Since its inception in 1988, the LGBTQ+/GSM community has celebrated National Coming Out Day on or around October 11 - an initiative founded by gay rights activists, Robert Eichsberg and Jean O’Leary, after marking the anniversary of the 1987 March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights.

In celebration and honor of National Coming Out Day, Living Out Loud was created as a #UAHPRIDE tradition program that focuses on the shared experiences of coming out from  those within the LGBTQ+ community.  By hearing the stories - the good, the bad, and the ugly - from their peers and other leading voices within the UAH and greater Huntsville LGBTQ+/GSM community, Living Out Loud’s ultimate goal is to encourage some of our LGBTQ+/GSM students that may not be mentally prepared to do so to feel more comfortable and (hopefully) feel inspired by others’ stories.

In addition to reaching our LGBTQ+/GSM community, we also welcome the opportunity to further educate and raise awareness to our non-LGBTQ+/GSM campus community on the adversity and triumphs surrounding the greater LGBTQ+/GSM community.

Living Out Loud is part of an annual, collaborative campus initiative celebrating #UAHPRIDE for LGBTQ+ History Month throughout October.  This event is sponsored by the UAH Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.