Hi,

It is National Coming Out Day, a day to live into our truth loudly and proudly as members of the LGBTQ community. It is also a day where we invite allies in to see us more clearly.

If you are LGBTQ-identified, we hope you feel proud of who you are in this movement … today and every day! And if you are an ally, family member or friend, thank you for helping make a day like today easier for everyone in our community.

Sharing our authentic selves with others is not always safe or easy, and it is not a one-day event — but when possible, it can be an extraordinarily powerful key to breaking down the barriers we face as LGBTQ people.

Coming out is just as important today as it was thirty-two years ago when we first observed National Coming Out Day. Know today, everyone at HRC believes in you and we are here for you … no matter where you are on this journey. We are a family and we are here to protect each other, lift each other up and celebrate our unique selves.

With that in mind, we created HRC’s Coming Out Resource Center to help people share their truth proudly and safely — or even as an ally. Read our newest coming out resources (below), and share them with loved ones in your life:

LGBTQ folks and our storied contributions are woven into the very fabric of our nation. Our diversity and unity in the pursuit of equality are our greatest strengths.

As you know, LGBTQ people lack basic protections in many areas of the law, so coming out is always a personal choice. It also speaks to the fact that we must use our collective strength to shape elections. Please make a plan and VOTE! We must come out to vote for pro-equality candidates up and down the ballot to ensure our leaders will have our backs!

So let’s celebrate the power of visibility to change hearts and minds and win elections. It takes bravery to come out — just please do so safely.

Never forget that we are always in your corner.

Best,