COMING OUT CAMPAIGN

This isn’t a campaign to force LGBTQIA2S+ people to come out or to shame people who haven’t done so. It is nobody’s role to police others' sexual orientation or gender identity journey and their level of public disclosure. We do not adhere to the “coming out imperative”, and we acknowledge that a “coming out” purely celebratory narrative of personal bravery can obscure the dangers that force many LGBTQIA2S+ people to stay “in”: physical aggression, financial repercussions, and the loss of safety nets, among others. We recognize that intersectional variables such as race and ethnicity, class, gender, disability and age can complicate the dominant, widespread narrative of what "coming out" means. There is no correct or incorrect way to be LGBTQIA2S+. We respect the decisions each person makes regarding their sexual orientation, gender identity, and public declarations or absence thereof.
Nevertheless, we think that this day has strong personal, historical and political importance for many members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community, especially in these times of backlash, and we want to offer them the opportunity to be open and share with the rest of the community that part of their identity in the way that is most comfortable to them. Because at CEU, we take pride and celebrate diversity.