Queer Space supported others in writing their coming out story onto a paper mache chain link to unite and acknowledge unspoken stories of the LGBTQ community the day before National Coming Out Day.
The LGBTQ club set up a tent in front of Building A by the fountain to spread the word about National Coming Out Day on October 10.
A large paper chain link made from various colors to form a rainbow was displayed on the table for volunteers to write on and link their papers together.
They handed out informative freebies such as awareness information and safe sex products.
“We are here for National Coming Out Day which is actually tomorrow but there’s not as may folks on campus on Friday so we thought today would be better,”
“What we’re doing is handing out sexual resources, condoms and lube. We had dental dams but we ran out. We also have some magazines with some information, we have a resource sheet for Long Beach events in general for the city,” explained Shoup Shoup, member of the LGBTQ club.
The club had to rechart this semester due to past leaders and members leaving the club when they transferred to other schools.
Shoup was able to receive help from the club her first semester here at LBCC and took charge to bring the club back. Although she was the one to bring the club back to life, she does not identify herself as the club’s president.
“It wasn’t getting chartered so I wanted to recharter it, so I guess I kinda am standing in as president, but all of our positions are currently open: president, vice president, secretary and treasurer. We do have an advisor, Kim Hamin. Super grateful for them. But all cabinet positions are open right now,” said Shoup.
With Shoup’s temporary lead, the club spent their morning talking about the club, National Coming Out Day and getting people to sign up.
Nearing the end of their time outside, the club succeeded in getting a hefty amount of signatures from people to join.
Volunteers and club members attracted passerbyers to their tent and got them to add on to the paper chain. While doing so, they shared how they felt about the importance of National Coming Out Day.
“We don’t all have the same privileges of coming out. Queer and trans folks are valid whether they’re out or not, like publicly, but I know that for a lot of folks in our community it’s the visibility that’s super important, especially on a college campus where maybe we feel like we don’t have that community. It’s good to come out today and see other people who are in the same community as you and have nice coming out stories to share,” said Shoup.
Seda Kun, a volunteer for the event shared her thoughts.
“I feel like to others, it’s really important. If you’re not yourself, you’ll always be unhappy. People have to keep their identity a secret for personal reasons. Bottling up those feelings affect you negatively so it’s really important for me,” Kun said.
Member of LGBTQ club, Miki Jimenez shared the importance of community.
“Everybody should have a chance to support the LGBTQ community. For allies and also for people in the actual community as well. It’s important to be yourself and it’s not healthy to keep things to yourself. It’s all about the love and support, for everybody,” said Jimenez.
Jimenez identifies themselves as gender fluid; they may identify as male or female some days, or neither or both.
“For people who are still in the closet, I hope they find the courage to come out sometime or if it’s still a no-go, I hope they’ll at least know that they are loved and we support them. For others who may not be in the LGBTQ community, I hope that they will become our allies so that we get more love and support and more representation, because honestly, we could use it. There are still a lot of haters out there,” said Jimenez.
For those who are not in the LGBTQ community, being an ally is an option to choose to support those in the community, by listening, supporting, and working to understand their LGTBQ peers who are willing to come out and share their story on National Coming Out Day.