NYCLA LGBTQ+ Issues Statement on Coming Out Day, October 11

The NYCLA LGBTQ+ issues committee recognizes that Saturday, October 11th is National Coming Out Day. 

Each year, National Coming Out Day marks an opportunity to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and raise awareness of the issues we face. We come together to offer our support to those who have had the courage to be their authentic selves and live life out of the closet. We do so in the hope that publicly celebrating and supporting those who are proudly “out” will make the world a more accepting place for LGBTQ+ people.

Unfortunately, over the past year, the LGBTQ+ community has faced legal setbacks and even open hostility. These unfortunate developments make the message behind National Coming Out Day even more important.

This Saturday, consider taking a moment to reflect on what you can do to encourage and support members of the LGBTQ+ community. If you have the time or are able, consider volunteering for or donating to one of the many charities that assist LGBTQ+ youths and young adults who were not accepted by their families when they came out. And consider how, as attorneys, we can make our firms, agencies and workspaces more welcoming to our LGBTQ+ colleagues. To our fellow “out” attorneys, please consider mentoring a younger attorney or law student.

Our community is strongest when it stands together and makes its voice heard. This Saturday we encourage all members of the LGBTQ+ community and its allies to join us in celebration, solidarity, and pride. Together, let’s show that love, inclusion, and equality are values we all stand for, and create a world where everyone can be their true, authentic self.