National Coming Out Day is celebrated in the UK on 12 October (US: 11 October) and commemorates the anniversary of an American national LGBT march on Washington in 1987. But do we actually need a Coming Out Day? Does it not put pressure on people who, for instance, are not ready to come out or who might be in a situation where it would actually be unsafe?
“A specific coming out day will certainly be helpful to some, in terms of being more open about their experiences with family, friends or colleagues,” says psychologist Meg John Barker. “But on the downside, a day like that can put pressure on people because they can easily take it to mean that it is somehow better to be out, or that they should come out.”
Coming out is obviously made easier (or otherwise), depending on your age-group, home locality, whether one is gay, bi or trans, or perhaps part of a conservative religious community. “It’s vital to remember that we don’t have a level playing field here and that it’s a lot more difficult – and even dangerous – in different situations. In some communities and workplaces it’s far more risky than it is in others,” states Meg John.