Members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities – as well as their allies – will celebrate living an honest and open life this week on the Syracuse University campus as well as across the nation as a part of National Coming Out Week.

On-campus organizations including the LGBT Resource Center, Pride Union, Outrage and the Office of Residence Life will hold various events organized throughout the week. Tuesday, Oct. 11 signifies National Coming Out Day, which was established in 1987.

‘It’s a great week for celebration, visibility and understanding,’ said Adrea Jaehnig, the director of the LGBT Resource Center at SU.

Coming Out Week is a tradition for the campus, and it demonstrates SU’s commitment to inclusion, education and advocacy for the LGBT community and LGBT issues, said Amit Taneja, the assistant director of the LGBT Resource Center at SU.

Some activities include the Rainbow Bridge of LGBT people and straight allies on the Quad this afternoon, the ‘Guess The Hetero’ game show that will test various sexual identity themes and associations and Friday night’s The Big Gay Dance.

‘The slate of activities is a really good combination,’ Jaehnig said. ‘It’s all students-to-students. I think that strengthens the message.’

The events for the week celebrate openness, honesty and education for all types of students, Jaehnig said.

‘Compared to most colleges, we’re in really good shape,’ said Brian Stout, president of Outrage and a senior public communications major. ‘We’re one of the top 100 LGBT campuses.’

Most of the activities are meant to support the LGBT community with being comfortable with their lifestyles, as well as establishing straight allies, Stout said.

‘The message is don’t forget that there are LGBT people,’ Stout said. ‘And you have LGBT friends, there are LGBT people in your dorm (and) in your dining hall … and in the world.’

The integration of straight students is an important part of National Coming Out Week.

‘I think it means so much to LGBT students to see that people are supporting,’ Jaehnig said. ‘It’s a small thing but it makes a big difference.’

Plenty of straight students plan to take part in the events, which are welcome to everyone. Thursday’s ‘You Have A Safe Space Sticker, Now What?’ will especially focus on what all students can be actively doing to promote equality despite any sexual identity differences.

Jaehnig wanted to stress that all events are open to everyone.

‘I think it’s really important for everyone to feel accepted and welcomed,’ said Tiffany Fuoco, a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences who plans on taking part in the Rainbow Bridge as part of her Queer Sexuality class. ‘Nobody should be left out because of their lifestyle.’

Coming out is a first step for a lot of people, but it is certainly not the last, Stout said. However, those who come out should see the campus as supportive, since if it wasn’t for support from straight people, no one would come out at all.

‘Coming Out week helps us celebrate and affirm those individuals who have stepped out of the proverbial closet, and provide hope to those who have yet to take that important step,’ Taneja said.

More information, including a schedule and description of all the events, can be found at http://lgbt.syr.edu/outweek.

Published on October 7, 2006 at 12:00 pm