UTA Libraries to Celebrate National Coming Out Day

UTA Libraries and the LGBTQ+ program is celebrating National Coming Out Day with a festival. The festival starts at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 11, in Brazos Park across from the University Center. 

Milaun Murry, Experiential Learning librarian, stated that this festival is one of the ways that UTA Libraries shows support to this great group of individuals that make up a part of our family here on campus. She noted that many different activities at the festival would bring the UTA community together.  

“Students will have a lot of fun activities that they can come out and do. It is just going to be a massive festival. There are going to be opportunities for them to take photos. We will have different games. We will have food and drinks, of course,” Milaun said. “One of the fun things that the library is contributing is that we will have a pink door that will be available out there that students will be able to come out of and take photos. If they have something that they want to express, they will be able to express it as they are coming out of the door.” 

The Human Rights Campaign website states that National Coming Out Day is part of LGBTQ+ awareness day observed annually on Oct. 11. This day is to support and celebrate all people who have come out as LGBTQ+. 

Historically National Coming Out Day takes place on the same day as the second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, Oct. 11, 1987. The first National Coming Out Day celebration was a year later, in 1988. 

Milaun stated that the National Coming Out Day Festival is a great way of allowing our LGBTQ+ students to be seen, and it lets them know that they have a community here and coming out is OK. 

Throughout Oct., UTA celebrates LGBTQ+ Mavericks and allies by planning events and showing support for the LGBTQ+ community. For a complete list of events scheduled for Oct., go to https://bit.ly/3rwI57i.