Every October 11, the United States celebrates the ‘National Day of Coming out of the closet or the Coming Out day. The importance of this day is based on the right to identity, free of discrimination, violence, prejudice and stigma, towards the community.
This celebration was first held on October 11, 1988 in the United States, promoted by two activists within the movement LGBTQ+the psychologist Robert Eichberg and the openly lesbian activist and politician, Jean O’Leary.
In 1987 in the USA, a national march for the rights of lesbians and gays, and managed to gather almost half a million people in Washington DC, seeking that Congress enforce equality of rights towards this community.
According to the magazine Cuenta Conmigo, march 18 more states joined the US capital, capturing the attention of the media back then.
The second year this day was celebrated, the “coming out” venue was moved to Santa FeNew Mexico, and the stake increased to 21 states. Then in 1990, due to a media push, the 50 states of the United States joined, as well as other countries from Europe and Latin America.
According to the magazine, the phrase “Coming Out“It began to be used before the Second World War, during gay parties, when homosexual men openly presented themselves to the public as such.