October 11, 1997 is National Coming Out Day, a day that marks the tenth anniversary of the 1987 March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights.

National Coming Out Day is a yearly event held every October 11th, where closeted gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals can be honest and open about who they are with their families, friends, coworkers, and communities.

National Coming Out Day serves a variety of purposes for the coming out of those of us who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender and those of us who are already open.

Coming out provides a means for raising the consciousness of non-gay members of our community, people who might otherwise remain ignorant about what it means to be gay.

It opens up the opportunity to help people become more accepting of our gay brothers and sisters, to erode the hateful and hurtful bigotry, prejudice and homophobia that pervades people’s consciousness, and to diminish the heterosexism that is deeply entrenched in our social institutions.

Being out allows gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals who have not yet become comfortable with their sexual orientation the opportunity to explore their sexuality and ask questions.

Helping them see they have received the special gift of an alternate orientation helps them to come out themselves.

Those of us who are out can be role models for our gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth.

We can stop them from feeling alone. We can help them understand they are not evil or deficient, but good and healthy.

These are only some of the changes that can occur by coming out and living genuine and authentic lives as people with an alternate sexual orientation.

Certainly, being a lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender person in our society is not easy, but being open with who we are is clearly more gratifying than being in the closet.

For not only do we open up the door to leading a healthy life, we also offer our gay brothers and sisters the opportunity to become more comfortable and accepting of themselves as well.

Don Paulsen

North Sioux City, S.D.