National Coming Out Week will be observed Oct. 11-14
National Coming Out Day is recognized on Oct. 11 as a time to reflect, celebrate, and demonstrate ongoing support for the LGBTQ+ community. The date was chosen to commemorate the anniversary of the 1987 National March on Washington for Gay and Lesbian Rights. For more than 30 years, National Coming Out Day has played a significant part of UND’s history with the first recognition in 1990, hosted by the Organization for Alternative Lifestyles, known today as the Queer & Trans Alliance.
A Resilient Community
On Oct. 12, 1990, the campus community was in shock to see messages of hate written on the sidewalks, covering positive words of affirmation, support, and awareness information about the LBGTQ+ community previously written for National Coming Out Day. The Dakota Student highlighted the actions, covering strong opinions of support and also of those that were in opposition of the LGBTQ+ community in a series of articles that month. This was the beginning of larger conversations about LGBTQ+ support on campus, bringing awareness and visibility to the LGBTQ+ community at UND.
Since then, the organization has continued to recognize National Coming Out Day with LGBTQ+ speakers, AIDS awareness events, panel discussions, drag shows, and more while experiencing social opposition, national rhetoric, and anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. The LGBTQ+ community has been and still remains resilient, shaping the campus to be more inclusive, to demonstrate a continuous commitment to LGBTQ+ students.
Honoring our past, living our truths
LGBTQ+ History Month celebrates how far LGBTQ+ rights have come since the first and second national marches on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights.
“We can’t forget the past, we have to recognize and honor those that paved a way for a better future, the sacrifices that were made, the fight to survive and to exist as a thriving Queer and Trans community. That’s what we are trying to achieve during this year’s National Coming Out Week,” said Jeff Maliskey, assistant director for Student Diversity & Inclusion / LGBTQ Initiatives.
This year for National Coming Out Week, there are a series of events to celebrate identity and bring larger visibility to the LGBTQ+ community at UND.
- Monday, Oct. 11, noon – 3 p.m. | Coming Out Day Celebration (Pride Center)
- Tuesday, Oct. 12, 11 – 12:30 p.m. | Coming Out Week Meet & Greet (Pride Center)
- Wednesday, Oct. 13, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. | Stuffed with Pride (Pride Center)
- Wednesday, Oct. 13, 5 – 6 p.m. | Queer & Trans Students of Color Social (Pride Center)
- Thursday, Oct. 14, noon – 1 p.m. |LGBTQIA History with Jeff Maliskey (MU 139)
“The goal is to create a community of support for our LGBTQ+ students, faculty, and staff. Coming Out Week isn’t just about putting on fun events, it’s about a campus-wide effort in showing a strong commitment of acceptance, inclusion, and recognition of our past to strive for a better future,” said Maliskey.
For more information visit UND.edu/pridecenter
