I co-facilitated my first pride panel today. It was very exciting. CM asked me to facilitate yesterday. I was very honored. There were over 50 people in the classrom. I think I had butterflys in all of my extremities. Thankfully the panelists knew what they were doing. I am grateful for the experience.

I briefly mentioned my own coming out story. I didn’t want to take time away from the panel but I did think it was important that the students (a class at OSU) heard an ally coming out story.

I came out as an ally while I was at the University of Illinois at Chicago. It was during an event called the Day of Speaking Out. People were invited to share their stories at a podium in the campus quad. I stepped up to the podium and talked about my experience as an ally, my homophobic past, and what I was doing as an ally. It felt great.

From the Human Rights Campaign:

Coming Out as a Straight Ally
A straight ally is someone who is not gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender (GLBT) but personally advocates for GLBT equal rights and fair treatment. Straight allies are some of the most effective and powerful advocates for the GLBT movement. These allies have proven invaluable personally and politically, and are increasingly important in the fight for GLBT equality. Indeed, their voices often have been heard while those of GLBT people have been ignored.