by Teia Rogers

Created on: July 27, 2009

Coming out is a frightening experience if you're one of the millions of people around the world struggling with a queer identity. Each person's coming out experience is different. Regardless of how you share your identity, there is inherent value in the expression of your truth. Sexual identity is the most intimate and organic element to human life. Those uncontrollable feelings will not be suppressed without fierce internal opposition. Coming out is quite literally an eruption from the depths of an oppressive psychosocial crypt.

The experience of coming out is a means for each person to connect with their community. We give a face and an identity to our sexuality. As more and more Americans declare their truths, we begin to see how we fit into the greater picture. The more people who have a gay neighbor or a lesbian co-worker, the easier it is for the average potentially homophobic person to say, That's not that strange after all. It's a way for everyone to connect themselves and remove the pervasive stigma from the homosexual community.

Coming out is a vehicle for queer people to be counted. It is a means to be represented and give their voice to the collective cry for rights and equality. As challenging as it can be to live life outside of the safety of mainstream heterosexual monotony, there are a number of support systems in place to assist in the transition. The most meaningful relationships you can develop are the ones created when you were honest with yourself about who you are and who you love. It is simply connecting your honest self with others. It is an explosive community building activity and one that no queer person ever forgets.

An essential element to coming out is the coming out party. This special event is designed to celebrate the new, gay you, being reborn into a more complete self. It is mandatory that a celebration take place however you choose. The coming out party is a way to express yourself in the safety and comfort of loving friends and an opportunity to meet new ones.

Coming out is a special and solemn occasion. It is a deeply personal experience to anyone who has had the fortune. In a homophobic world, coming out is how we support our brothers and sisters in their struggles to out themselves. We united with those who have remained closeted for various reasons, we celebrate with the courageous leaders who charged out of the closet and we bring ourselves closer to those who have long since died so that we may live out loud.

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