How to Celebrate National Coming Out Day
Cator Sparks, Boon Coach
National Coming Out Day (NCOD), is recognized each year on October 11th. It’s a day to celebrate and uplift queer identity and raise awareness for the continued struggle for acceptance and equal rights for people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and/or asexual (LGBTQ+). The process of choosing to come out to close friends or loved ones can be a very important and affirming milestone.
The date of October 11 was chosen at the inauguration of NCOD in 1988 because it is the anniversary of the 1987 National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights.
More and more people are feeling comfortable coming out at work, but it is still not an option for everyone. A 2019 Glassdoor study found that 43% of LGBTQ+ employees are not fully “out” at work, with 47% saying that being out at work could hurt their career through job loss, or being passed over for a promotion or key project.
Some ideas to promote awareness in the work place include:
Encourage an LGBTQ+ group to be formed so those employees can connect and support one another.
This organization may want to host an event where other employees can ask them questions in a safe space. One of the biggest issues is lack of understanding, and lack of knowledge about a community. Maybe a few folks can offer to share their coming out experience and help others better understand the LGBTQ experience.
Send an email out to staff on October 11th, celebrating and honoring this day. Maybe even spotlight an LGBTQ+ employee who is open to sharing their story. Include resources where employees can learn more or refer them to your DEI department.
Include reading collateral about the LGBTQ+ experience out in public spaces for employees to read or take home.
Looking for more way to make your workplace more inclusive? Here is a list of resources that can help.
NPR’s Life Kit on 4 ways to make your workplace equitable for trans people includes specific steps and resources.
This visual guide on how to talk about pronouns at work from Harvard Business Review offers specific and accessible strategies.
Glassdoor’s checklist for empowering LGBTQ employees is especially useful for larger organizations.
Out & Equal Workplace Advocates has a guide of best practices for non-binary inclusion in the workplace.
Of course if you have any employees who either needed guidance as an LGBTQ+ employee or as a straight ally, we have Boon coaches who can help and support!
