National Coming Out Day – October 11, 2011
I love when it becomes a small world. I love when I run into someone in an unexpected place or it turns out someone I know is friends with someone else I know. Today it is a small world for me.
This morning I learned that Adelphi University is celebrating National Coming Out Day because I am teaching an Intro to Public Relations class there this semester. The school is encouraging all students, faculty, staff and administrators to show their support and acceptance of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, Intersex and Ally members of the Adelphi Community by wearing jeans to class or work on Tuesday October 11th. If people usually wear jeans to campus and want to more visibly show their support, it is suggested they wear a shirt with “rainbow” colors too.
This afternoon I switched hats and went to my PR Director position at the matrimonial and family law firm of Wisselman, Harounian & Associates, P.C. We are now more involved in same-sex couples family law due to the passage of the NY Marriage Equality Act allowing same-sex couples to legally join “Club Wed”. While some of the law is the same as for heterosexual couples, there are still many significant differences since the federal government does not yet recognize same-sex marriages.
Our law firm exhibited at the Long Island GLBT Network Services Expo this Sunday, October 2nd. It was a business-to-consumer trade-show event with an entirely new section devoted to wedding services. Our attorneys are running a same-sex legal clinic, and about 25 attendees came to the first meeting. A second meeting will be held on October 12, covering health and employment rights and benefits as well as other issues of concern for same-sex couples.
I don’t teach on Tuesdays so I won’t be at Adelphi that day. I am thinking about wearing jeans to the law firm on Tuesday, October 11th. After all, how often do we get to show support for the gay community and come to work in weekend clothes?