Title
Commemorating National Coming Out Day on October 11th, 2023 in the City of Philadelphia.
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WHEREAS, National Coming Out Day is an annual celebration that encourages and supports LGBTQIA+ individuals in coming out, telling their stories, fighting for their rights, and sharing their authentic selves; and
WHEREAS, On October 11th 1987, half a million people joined the March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, the second such demonstration on the capital. This movement led to the founding of national LGBTQIA+ organizations, which spearheaded the inauguration of National Coming Out Day in 1988. By 1990, National Coming Out Day was observed in all 50 states and merged its efforts with the Human Rights Campaign. Today, National Coming Out Day continues to promote a safe world for LGBTQIA+ individuals to live truthfully and openly; and
WHEREAS, Coming out is a unique and often daunting experience for every LGBTQIA+ person. Many come out multiple separate times: to friends, family, colleagues, and acquaintances. For some, coming out may be a simple matter of correcting assumptions. For others, coming out is still a terrifying and dangerous challenge that can be met with discrimination, bullying, ostracization, judgment, or violence. National Coming Out Day provides an opportunity for us all to strengthen our community, support each other, and help LGBTQIA+ individuals be safely open with those closest to them; and
WHEREAS, National Coming Out Day is not a day to pressure anyone to come out or to shame those who have yet to come out. It is a day to celebrate the beauty of being true to yourself, having the courage to share your experiences, and supporting others who may choose to come out to you. It is also a day to acknowledge the difficulties many face in coming out, to understand that there is no single way to come out, to recognize that still not all can safely come out, and to respect that some may choose never to come out; and
WHEREAS, While Nat...
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