Members of the University of Wisconsin Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Campus Center are hoping the events and performances held as part of Coming Out Week will raise awareness in the areas campus climate can improve. 

This year’s National Coming Out Week marks the unveiling of the new LGBTCC in the Red Gym on Thursday, said Assistant Dean and LGBTCC Director Gabe Javier. A coming out workshop, ally training, Queer-e-oke and a performance by Toshi Reagon, a one-woman celebration of dynamic and progressive American music, are spread out over the next week. UW student Danez Smith performed his one man theater production “For Those Who Pray In Closets” yesterday. 

“National Coming Out Day is a really important day to us in the center,” Javier said.

Javier said that although LGBTCC is making many improvements in the acceptance of the LGBTQ community on campus, there are still many areas for improvement. He said the center feels that National Coming Out Day helps address these problems.

Javier said the recent 2010 State of Higher Education for LGBT people reports that LGBT students generally rate their campus environments less positively than their straight counterparts.

Dakin Scott, LGBTCC educational outreach coordinator and UW student, said safety is one of the main difficulties the community faces on campus.

“Many students think that our campus is already very LGBT-friendly. For some, it often is,” Scott said. “However, if an LGBT couple is holding hands while walking down State Street at midnight on a Friday night, they are definitely at risk of homophobic remarks and physical violence.”

He added this occurrence happened to students he knew about two weeks ago.

Javier said LGBTCC believes exposing the non-LGBT community to the LGBTQ community through National Coming Out Week may put a face on a social issue easily ignored by straight people.

Javier said he hopes through this awareness, common problems can start to be prevented. This, he said, was one of the reasons why he feels this is such an important day on campus for not just LGBT students, but their allies and everyone as a whole.

“It’s a day that we set aside to remember that having our voice heard – by coming out – can really change people’s minds and hearts,” he said. “Even our straight allies have coming out stories – they are stories about why they care and stand up for LGBTQ people. This day is all about celebrating our identities.”

National Coming Out Day originated in 1987 when about half a million people held a second march on Washington, D.C., for gay and lesbian rights.

This march was the first time the NAMES Quilt was exhibited as a form of commemoration for those who had died from AIDS, University of Wisconsin assistant professor in communication arts Karma Chavez said in an email to The Badger Herald. The success of the event led to the ultimate decision to create an annual national event by the Human Rights Campaign.