Editorial : Coming Out Month offers opportunity for education, fostering support

The personal coming out stories that appeared in Tuesday’s paper remind us all of our struggles for self-discovery and the courage it takes to openly defy societal expectations, our religion or our family.

Coming Out Month may inspire those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender to open up to their friends and family. But such openness should be reciprocated. Straight friends and family can use this month, too, by raising awareness, being especially supportive and learning more about a part of our community sometimes pushed to the margins.

Regardless of gender or sexual orientation, everyone has gone through difficult moments of transformation and self-awareness. Coming Out Month is a call to action for members of the straight community to be particularly aware of friends and family members coming to terms with their identity, especially if they have the courage to talk about it.

Coming out is not a final step. Personal coming out stories reveal it is often the opening step to a very hard period of time, marred by isolation and sometimes depression. Few know the feeling of entirely losing the love and support of a mother or father. Providing a network of support and unwavering reassurance for those who have just come out can compensate for the sometimes harrowing and destructive reactions of others.

The LGBT Resource Center offers a wealth of information not only to those questioning their identities, but also to those who feel they need to know more about the LGBTQ community. It’s far better to ask the uncomfortable questions in a safe place than to accidentally say something hurtful.

The violent tragedies that befall those in desperation are completely avoidable. It is not on the shoulders of the desperate to climb out of such darkness. It is the responsibility of the community to reassure and encourage and remind our neighbors, our peers and friends of their worth.