How to celebrate National Coming Out Day (Pyn for managers)
Use this Pyn within the product. Learn how.
October 11 is National Coming Out Day! Here’s how to celebrate with your LGBTQIA+ employees as a manager.
The significance of National Coming Out Day
National Coming Out Day, which takes place annually on October 11, celebrates people coming out as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual (LGBTQIA+). This day is significant for many reasons:
- It is a celebration of sharing this part of one’s identity.
- Coming out can help inspire others to do the same and raise awareness around the challenges that are faced by the LGBTQIA+ community.
- Coming out can lead to individuals receiving greater levels of support and acceptance.
By acknowledging and respectfully taking part in National Coming Out Day, you can demonstrate your support as an ally to the LGBTQIA+ community.
How to celebrate National Coming Out Day
Share stories
Many people use National Coming Out Day as an opportunity to share their personal stories with others. If you have employees who want to share their coming out story, find a way to amplify their voices in a safe space. Similarly, if you have a coming out story that you’re open to sharing, we encourage you to do so!
Respect boundaries
It’s also important to recognize that not everyone can or wants to come out. Some people may not feel safe coming out to their friends and families. Others may just prefer not to share this part of their identity. Regardless of the reason, be respectful of everyone’s decision and don’t pressure your employees to share parts of themselves that they don’t want to share.
Amplify LGBTQIA+ voices
There will be tons of articles, social media posts, and media coverage to celebrate National Coming Out Day. This is a great opportunity to amplify LGBTQIA+ voices—whether that’s by sharing content through the company’s Slack channel or your personal channels. The purpose of this is to raise visibility around National Coming Out Day within your networks and show people that they’re not alone.
If you want to start a dialogue within your team
As a manager, often the best thing you can do for your team is create a psychologically safe space and listen. To let your team know you’re reflecting on National Coming Out Day and want to create an even more inclusive team environment, here’s a sample message you can send.
Sample message from manager to team re: National Coming Out Day
Hi team,
National Coming Out Day is on October 11. I want to take this time to give appreciation to our LGBTQIIA+ teammates who have shared their coming out stories, and our teammates who advocate for equitable policies at our company and strive to create a safe, inclusive culture here.
As a manager, I strive to create an inclusive and safe environment for everyone on the team, so if you identify as LGBTQIIA+ and feel comfortable with sharing, I’d love to know: How can I better support you, better amplify your voice, and better advocate for you?
I also recognize and respect that some folks may prefer not to share this information with me.
I want to encourage open dialogue on our team, so I’m prepared to observe, listen, and learn with an open mind!
Let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
Ways to celebrate National Coming Out Day year-round
The act of coming out is an incredibly tough and courageous thing to do. But it’s important to acknowledge that this isn’t a one-and-done process. Many people have to come out in different ways to different people, and embracing one’s identity is a continuous process. There are a few ways you as a manager can support an employee’s ongoing journey:
- Create a safe, inclusive culture.
- Celebrate and embrace diversity on your team.
- Support the mental health of employees who may not be able to come out.
- Speak up when you see acts of discrimination against the LGBTQIA+ community.
- Advocate for equitable policies—both within your organization and outside of it.
What NOT to do on National Coming Out Day
- DON’T pressure employees to come out when they’re not ready or choose not to.
- DON’T underestimate the difficulty of coming out to friends and family.
- DON’T assume everyone’s coming out story is the same—for some, it may be painful.
