University | 7:44 pm | October 11, 2012 | By Cynthia Hua

Rainbow flag on Cross Campus marks ‘National Coming Out Day’

The LGBT Co-op celebrated "National Coming Out Day" on Thursday.
The LGBT Co-op celebrated "National Coming Out Day" on Thursday. Photo by Cynthia Hua.

As part of their annual celebration of “National Coming Out Day,” LGBT Co-op organizers on Thursday set up a door frame covered by a rainbow flag on Cross Campus.

These festivities are meant to raise awareness for the LGBT movement and foster a welcoming environment for students. It is a tradition which dates back to the 1970′s, said Stefan Palio ’14, a student leader in activist groups IvyQ and Athletes and Allies.

“For very few people, [walking through the door] serves as the first place they come out,” said Hilary O’Connell ’14, president of the LGBT Co-op. “But for me it’s really great for me to feel like I can walk through a rainbow door when two years ago, I felt like I couldn’t say it to myself.”

Roughly 60 to 100 students walked through the door on Thursday, organizers said, adding that this represented a symbolic interpretation of “coming out of the closet.”

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