Monday was National Coming Out Day. Granted, it may not be New Year's Eve, St. Patrick's Day or even Homecoming, but for many of your peers, it's much more important.
Beyond the public expression of sexual orientation, National Coming Out Day is also a time for all GLBT people and our allies to reflect upon the struggles and oppressions, social and self-imposed, that gay and lesbian Americans continue to face in this country every single day. In addition, it is a time to reaffirm that we, as a community, support an environment where every person lives free from fear and discrimination. For those you who are not members of the GLBT community, National Coming Out Day may not be a noteworthy time. But it should be significant, because more likely than not, you are friends with, took a class alongside, or have someone in your family who is gay or lesbian (though you may not know it). And for these people, coming out of the closet remains a long, difficult and emotional process. I speak from experience. We face fear, discrimination, harassment, rejection and even violence by revealing our sexual orientation. And this is why we need your support.
The easiest way you can support your gay and lesbian friends is by creating an accepting environment, not just on your campus, but in the nation as well. This means choosing a leader who respects and supports gay and lesbian Americans in their struggles.
President Bush has used the lives of gay and lesbian Americans as a political tool. He has pandered to homophobia and bigotry for political purposes, and has attempted to enshrine in the constitution permanent second-class citizen status for GLBT Americans. In George W. Bush's country, GLBT people are a threat to the fabric of America.
On the other hand, John Kerry opposes the Federal Marriage Amendment. He was one of only 14 Senators to vote against the "Defense of Marriage Act" in 1996. And he passionately opposed the discriminating "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. Additionally, Kerry supports the passage of comprehensive hate-crimes legislation and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, so GLBT people can work in environments free of discrimination. John Kerry has a long record of supporting gays and lesbians, and he understands that the real threats to America are not the expressions of sexual orientation, but prejudice and fear.
Oct. 11 was an important day for GLBT people across this country, but the truth is, we are more concerned with the quality of our lives for the next four years. When you go into the voting booth or mark your absentee ballot on November 2nd, think of how far Gays and Lesbians have come as a community, and how far we still must go. And vote for a President who will respect our dignity and our rights.
Wayne Ting National Chair, GLBT Caucus College Democrats of America
