To celebrate National Coming Out Day October 11th

I wanted to e-mail y'all a couple articles I saw pop up in the South today commemorating this increasingly essential day for our community and our country.

Recognize, appreciate, and enjoy (both our community's courageous efforts marking this day and the following stories)!

Best,

Alex


1. Forward Thinking: An entirely subjective look at the week ahead The St. Petersburg Times (FL)
BY Colette Bancroft
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/10/10/Floridian/Forward_Thinking.html

COME ON OUT

... Although it's probably not on the Hillsborough County Commission's dance card, the acclaimed Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival will be entertaining thousands through Sunday (go to http://www.pridefilmfest.com for information). Coincidentally, Tuesday is National Coming Out Day, sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign (http://www.hrc.org ), and the commission can't vote to cancel it ...


2. Today might be the day to come out of the closet
Lexington Herald-Leader (KY)
BY Harriett Hendren
http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/living/health/12870710.htm

Today is National Coming Out Day, when gay Americans are encouraged to tell others about their sexual orientation. The day is sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign, and this year's theme is "Talk About It." The
thinking is that talking openly about being gay means no more hiding, and with that comes empowerment.

The day is meant as a celebration. and the foundation's Web site, www.hrc.org

Here's a list of ideas for today or any time.

Once you're out, you're not alone. Get involved with a local gay organization. A good place to start is the Bluegrass Chapter of Kentucky Fairness Alliance. Go to www.bluegrass fairness.org or call (859) 806-4114.

Be your own rainbow flag. We're not saying you have to wear every color at once. Just add a bright blue or pink shirt to your wardrobe mix.

The entertainment world has a long, wonderful relationship with gays. Go retro and rent an old Rock Hudson movie, say, Giantor one of his Doris Day comedies (Lover Come Back, Pillow Talk).

Add I'm Coming Out, that disco-era tune from Diana Ross -- to your IPod mix.

Keep your eye out for upcoming events:

Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls will perform at 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Dame, 156 West Main Street. Tickets are $12. Call (859) 226-9005.

Brokeback Mountain, starring Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal as gay cowboys, has been making the rounds at film festivals and opens later this year.

And there's big buzz about Capote, starring Philip Seymour Hoffman as the famous Southern author. Expect to see it in Lexington in November.

Alex Shoor
Regional Media Manager, Southeast
Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD)
248 West 35th Street, 8th Floor
New York, NY 10001-2505

direct: 646-871-8023
cell: 646-256-3304
fax: 212-629-3225
shoor@glaad.org
www.glaad.org

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of people and events in the media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.