On Friday, West Hollywood observed the 25th anniversary of National Coming Out Day, an international celebration of out LGBT people, by unveiling a community video project.
The project’s goal is to a compile coming out stories by community members who are originally from each of the U.S. states. Segments will be shown on the city’s YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/wehotv under the playlist NCOD and on WeHoTV on Friday.
“Celebrations like National Coming Out Day make me so proud to serve as an elected official at this time and in this place,” Mayor Abbe Land said. “The City of West Hollywood has worked hard to create a safe place where people of all ages and all identities can live safely out and proud.”
National Coming Out Day was founded in 1988 by Robert Eichberg, a psychologist from New Mexico, and Jean O’Leary, an openly gay political leader from Los Angeles who was then head of the National Gay Rights Advocates. The date was chosen because it was the anniversary of the 1987 National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights.
The first headquarters for National Coming Out Day were located in West Hollywood at the National Gay Rights Advocates offices.
