden, said that when he came out 20 years ago, it was hard for many people to accept.

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Coming Out Day is a day for gay and lesbian people to openly announce their sexual orientation. It is a day to unify gay and gay-positive people.

Coming Out Day is part of the October Gay History Month. Activities such as poetry nights, a picnic and a book reading are included in the month.

Rice said Coming Out Day is important because of the ignorance of people in society who listen to negative stereotypes.

We want to alleviate stereotypes about who we are and what we are, he said.

Rice said Coming Out Day is not just for the gay community, but the heterosexual community as well.

It’s for family and friends and people who are not gay to let people know they have a gay son or daughter or friend, he said. We want them to let people know that they are proud of that person, so it’s an opportunity for them to come out, too.

Paulette Curkin, the coordinator for housing programming and the adviser for Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals and Friends, said Coming Out Day is important because gay people are almost an invisible minority.

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We don’t always know who our role models are or that we have as many role models as we do, she said.

Curkin said Coming Out Day provides support for the gay community and serves to educate the heterosexual community.

Our own biases come out of our own ignorance, she said. Once we educate people, they are not as afraid.

Rice said it is a lot easier for people to come out in today’s society because more people are aware and knowledgeable.

More people seek out information and facts instead of stereotypes given by the media or that they’ve been brought up with, he said. More people are supportive and provide a safe haven.