International Coming Out Day

International Coming Out Day is a civil awareness day for coming out and discussion about LGBT issues. It is observed on 11th October in the United States and 12th October in the UK, by members of the LGBT communities and their allies.


In the United States, the Human Rights Campaign manages the event under the National Coming Out Project, offering resources to LGBT individuals, couples, parents and children, as well as straight friends and relatives, to promote awareness of LGBT families living honest and open lives. Candace Gingrich became the spokesperson for the day in April 1995.

Despite its name, National Coming Out Day (so called because it originated as an event in the United States) is in fact observed in many countries, including Switzerland, Germany Canada and the United Kingdom. As of 2008 The Netherlands also has Coming Out Day on 10-11.

More information available on the Human Rights Campaign's website, here, on that of the Queer Youth Network UK, here and on Wikipedia, here.