National Coming Out Day at Vanier
In celebration of National Coming Out Day, Vanier Student Life organised an informational booth set up in Jake’s Mall on Thursday, October 11th. National Coming Out Day is a day meant to celebrate the coming out of gay, lesbian, bisexual, queer and all who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community and for showing your support of the community as an ally. This year was the 30th anniversary of this event. The event first began on the anniversary of the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights.
This booth featured a quiz game where participants would spin a wheel to determine the question in which they had to answer. Questions surrounded topics prevalent in the LGBTQ+ community and beyond. There was also another activity at this booth where students and staff alike were encouraged to write a message in support of the LGBTQ+ community in Vanier and all around the world. These messages were pinned to a corkboard, which featured so many inspiring messages by the end of the activity, such as “You are loved”, “Stand Strong” and “Pretty, Pan and Proud”.
Events like these are essential for our school community as they encourage learning and diversity in the college, and they do their small part in destigmatizing the LGBTQ+ community. According to The Human Rights Campaign, one out of every two Americans has someone close to them who is gay or lesbian. For transgender people, that number is only one in 10. This shows that coming out is still very important because people who know someone in the LGBTQ+ community are far more likely to support equality according to The Human Rights Campaign.
If you are part of the LGBTQ+ community, or are an ally of the community at Vanier College and would like to meet with other peers like you, be sure to stop by the Umbrella Club located between the D-caf and Jake’s.
Written by: India-Lynn Upshaw-Ruffner
