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Page 5 NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY TAKE YOUR NEXT STEP One year after the historic National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, the Experience Weekend and National Gay Rights Advocates (NGRA) are sponsoring National Coming Out Day October 11,1988. Co-chairs Jean O'Leary, executive director of NGRA, and Rob Eichberg, founder of the Experience Weekend, hope to direct the "spirit and energy" that drew 650,000 gay men and lesbians to Washington, D.C. back into the local communities, as an estimated 20 million men and women "take their next step." The goal of National Coming Out Day is to increase the visibility of the gay men and lesbians in this country. And because homophobia begins at home this day will also focus on ourselves. There is a "next step" in coming out for each of us. Thousands of gay men and lesbians taking part in National Coming Out Day are committing to their "next step." The ranks of those who choose to live openly as gay men and lesbians are being strengthened. New talents and resources are flowing into the gay/lesbian movement and creating significant gains both in the emotional health and political clout of our community. Why Come Out? Our silence is killing us. Our silence is allowing society to make the rules for by defining who we are, and what we can hope to achieve in life. Our silence is allowing ignorance and intolerance to play decisive roles in such life threatening matters as AIDS funding, research and patient care. And with silence comes invisibility. Our invisibility is the core of our oppression. We experience hate, fear and prejudice because people don't know who we are. But we know. We are their sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, and mothers and fathers. The truth is that we are everywhere.We are lawyers, doctors, mechanics, engineers, architects, teachers, bank tellers, secretaries, artists, and truckdrivers. We touch the lives of millions of people whose negative view of homosexuality would change dramatically if they knew who we are. Your coming out can help turn fear into acceptance. One-to-one contact with gay men and lesbians is our most powerful tool to bring about a major shift in society's attitudes. Coming out is the most powerful statement we can make-powerful in its political influence and personally powerful in releasing energy that is wasted in hiding the truth. Coming out is a continuum, a series of steps that often take place over the course of months or even years. Your "next step" must be appropriate and comfortable for you; but be willing to push yourself a little. Southern Voice urges you to take your "next step"-whatever that may be. We have listed at right some of the ideas that the National Coming Out Day staff have compiled, and hope you will choose one, or make up one of your own. Whatever you decide to do, we want to know about il As a part of our National Coming Out Day coverage, we ask that you let us know what you did to celebrate our newest holiday. Check off the way you decided to take your "next step," and mail it back to us. Participants in this informal survey will also be able to purchase a one-year subscription to Southern Voice at the reduced rate of $20. Who knows, getting Southern Voice through the mail each week may be your "next step." &E&NN UALt~VCiMAT)Mk " .V“iTo& 'Ajy' 5“ n*(W issue ^(U£HT9 e.. ,j '• % UOe , OST ^ G y 5 C ^0fL ^ x °*S// H to 0 S~ ^0 r r WS r I | r * m me me m m> w m-T mr me m» me 9 j | □ Take a lover/partner home for the m □ Tell three people that you are gay or j l holidays lesbian I | 1 | □ Come out to your family-parents, □ Read a gay/lesbian newspaper on the ] fi brothers and/or sisters libus or in a restaurant l) 1 [ □ Put your lover's photo on your desk at □ Be affectionate with your *:•: work Irw/pr/nar+nAf nr frit^nrlc ot lovery^artner or friends at the airport j m 1 I □ Stop lying to your fraternity brother □ Take a straight friend to a lesbian/gay 1 % about all of the women you've had || event j | □ Send flowers to someone special and □ Tell the truth when asked, "So, are I don't use initials on the card vou emrasred vet?" L don't use initials on the card j | □ Acknowledge that "those roses" are I not from your mother i I □ Wear an openly gay/lesbian symbol j or button for an entire week you engaged yet?" ||P Write a letter to the editor of your II local newspaper commenting on | gay/lesbian coverage, or lack thereof IIP Other Please Mail Responses to: Southern Voice/Viewpoints P.O.Box 54719 Atlanta, Ga, 30308 £ l | □ Hold hands publicly I □ Yes! I want to celebrate National Coming Out Day by subscribing to | Southern Voice at the special price of $20/year. j □ I want to sponsor a free subscription to a PWA as a part of National j Coming Out Day at $20/year. | PI want to support Southern Voice by making a contribution of $25, I $50, _$100. | Name l| Address. I City I .State, .Zip. Total Amount Enclosed Always free to People with AIDS!ARC