Although I know that it's politically powerful and most effective to come out by sitting people down and just telling them, I have never been that (pardon the expression) straightforward in my approach. Generally I figure that people will "get" what they see in front of them, and if they don't, shame on them. In order to come out to my parents, I brought home my college girlfriend and made no secret about sharing a bedroom with her. The message was received loud and clear.

I have always thought it's strange that there is no end to the coming out that we must do. Everytime I meet someone new or enter a new group, there is the worrisome task of "how" and "when" to let people know. It's very tiresome. My preferred technique is to bring Barbara along and give her a nice kiss and hug when everyone is looking.

October 11th is National Coming Out Day. How about let's reverse it this year. Straight people: give someone a break and tell them that you already know they are gay or lesbian.

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 09, 2003 at 9:15 AM. You can skip to the end and leave a response.