Tomorrow, we join more than 1 million business leaders, teachers and students, parents and families, faith leaders, elected officials, and other members of the community for the LGBT Network’s 20th annual National Coming Out Day (NCOD) Awareness Campaign to celebrate National Coming Out Day.
This one-day campaign engages communities to take a stand against the discrimination, violence, harassment, and bullying of LGBTQIA+ people by coming out in support of safe spaces where they LIVE, LEARN, WORK, PLAY, and PRAY.
HOW DOES THE CAMPAIGN WORK?
- You register and sign-up your institution or organization.
- See Erika Miller, RAPP Coordinator, to pick up rainbow ribbons, trans pride ribbons, ‘ally’ stickers, pronoun stickers, posters, educational palm cards, that you can give out throughout the day to your peers, your teachers, etc.
- People participate in the campaign by wearing a rainbow ribbonor trans pride ribbon, symbols of LGBTQIA+ pride and history, as a way to visually “come out” in support of safe spaces for LGBT people.
- Sign the LGBT Safe Space pledge! Sign the pledge at www.WearTheRibbon.org to support creating safer spaces for LGBT people where they LIVE, LEARN, WORK, PLAY, and PRAY.
Why safe spaces are important
- LIVE: 32% of LGBT people reported they were told, or made to feel, they would not be welcome in a neighborhood or housing because of their identity
- LEARN: Over 85% of LGBT students report verbal harassment in school, 60% report sexual harassment, and 27% report physical harassment, leading to 58% feeling unsafe in school.
- WORK: 21% of LGB workers had been treated unfairly by an employer, and 90% of transgender workers experienced workplace harassment.
- PLAY: 84% of Americans witnessed anti-LGBT behavior in sports.
- PRAY: 4/5 LGBT adults regard major faith groups as unwelcoming.
* Source, The LGBT Network – https://weartheribbon.org/about-national-coming-out-day-campaign-lgbt-network/