Columnist JM Sorrell: Coming out for better or for worse – GazetteNET
Every year, National Coming Out Day is on Oct. 11. It began in 1988 with the concept of lesbian and gay liberation being contingent on the radical act of coming out. The reasoning was that if more of us were visible, we would be tolerated by mainstream society. Yes, back then we hoped to be merely tolerated or to at least feel safe being ourselves.
Today we require affirmation as members of our families and communities. Much progress has been made in societal norms. While we have some legal protections, we also remain vigilant in one way or another as the religious and political right would like to turn back the clock and as particular ire and bigotry are directed at transgender youth.
I think each of us come out in various ways throughout our lives. For better, I came out as a white woman committed to combating racism when I was 26 and met and spoke with AudreLorde. This was reaffirmed at age 27 when I organized a protest and Anne Braden pitched in as a humble mentor. For better, I came out over time as a social justice trainer, writer and speaker. The jury is out about my coming out as a stage actor, yet it was indisputably for the better that I chose to come out to the audience as half neurodiverse— learned shortly before the fitting Ko Festival theme of “Stranger in a Strange Land” Story Slam. I am out about being an Icelandaholic for sure.
Admittedly, I wish some people would not come out. While racism and misogyny never disappeared and perhaps in the long run we will make real progress on these fronts as they are made more transparent, it is nonetheless disturbing to see fairly large numbers of Americans emboldened in their bigotry over the last several years. Encouraged to the point of telling lie after lie. Does anyone actually believe that Black Lives Matter launched the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol? That Joe Biden is not our democratically elected president? Please, go back in the closet, revisionist bigots!
The anti-vax, anti-mask crowd — many of them overlapping with the above — keep coming out in droves as more people die miserable COVID deaths. Coming out for worse. Coming out to school board meetings to threaten mask-wearing parents, teachers and staff. Coming out to “unmask the children.” I truly want to know how any parent wants their child put at risk for a deadly disease. A real head scratcher.
They are coming out to take Ivermectin — an anti-parasite drug that is usually given to humans in small dose creams to treat head lice. It treats infections caused by roundworms in livestock. That potent use is what these anti-vax people are demanding. I’m not a science genius, but I am fairly sure that roundworms and COVID-19 are distinct from each other. Why not come out to get the actual vaccine matched to protect you from the actual virus? You would rather harm yourself than help yourself because Democrats believe in the vaccine? Really?
I have spent far too much time angry that people refuse to do the simplest thing — wear a mask over the mouth and the nose. Sadly, this conduct is not easily identified with just one demographic. It is blatantly immoral to disregard others’ health while in public. Could we all please come out for ending the pandemic? Current behavior points to a never-ending health crisis. How about inscribing “not wanting to wear this mask” on the mask? Would that help?
In the New York Times article, “We did the research: Masks work, and you should choose a high-quality mask if possible” (Sept. 26), three scientists conducted a research project with 340,000 adults in 600 villages in Bangladesh. The results seem predictable to me. Where vaccines are not widely available, mask wearing makes all the difference. The better the mask quality, the bigger the difference. I cannot wait to come out as a post-pandemic, post-mask-insistent person. Then I can go back to my more normal germ phobia habits such as using a wet wipe after touching a menu or using my sleeves when touching a public door knob. Those were the good ‘ole days.
If you know someone who is LGBTQ+, wish them Happy Coming Out Day on Oct. 11 and tell them to come out for public health and safety. Come out on the side of equality, justice and progress. Come out for better.
J.M. Sorrell is a social justice activist/trainer and a health care advocate. She has more coming out to do. Stay tuned.