Coming Out Day is held in many countries around the world on October 11, designed to inform and support members of the LGBT community if they wish to come out.

Coming out (from the English word “coming out”) – an open and voluntary admission to relatives, relatives, colleagues, friends of one’s sexual orientation or gender identity, which differs from the normative one. This day was first celebrated in the United States in 1988. The initiators of its implementation were Robert Eichberg – a psychologist, the founder of the personal development training “Experience”, who died in 1995 due to AIDS, and Jean O’Leary – an open lesbian, activist, political leader.

The idea of ​​establishing this day belongs to the movement of gays and lesbians and is based on the fact that to begin with, to be open to family, friends or colleagues, to live without hiding. The main belief of minorities is that homophobia takes root and grows in conditions of silence and ignorance. When people know that among friends or family members there is someone with a non-traditional orientation, they are not exposed to homophobic influences.

Although Coming Out Day was originally a national event only in the USA, now it is held in many other countries – Germany, Holland, England and Ireland, Canada, Australia have already joined the events.