LGBTQ Gay Transgender People Celebrate Coming Out Day

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Photographed by Stephanie Gonot.

October 11 is National Coming Out Day in the U.S. and queer, trans, and gender non-conforming people all over the country are taking to Instagram to share their coming out stories and messages of support for those who either can't safely or haven't yet come out to family and friends.

The day started 29 years ago, according to the Human Rights Campaign, on the one year anniversary of the 1987 march on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. Half a million people joined in the march that year, where the AIDS Memorial Quilt was first displayed.

Now, LGBTQ+ people take October 11 each year as a day to celebrate their identities, to show how powerful and beautiful the community is, and to help one another through the sometimes terrifying process of living out and proud.

Read on for 25 messages from queer and trans people for National Coming Out Day.

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