The Student News Site of Appalachian State University

The Appalachian

The Student News Site of Appalachian State University

The Appalachian

The Student News Site of Appalachian State University

The Appalachian

Newsletter Signup

Get our news delivered straight to your inbox every week.

* indicates required

LGBT Center celebrates National Coming Out Day

Junior social work major Alison Rocheleau and freshman physics major Nicholas Phillips run the LGBT Center's booth Tuesday in Plemmons Student Union.Courtney Roskos | The AppalachianTuesday marked the 30th annual National Coming Out Day.

“A lot of our other events are more focused on issues or problems in the community, and this day is more of ‘you’re out, you’re gay, you’re LGBTQ and that’s awesome, let’s celebrate that.'” said Zach Herman, senior interdisciplinary studies major and co-coordinator for the event.

From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the booth in Plemmons Student Union featured buttons, face painting, key chains and other merchandise as well as large-scale posters signed with words of encouragement.

The poster itself will be framed and put on display in the LGBT center.

“Coming Out Day here is helping me accept myself,” said Ellis Conway, junior hospitality and tourism management student and member of the LGBT community. “Having this place is really meaningful. I was in a really low place before I came here. I had lost a lot of friends. Having a day where you can
shout it without being obnoxious is really helpful.”

Senior math major Lindsey Varner said she sees the day as a time to be confident.

“I feel like we’re under the radar most days,” Varner said.

But the day isn’t only focused on pride — it focuses on education too.

Mark Rasdorf, graduate assistant for the LGBT Center, said in past years the events for the day ignored this aspect. This year, they hope to reach more people more effectively by offering otherwise hard to come by information alongside the celebrations.

“We have literature about coming out for people in any situation, literature in Spanish, literature specifically about being transgender and even brochures about different places of worship,” Rasdorf said.

Amber Harnden, senior psychology major and co-coordinator of the event, coordinated a photo shoot for those who come out as LGBT or allies and have their photo taken with the LGBT Center rainbow wall, holding signs with a positive message of their choosing.

“We’ve had people write some really inspirational things,” Harnden said.

The photos will be sent to participants following the event for use on Facebook profiles as an act of continued support, Harnden said.

The LGBT Center hoped to build off of the success of the recent “Gay? Fine by me” photo shoots not only in helping to create more visibility for National Coming Out Day, but also to spread the message that coming out day extends to allies.

“We want to increase awareness of the LGBT center, the LGBT community and we want the public to know that allies are welcome in the fight for civil rights in our community,” Rasdorf said.

At 6:30 p.m. in Whitewater Cafe, there was a panel of students to share their coming out stories followed by a question and answer session. From 8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., celebrations continued in honor of Appalachian’s LGBT Center’s fourth birthday.

 

Story: LOVEY COOPER, A&E Reporter

 Photo: COURTNEY ROSKOS, Staff Photographer

Leave a Comment
Donate to The Appalachian
$1201
$5000
Contributed
Our Goal

We hope you appreciate this article! Before you move on, our student staff wanted to ask if you would consider supporting The Appalachian's award-winning journalism. We are celebrating our 90th anniversary of The Appalachian in 2024!

We receive funding from the university, which helps us to compensate our students for the work they do for The Appalachian. However, the bulk of our operational expenses — from printing and website hosting to training and entering our work into competitions — is dependent upon advertising revenue and donations. We cannot exist without the financial and educational support of our fellow departments on campus, our local and regional businesses, and donations of money and time from alumni, parents, subscribers and friends.

Our journalism is produced to serve the public interest, both on campus and within the community. From anywhere in the world, readers can access our paywall-free journalism, through our website, through our email newsletter, and through our social media channels. Our supporters help to keep us editorially independent, user-friendly, and accessible to everyone.

If you can, please consider supporting us with a financial gift from $10. We appreciate your consideration and support of student journalism at Appalachian State University. If you prefer to make a tax-deductible donation, or if you would prefer to make a recurring monthly gift, please give to The Appalachian Student News Fund through the university here: https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1727/cg20/form.aspx?sid=1727&gid=2&pgid=392&cid=1011&dids=418.15&bledit=1&sort=1.

Donate to The Appalachian
$1201
$5000
Contributed
Our Goal

Comments (0)

All The Appalachian Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *