“All men are created equal. No matter how hard they try, they can never erase those words. That is what America is about.” -Harvey Milk

What is Coming Out Day? It is a day to stand with those coming out about their sexual orientation to their families and friends. It is a day to support the resistance to homophobia and transphobia across the nation. It is a day to celebrate the rainbow of sexualities under our united flag.

30 years ago, the 1987 National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, also known as the “Great March,” sparked an awareness of LGBT rights against president Ronald Reagan’s lack of acknowledgment on the issue. The next year, Robert Eichberg and Jean O'Leary started the first National Coming Out Day. Today, while we have made immense strides towards social equality, countless Americans still have trouble feeling accepted themselves, and let alone by their communities. Therefore, it is up to everyone to help spread awareness for our acceptance as a whole. The best way to combat the lingering homophobia and transphobia in our country is to show America its true identity.

For this year’s Coming Out Day, World Wide Motion Pictures Corporation would like to do its part by recommending a few great movies about coming out and other important LGBT+ topics.

Firstly, one of the funniest movies you could find is a 4th man out (2016). This charming movie about a man coming out to his friends on his 24th birthday doesn’t fail to amuse. While 4th man out or Fourth Man Out? is not daring or new, it is certainly a pleasant watch. It is a movie equivalent of a lighthearted sitcom and could be enjoyed by any fan of the genre.

Next, a slightly older movie that conveys a similar tone is But I’m a Cheerleader (1999). This movie feels like a lighthearted sitcom like 4th Man Out, as Friends does to Parks and Recreation. Where 4th  Man Out covers a group of young adults discovering a friend’s true identity, But I’m a Cheerleader covers actress Natasha Lyonne’s character and her completely unsupportive parents in a satirical manner. While film snobs could criticize its buoyant tone, it is definitely one worth watching for anyone who has had to come out to an unsupportive community.

Another small movie World Wide Motion Pictures recommends is Pop Kowboy (2012). Actor Shaun Driscoll and Ronnie Marmo star in this film about the complications of identity and romance in a very unsupportive world. Though a lesser-known entry on this list, Pop Kowboy, it is certainly one that embodies the spirit of Coming Out Day.

If you are not a movie person, supporting the community this Coming Out Day through volunteering or visiting your local LGBT centers are also very important. Whatever you plan to do for this day, World Wide Motion Pictures encourages you to support friends and family in accepting their identities, and, by extension, yourself.

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Welcome to 2016 where same-sex marriage has been legalized, visibility for the LGBTQ community has skyrocketed, and where calling something or someone “gay” does not mean dumb or stupid. Thanks to the efforts of the Human Rights Campaign in  spreading awareness, coming out of the closet to friends and family has become a safer place for everyone in today’s society.

Before there was National Coming Out Day (NCOD), there was the 1987 March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights fighting to spread the awareness of the AIDS crisis and how little the Ronald Reagan administration did not recognize the dilemma as an actual issue. A year later, to celebrate the anniversary of the march, NCOD came to be!

So, how does the Teen Wolf, Arrow, The Grinder, and Scream Queens star play a role into this huge scheme of national coming out day? Colton Hayne was honored with the Human Right Campaign’s Visibility Award! Haynes’s speech trended over Facebook the weekend of the event.

Haynes shares three facts about himself that individuals that didn’t follow him on social media should know:

1. He grew up in Kansas.
2. He has been obsessed with clouds and wanted to be a meteorologist.
3. Lastly, the fact that he’s gay.

During his speech, he states that his sexuality comes as natural as the colors of his eyes. Working with his sexuality has made him an open and honest person, which tied into his acting career. Haynes talks about how he takes on so many different roles that he never felt like himself until that moment on his the stage giving his speech.

“I don’t necessarily feel especially deserving of this recognition. We all know that there are many other ways, many other people  who have come before me and blazed the trail as LGBT advocates and role models. And I’m walking in their shoes and I’m following in their lead. Instead, I’ll accept this award as a promise. My promise is simple and real and I’m not making it you. I’m making it to the next generation of lesbians and gay men, bisexuals, transgender youth, and I hope my example will give them the confidence and hope to be who they are as well and for them to conquer their own fears and their own hesitations.”

Haynes reassures those questioning about coming out of the closet that if they do, it will be worth it in the end. They will finally get to be themselves along with find out who they are, who their families and friends are, and help them become honest and open individuals.

National Coming Out Day is not about finding that happily ever after, as Haynes states in his speech, but it is about having a happy beginning. So whether you’re a cowboy, a drag queen, a bartender, or a mobster, like in Pop Kowboy, celebrate yourself and enjoy being the only person you can be, yourself!

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