October 11 was National Coming Out Day. I wrote and submitted a Letter To The Editor about it, hoping my local paper, The Visalia Times Delta, would publish it on NCOD. They didn’t, and I dismissed the hope of seeing it in the printed edition. A few days after the 11th, I went ahead and posted it in the blog section of the paper’s online site, and to QueerVisalia.com. Imagine my surprise to see it in yesterdays paper! It appeared on the 11th, but the 11th of Novemeber! Better late than never, I suppose. The comments are filling up with a lot of religious bigotry and hatred, and a couple of positive remarks. There are a lot of remarks from a few different screen names, posting multiple times, and endlessly going on about how I’m going to hell, and need to repent. Some of us who post regularly to the online forums of the VTD suspect the multiple screen names belong to one individual, but you never know. In this area, there are plenty of homophobes ready and willing to rant their anonymous diatribes. It could be more than one person, but regardless, they continue to spout lies, hatred, bigotry, and endlessly go on about how “God” hates this that and the other. But, it did get printed. Already got some nice comments at work and at my Facebook page about it.
Check it out here.
Better late than never! The Visalia Times Delta publishes my letter
November 12, 2011
commentary, Gay, Personal coming out, letter to the editor, national coming out day, NCOD, Visalia Times Delta 1 Comment
JimmieJoe 
Local Stories: PFLAG to host speakers for National Coming Out Day. I’ll be one.
October 11, 2015
Jim Reeves commentary, News, Personal coming out, GayVisalia, national coming out day, NCOD, PFLAG, visalia 2 Comments
October 11 is/was National Coming Out Day. 2015 marks the 27th annual observance, commemorating the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, held in 1987. On this day, those still in the closet, whether they are LGBTQ or allies, are urged to step out and tell their stories. In recognition of NCOD, PFLAG Tulare-Kings Counties will host two Visalia residents as they discuss their “coming out”.
Since the first NCOD was celebrated in 1988, there has been a sea-change in the way society in general, and the law specifically, views the LGBTQ community. From the riots in 1969 at the Stonewall Inn in New York City that sparked the modern LGBTQ movement, to the recent ruling by the Supreme Court that made marriage equality the law of the land, few would have thought such progress possible.
In 1977, Harvey Milk of San Francisco won election to the City Council as California’s first openly gay person to run for office. During his campaign, and his short time in office (he and Mayor George Moscone were assassinated in their offices on November 27, 1978), Milk often urged closeted members of the gay community to “come out”. He maintained it was the only way for the LGBTQ community to truly advance. As more people came out over the years, Harvey’s words have proven prophetic. Harvey Milk is recognized in California with a “Special Day of Significance”, each May 22nd.
Each October, PFLAG Tulare-Kings Counties recognizes Coming Out Day with programs related to the subject. This year, two Visalia residents will speak, telling their “coming out” stories. Gail McCarthy, author of a five book murder mystery series, the Alexandria Whitney mysteries, and Jim Reeves (that’s me!), 9-1-1 dispatcher, blogger, and LGBTQ activist, will be discussing the coming out process and how it’s impacted our lives. We’ll talk about the societies we lived in as we approached our own “coming out”, the atmosphere that colored our perceptions, and how being “out” has affected our lives since.
The public is, as always, invited to attend PFLAG meetings. Admission is always free, and refreshments are served. This month’s will be Sunday, October 18, from 3 pm till 5 pm. We meet at the Congregation B’nai David, in their Educational and Cultural Center, 1039 S. Chinowth, Visalia. (Just follow the rainbow flags)
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