National Coming Out day is celebrated annually on Oct. 11. Founded by Richard Eichberg in 1988, this is a day for people in the LGBTQ+ community to come out and share their identity with the ones they love.

Coming out can be the hardest thing someone ever does, but it is also one of the most liberating things as well. Being brave and vulnerable enough to open up to others about something so personal deserves to be celebrated.

It is also important to understand that coming out is not something that everyone in the LGBTQ+ community has to do.

The hope is that soon, it will be normalized enough where people don’t have to explain who they are to others, but will just be able to talk about their gender or who they like without having to worry about being accepted and loved.

For those who have not come out, National Coming Out Day can be difficult. There can be a lot of pressure surrounding this day to come out, but it is not a simple task.

Not everyone is in a safe environment to tell others who they really are, and some people just are not ready.

The LGBTQ+ community wants everyone to remember that people should not feel like they have to come out, but a reminder that whenever they’re ready, there is a whole community ready to support them.

Coming out should be something a person does for themselves, and only when they are ready to do so.

JoJo Siwa came out in January of this year, which has had an astounding impact on younger kids. Siwa’s brand is catered towards kids, so seeing someone so proud and happy to be themselves shows kids that it’s okay to be gay.

She is also making history on Dancing with the Stars as the first contestant to have a partner of the same sex.

It was only a few years ago when it was difficult to find gay and transgender representation in the media. Lack of representation makes people feel isolated, like they need to hide who they really are in order to be accepted. Now that more and more celebrities are coming out, it will be easier for kids to accept and even celebrate who they really are.

Demi Lovato also came out in May of this year as nonbinary. Lovato uses they/them pronouns, which is helping to normalize the use of nonbinary pronouns.

The singer said that they have experienced times in the past where they felt they had to change who they were to make other people comfortable, but they are so happy to embrace who they are now.

Having a conversation about pronouns and gender is something that should be done more often so that the topic can become openly discussed.

Though these subjects may be uncomfortable to talk about at times, it is vital that everyone is willing to discuss them so that we can all become more comfortable about gender and pronouns.

Some resources for LGBTQ+ youth are The Trevor Project and GLAAD, which help support anyone who may be struggling.

National Coming Out Day is a day to remember that you are not alone, and you are so loved for being who you are.