By Wayne Ting

Monday, Oct. 11, is National Coming Out Day. Granted, it may not be New Year’s Eve, St. Patrick’s Day or even Homecoming, but for many of your peers, it’s much more important.

Beyond the public expression of sexual orientation, National Coming Out Day is also a time for all GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender) people and our allies to reflect upon the struggles and oppressions, social and self-imposed, that gay and lesbian Americans continue to face in this country every single day. In addition, it is a time to reaffirm that we, as a community, support an environment where every person lives free from fear and discrimination.

For those of you who are not members of the GLBT community, National Coming Out Day may not be a noteworthy time. But it should be significant, because more likely than not, you are friends with, took a class alongside or have someone in your family who is gay or lesbian (though you may not know it). And for these people, coming out of the closet remains a long, difficult and emotional process; I speak from experience. We face fear, discrimination, harassment, rejection and even violence by revealing our sexual orientation. And this is why we need your support.

The easiest way you can support your gay and lesbian friends is by creating an accepting environment, not just on your campus, but in the nation as well. This means choosing a leader who respects and supports gay and lesbian Americans in their struggles.

President George W. Bush has used the lives of gay and lesbian Americans as a political tool. He has pandered to homophobia and bigotry for political purposes, and has attempted to enshrine in the Constitution permanent second-class citizen status for GLBT Americans. In Bush’s country, GLBT people are a threat to the fabric of America.

On the other hand, Sen. John F. Kerry opposes the Federal Marriage Amendment. He was one of only 14 senators to vote against the “Defense of Marriage Act” in 1996.