National Coming Out Day October 11th

National Coming Out Day 2024: Who Are The Best Industry Keynote Speakers Challenging Conformity

Another important celebration in the diversity and inclusion calendar, National Coming Out Day 2024 is an annual awareness day that recognises the process of ‘coming out’. Many LGBTQ+ people spend time ‘in the closet’ before ‘coming out’ to their family and friends, but some are faced with ignorance and homophobia.

National Coming Out Day educates family, friends and colleagues on the correct way to support their LGBTQ+ peers. In our latest post, we have supplied a helpful FAQ for NCOD and listed the top LGBT speakers for National Coming Out Day 2024.

What is National Coming Out Day?

National Coming Out Day is an annual celebration for the LGBT+ community, supporting them in the disclosure of their sexuality or identification. The day allows hundreds of people to celebrate being a member of the LGBT+ community or to openly reveal to their friends, family or colleagues that they are LGBT+.

The day champions the idea that homophobia thrives in silence, and so thousands of allies and members of the LGBT+ community group together to abolish the silence.

Source: https://nationaltoday.com/national-coming-out-day/ 

When did National Coming Out Day start?

The origins of National Coming Out Day began with a march back in 1987, with 500,000 people participating to advocate Lesbian and Gay rights in Washington on October 11th, 1987.

The march generated so much publicity that the advocacy continued, with two individuals, Rob Eichberg and Jean O’Leary, proposing the idea that National Coming Out Day would be celebrated annually. The first official observation of the day took place on the 11th of October 1988 and has taken place each year since.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Coming_Out_Day 

Why is National Coming Out Day important?

National Coming Out Day is important for many reasons, with the most important being that it provides a day of awareness and visibility for members of the LGBT community.

For many, the act of ‘coming out’ to family, friends and colleagues can be daunting. This day provides people with a day on which they can feel safe and accepted for their sexuality or identification, with other LGBT+ people rallying around them in support of their choices.

Many people do not feel as though they can ‘come out’ to those around them. Whether it be because they fear homophobia or they feel that their religion or culture does not align with their feelings, National Coming Out Day can give people the confidence to stop hiding their sexual orientation or gender identity.

When is National Coming Out Day 2024?

National Coming Out Day is celebrated in October, this year taking place on Friday 11th of October 2024. Each year the event grows in popularity, with more and more people celebrating on the 11th of October. Make sure you mark this important day in your diary!

How can I celebrate National Coming Out Day 2024?

There are many ways in which you can celebrate National Coming Out Day, whether that be as an ally or as a member of the LGBT+ community.

Here are some great ways to celebrate! :

Get involved – Volunteer at an LGBT event or community centre, joining in their celebrations personally.
Spread the love – As a very digital world, you have the power of social media at your fingertips! Share posts on your social platforms that spread awareness and generate support for the members of the LGBT+ community.
Educate – We live in a world where some individuals are unaware of the LGBT+ community and do not understand, nor support them. Educate those around you on why it is important to celebrate this day, by informing them of the challenges and prejudice that LGBT+ people continue to face.
Set up a fundraiser – A great way of supporting the LGBT+ community is to set up fundraisers, such as a bake sale or a sponsored event. Many LGBT+ organisations and charities fall victim to a lack of funds and are highly grateful for any donations to their causes so that they can continue to provide the vital care and support that they do.
Book a speaker – Booking an LGBT speaker can help to increase awareness and generate support. Whether they have come out personally, or have worked in some of the world’s leading LGBT+ organisations (such as Pride in London), an LGBT speaker can create open, honest and authentic conversations that make LGBT people feel empowered to reveal their true identity.

Top 10 keynote speakers to book for National Coming Out Day

As the UK’s leading LGBT speakers agency, we have selected our top industry keynote speakers perfect for National Coming Out Day, continually challenging conformity in their day-to-day lives.

Bobby Berk

Bobby Berk is famed for his appearances as the Interior Design Expert on Netflix’s Queer Eye. Growing up in what is known as the ‘Bible Belt’, Bobby regularly experienced internal and external homophobia. Today, he is openly Gay living with his husband Dewey in California, also seen advocating for LGBT+ rights such as the abolishment of LGBT employment discrimination.

Book Bobby Berk today for an open and authentic conversation on LGBT+ issues.

Sally Carr

Sally Carr

Sally Carr MBE is a passionate LGBT advocate, intersectional feminist and proud Romany Gypsy. For the past 30 years, she has sat at the forefront of campaigning for marginalised people and young members of the LGBT community. The founder of The Proud Trust, the UK’s largest LGBT+ youth community, and the Peer Support Project, Sally was named MBE for her services to vulnerable and isolated LGBT+ young people.

Shortlisted for the National Diversity Awards Lifetime Achievement Award 2021, book Sally Carr MBE to promote diversity and inclusion of the LGBT+ community.

Nicola Adams

Nicola Adams made headlines after she became the first female and openly gay boxer to claim Olympic Gold at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Since then, Nicola has become a prominent figure of representation, claiming the number 1 spot on the DIVA Powerlist of the Most Eminent Lesbian and Bisexual Women and participating in the first same-sex couple on Strictly Come Dancing.

Joined by her girlfriend Ella, Nicola is now often seen tackling sexism and homophobia on her social media platforms. Book Nicola Adams to help eliminate discrimination today.

Polly Shute

Partnership and sponsorship expert, Polly Shute has long worked as an ally of the LGBT+ community, spending four years as a Board Member of Pride in London. Today, she is the co-founder of Out and About LGBT and the Out & Wild Festival, and has also helped to develop initiatives such as the Lesbian Visibility Week and EDI policies for clients such as Mercedes F1 and Pride Sports.

Recognised on the Pride Power List, the DIVA Power List and named as one of OUTstanding’s Top 20 LGBT Public Sector Leaders, book Polly Shute as a speaker to promote awareness this NCOD.

Kellie Maloney

Kellie Maloney forged a successful career as a boxing promoter in her youth, formerly known as Frank Maloney before announcing in August 2014 that she wished to identify as female and be called Kellie. Today, Kellie lives openly as a woman and is often seen raising awareness of transphobia and sharing her journey to becoming Kellie.

Book Kellie Maloney today, to discover her story of coming out as transgender in a male-dominated environment.

Gareth Thomas

Gareth Thomas is famed for his career playing rugby for the Welsh national team, having once been the most capped Welsh Rugby Union player. Back in 2009, Gareth came out as gay and was widely accepted by both the LGBT and rugby communities. A year after coming out, Gareth made headlines after being named as the Most Influential Gay Person in the UK on The Independent on Sunday Pink List.

Also named Stonewall’s Hero of the Year, Gareth Thomas shares his story openly when booked as a speaker- covering everything from coming out to homophobia and living as HIV positive.

Nigel Owens

Another sporting legend, Nigel Owens is famed for his successful career as a rugby union referee. In 2007, Nigel came out publicly as gay, sharing his story of struggling with his sexuality as a young man- even contemplating suicide when he was 26. Since coming out, Nigel has been named Gay Sports Personality of the Year, Gay Sports Personality of the Decade and on the 2017 Pinc List of leading Welsh LGBT figures.

Having also been a Patron of the LGBT Centre of Excellence Wales, book Nigel Owens to inspire other LGBT people to come out openly- proof that a once daunting decision could turn out to be the best decision ever made.

Paris Lees

Paris Lees is a leading figure of the LGBT community, famed for being the first transgender woman featured in British Vogue. A successful writer, Paris founded the first trans community magazine, META. Advocating transgender rights, Paris was also honoured as the Most Influential LGBT Figure 2013 on The Independent’s Pink List. To share her experience of overcoming adversity to be who she truly was, Paris authored What It Feels Like For a Girl.

Having also claimed the Positive Role Model Award at the 2012 National Diversity Awards, book Paris Lees today to promote transgender awareness and acceptance.

Zayna Ratty

An LGBTQIA+, GRSD, Race & Equality Hypno-Psychotherapist, Zayna Ratty is passionate about raising awareness of marginalised communities. Twice nominated for the National Diversity Awards Positive Role Model LGBT+, Zayna has previously been the Chair of the Race & Ethnicity Panel at the Pink Therapy Conference and a member of the Oxford Pride Queer Panel. An expert in her field, Zayna was also named the Most Dedicated Hypno-Psychotherapist in 2020.

Spreading awareness of how gender, sexuality, race and diversity create intersecting identities, book Zayna Ratty for an informed and insightful speech.

Laila El Metoui

For the past 25 years, Laila El Metoui has been promoting acceptance for the LGBT community, whether that be in education, work or society as a whole. An Equity and Belonging Consultant, Laila is the founding CEO of Pride in Education and shares her experiences as a lesbian in her speaking engagements and work.

Named the Stonewall Lesbian Role Model of the Year and on the Guardian Pride Power List 2021, book Laila El Metoui to discover how you can educate people on LGBT acceptance.

Andreena Leeanne

Poet and diversity advocate, Andreena Leeanne founded the Adult Survivors Open Mic and authored Charred: A Survivor Shares Her Truth To Inspire, sharing her experiences as a Black lesbian. Also a Trustee of Action Breaks Silence, Andreena uses her talent as a poet to educate people on diversity.

Named as a Stonewall Black History Month Role Model 2018 and shortlisted for the Positive LGBT Role Model at the National Diversity Awards, book Andreena Leeanne to promote acceptance and encourage others to speak their truth.

Katie Neeves

Katie Neeves is a famed professional photographer, who risked her reputation and business to transition to female back in 2018. Today, Katie is the founder of Cool2BtTrans and leads educational Trans Awareness Training sessions to help educate people on the challenges that trans people continue to face. After living for 48 years as a male, Katie shares her experience of gender dysphoria and her journey to be who she truly was at heart.

Book Katie Neeves today to increase awareness of transgender issues and to eliminate discrimination in both the working world and society as a whole.

Book a speaker for National Coming Out Day today!

If you are interested in booking any of the speakers listed to appear at a National Coming Out Day celebration, or just to engage with your audience and increase awareness of the LGBT community, get in contact with us by filling in our online contact form or by calling directly on 0203 9816 295 today.

Interested in other speakers we have available? Browse all our speakers today

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