2017 National Coming Out Day Book - Final v2

The Importance of Allies

Source: GLAAD Accelerating Acceptance report, conducted by Harris Poll, March 2017

When I see charts like this it makes me think of my father’s cousin Mike. Mike was born and raised in a small town in North Carolina. He taught, volunteered, paid taxes, and lived with his partner Charlie for 50 years. Every time he saw his mother she would ask, “Have you met any nice girls? And how is that Charlie guy?” It wasn’t that he didn’t exist. It was that he wasn’t fully seen. Flash forward to my life. We had begun to realize that LGBTQ was just a part of the fabric of life. We had developed the concept of Ally. My mother was able to tell me in advance that she would be supportive. That allowed me the safe space to come out. When the time came, she helped me plan my wedding to Claudia. This chart is a testament to the importance of active Allies. If you aren’t already, I encourage you to become informed, ask, speak out, engage and be visible. It matters!

Julia Marshel, Mosaic Chair

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