When the proverbial door opens and you step out, who will be waiting for you on the other side?
In advance of Saturday’s national Coming Out Day, the Gay Sexual Alliance hosted a ‘coming out of the closet’ event in the SUB to support and encourage the various people locked in their respective closets.
The set piece of their event was a white door covered in marker writing. On the backside of the door participants wrote about their feelings being stifled, and then write messages of support and the embracing of individuality on the outside of the door.
“Really what the purpose of the door is for today, and for national Coming Out, is to represent coming out as who you are in all your entirety,” said Juli Stratton, member of the GSA and a local community supporter.
The event was for a broader audience than just the LGBT community, reflecting the recent change in name for the club, formerly the Gay Straight Alliance.
“It’s for anybody on the sexuality spectrum, as well as people who are maybe not feeling like they fit in any place or feeling uncomfortable about something about themselves. This is a way to represent coming out of that place into a place of acceptance,” said Stratton.
The event was not all swinging doors and messages of support, however. Jessica Brereton, 27, English, Cd’A, a member of the GSA, also provided a large quantity of costumes and wigs for participants ranging from simple cat-ear hats to animal-themed pajamas with tails and ears.
“Be who you want to be. If you want to wear a Maleficence costume, or a giant big wig, or a sparkly hat, when you want to be whoever you are, then you can,” said Brereton.
“Putting on a costume and walking around in public is a really, really good way to be yourself and learn about yourself.”
During the event several students, staff, and faculty offered their support, including Vice President of Student Services Graydon Stanley, who offered his passage through the GSA’s portal in support of their cause.
The GSA still has events to come In October. The Halloqueen Drag Show is planned for Tuesday October 22nd at 6 p.m. with an entry fee of five dollars or canned food. Pictures of willing participants coming out of whiteboard closet door are intended to be shown there. Brereton said the door may also come back again next year.
