The event was put on by the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Resource Center. Around 20students, faculty and staff members, heterosexual, homosexual and allies, sat in arm chairs, accompanied with milk and cookies, sat in the SORCE student room in the UMC from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. They listened, laughed and empathized with their community as people stepped up to a microphone adorned with the sign, “the closet is now open” and told some of their most intimate and personal coming out stories.
National Coming Out Day has been celebrated on the Boulder campus for several years now. Traditionally, the event has been organized with the milk and cookies as a gathering for the community from all over campus. People opt of their own volition to step up to the mic and contribute their anecdotes.
While there were periods of silence between some contributors, it merely presented the chance for participants and listeners to absorb the impact of those stories.
The level of familiarity and friendship seemed tangible enough to warrant a solid comfort level for this close community to welcome even strangers into their midst. Not only were there coming out narratives, but allies opted to share their personal experiences about friends who had come out to them or what it means to support other communities.
Maria Genao-Homs, the Outreach Coordinator for the GLBTRC, and whose job it is to give more visibility to the center and community by organizing events, doing outreach work and collaborating with other departments and student groups, has been working at CU since the summer.
“It’s pretty simple, just kind of hanging out and celebrating the community and everyone’s stories,” Genao-Homs said. “I think everyone has their different traditions, but it’s definitely something that is celebrated across the nation. It’s also for allies.”
An ally is a label given to a heterosexual person, who still supports and assists the GLBT community. It is a concept that applies to communities across the board, including those with ethnicity, ability, disability and gender differences.
“I’m considered an ally who supports the community, who tries to be very aware of my privileges as a straight individual in this society,” Genao-Homs said.
Stephanie Wilenchek, director for the GLBTRC, said the group encompasses all aspects of student support services.
“There are three categories we cover: education, advocacy and support,” Wilenchek said. “Within each of those areas, many things go on.”
Wilenchek has been director for GLBTRC for the last four and half years and said that CU students have been participating in coming out day celebration since before her arrival.
“For at least the last five years, and probably longer,” said Wilenchek of the event’s presence at CU. “Most likely something was done on campus either through student groups or the GLBTRC since its national inception in the late 80s.”
Although the event drew a sparser crowd than normal, missing members had a very justifiable reason for missing out on the celebration.
“This year, a number of students are heading to D.C. for the National Equality March,” Wilenchek said.
Grant Scovel, a 23-year-old CU alumnus with degrees in business and theater and a six year attendee of the function, recalled a time when there were more members than chairs available to sit in.
“This is the smallest I’ve seen it. But it’s been really neat, and I started coming to it before I was out, before I knew for myself. I came to give support for other people at first, and then to tell my story and to give hope for other people who haven’t come out yet,” Scovel said.
National Coming Out Day has been a very powerful and successful experience, sometimes even resulting in spontaneous, spur of the moment coming out revelations.
The Human Rights Campaign nationally manages the event on behalf of participants everywhere. Over the years it has come to be associated with helping people live honest and open lives.
“Some of my best friends have actually come out at this event. It’s an empowering thing for a lot of people who weren’t planning on talking but ended up saying something as well. There’s just a variety of experiences,” Scovel said.
Wilencheck said she has for the most part received positive feedback regarding the event.
“We have mostly received praises about it being a helpful and supportive event, especially for building community and folks being able to share stories publicly in a safer environment,” Wilenchek said.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Sheila V. Kumar at Sheila.kumar@colorado.edu.
