National Coming Out Day was celebrated by students and faculty alike during an event hosted by The Pride Alliance on campus. On the south side of the Campanile, individuals could find LGBTQIA+ pins and flags representing a multitude of identities, stations to tie-dye shirts and bandanas, Coming Out Day boxes full of affirmations and a polaroid picture station with props.

National Coming Out Day was first celebrated as a national holiday in 1988, one year after the March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights in 1987. This date was chosen to honor the bravery of LGBTQ+ individuals who choose to come out and live openly, according to Stonewall.

“Coming Out Day is not something that is talked about often, so we wanted to give people an event that could give them support and a safe space to come out,” Ewell said.

Genesis Ewell, the public relations coordinator for The Pride Alliance, explains that hosting an event for this day is important for creating a community.

Various students shared agreed with Ewell that the event created a space that provided members of the LGBTQIA+ community a safe opportunity to celebrate their various identities together.

“Celebrating an often difficult experience lets people know they are supported,” M Aesoph, a freshman majoring in design, said.

The event, which ran from 2 to 6 p.m., had people visit throughout the day and in-between classes to participate in craft stations for tie-dye shirts and bandanas while mingling and connecting with other members of the community.

“I think it’s also important to recognize the struggles people have when coming out, and this day can help individuals celebrate their identities on a bigger level,” Marielle MacDonald, a sophomore majoring in English, said.

The event centered on affirming and embracing the various identities of the LGBTQIA+ community through the affirmations found in the Coming Out Day box, which attendees could pose with. The pins and flags provided at the event also served to further embrace members of the queer community and celebrate their identities.

Madison Mason, a senior studying women’s and gender studies and president of The Pride Alliance, shares that hosting an event for National Coming Out Day allows marginalized identities to be celebrated in a space that is not built for them.

“If you aren’t out yet, and you can’t be, it’s okay,” Mason said. “You are seen and valued just as much as those who are out.”

Mason explained that The Pride Alliance wants to create a safe space for queer and trans students on campus.

“We want to encourage individuals to take these moments to express joy and to celebrate ourselves and what we can accomplish together,” Mason said.