2008 Woodie Awards
Straight allies offer support at picnic
NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY CELEBRATED ON CAMPUS
By: Andrea Noble
Issue date: 10/13/05 Section: News
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Before coming to Webster, Ingram, a freshman international human rights major, wrote an editorial in a Kentucky daily newspaper blasting the governor's proposed marriage amendments and revealed his homosexuality in the process. Ingram said his outing ruffled some feathers in his family and it took them some time to adjust, especially since his father was working for the governor at the time.
"It was a very liberating experience," Ingram said.
Students like Ingram were encouraged to share their coming out stories during an indoor picnic in Webster's celebration of National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11.
"This day is for everyone else to notice who is gay and supportive of it," said Amy Farrfan, secretary/treasurer of Webster Pride.
National Coming Out Day is observed by the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community and its allies to commemorate the march on Washington D.C. in 1987 by 500,000 people for gay and lesbian equality. It marks a day to increase awareness of the gay community. National Coming Out Day celebrations have taken place every year since the original 1987 march, though this is the first year current Webster Pride members remember commemorating the event on campus.
Despite the name of the day, few students actually "came out" for the first time but all were invited to write narratives of their coming out experiences on a white board.
"By letting people come out and support the day, people don't have to try to hide who they are," Ingram said.
Though members of the LGBT community may have trouble coming out to some people, Farrfan said students don't typically have a hard time coming out and finding support at Webster.
Besides being a supportive event within the gay community, Will Fruhwrith, vice president of Webster Pride, said National Coming Out Day can be a day for heterosexuals to show their support of the gay community as well.
"One girl came out to her parents today on the phone as a straight ally," Fruhwrith said.
Acceptance and support from straight allies can be just as important as support from within the gay community itself, said Brenda Tracy, a counseling and health services intern attending the event. Tracy said the celebration and other events like it on campus, can help ease the tensions that have built up surrounding homosexuality.