Growing up, I hadn't grasped the privileges that came with being a cisgender straight boy. It wasn't until my teenage years, when friends confided in me their "coming out" stories, that I began to confront my own biases about diverse identities and lived experiences related to gender, sexuality, and various intersections.
This was a turning point for me. Their stories opened my mind, heart, and spirit about the strengths of 2SLGBTQQIA+ communities, yet also to the realities of fear, isolation, discrimination, persecution, and violence that many face on a daily basis, at home and globally.
I am proud to support the Centennial Comes Out campaign and strongly encourage you to read the "coming out" stories that 2SLGBTQQIA+ colleagues and students have gifted to us. The more we can connect with our community’s stories, the greater we’ll be able to practice solidarity on the journey toward full inclusion.
Connect with our community’s coming out stories and practice solidarity.