UMD’s Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender (GLBT) Commission is hosting the annual National Coming Out Day Luncheon in the Kirby Ballroom, 1120 Kirby Drive, on Tuesday, October 11 from 12 - 1 p.m.
The speakers are Julianne “Montana” Vasichek and UMD student Jasper Ririe.
Vasichek was a defensive standout for the UMD’s Women's Hockey program from 2001-2005.
Jeremy Leiferman is the director of Housing and Residence Life and chair of the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Queer Ally Intersex (GLBTQAI) Commission. He says National Coming Out Day is celebrated annually to promote visibility of the GLBTQAI community, but this year’s celebration is especially poignant. “We've seen horrific mass murders of members of the community in Orlando, hateful bathroom bills in many states that target trans individuals, and many other less public incidents. Homophobia and transphobia thrives on silence and ignorance. The visibility and celebration of our identities on National Coming Out Day helps create a safer world for GLBTQIA people.”
National Coming Out Day, traditionally held on October 11, is an internationally observed civil awareness day celebrating coming out as LGBTQ or as an ally.