Morgan Dobis
Staff Writer

The Rainbow Alliance and supporters celebrated National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11 with a booth in the University Mall.

The colorful booth was eye-catching, attracting many who wanted to know what was happening.

The booth’s purpose was to answer questions and build awareness about National Coming Out Day and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues.

National Coming Out Day, the nearly 20-year-old national event to honor the GLBT community, started in 1987.

Its purpose is to educate the community at large about GLBT issues.

The ULV club was well-prepared with pamphlets on such topics as coming out, coming out to parents and how to respect a transsexual.

“There’s not one way to do it,” said Kori Bennett, co-president of the Rainbow Alliance. “It is such a personal thing, with the family situation and all that, there is just no specific way to come out.”

The group’s main goal was to provide some kind of outlet for people with questions.

“Well, we don’t get a lot of people that directly ask questions, but it’s bright and colorful and people are definitely interested and come by to check it out,” said Michael Ramsey, a senior and co-president of the Rainbow Alliance.

National Coming Out Day is celebrated every year, to commemorate the first march on Washington in 1987 by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender activists.

The day was founded by Dr. Robert Eichberg and Jean O’Leary in 1988 on the anniversary of that march.

On Coming Out Day, members of the GLBT community are encouraged to wear identifying symbols to promote honesty and openness about being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.

“Coming Out Day is a chance to celebrate and educate people and get some support before telling friends or family,” Bennett said.

The co-presidents Bennett and Ramsey, along with other members of the Rainbow Alliance, are trying to provide a safe place on campus for any students who are confused or are questioning their sexual orientation.

“We just want to show it’s there, not hidden away and there are people who are not afraid of what they are and what they are going through,” Ramsey said.

“It’s good we get the word out, we are here as a support for students, support for friends and family,” said Bailey Smith, Rainbow Alliance adviser.

Smith is one of three faculty advisers of the Rainbow Alliance.

The Rainbow Alliance has a big faculty support and has nearly 20 active members and more than a 100 members on their mailing list.

The group meets at one in the afternoon every Friday in the Hoover Building room 128.

Bennett’s one message she wants the students at the University to know is you do not have to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender to be involved in the club and they are always looking for people who want to be activists for their cause.

Morgan Dobis can be reached at m.dobis15@yahoo.com.