National Coming Out Day is a special event for many members of the LGBTQ community. Students in the LGBTQ+ student organization on TR campus celebrated the day by hosting a social Oct. 11.

The newly founded organization on TR Campus welcomes everyone to attend their meetings to understand aspects of the LGBTQ community they might not have known previously.

TR student Alli Williams told fellow attendees there are some sexual orientations in the community she is still learning about. Being able to talk to others about topics like this is why Williams enjoys being a part of the organization.

Even though the occasion was National Coming Out Day, the social had no set agenda, and attendees were free to talk about anything they wanted to discuss.

“For so many people in our community, coming out to an accepting family is a struggle,” Williams said. “As a lesbian, it feels like I have to ‘come out’ all the time, so this day is like any other for me.”

TR student and club newcomer Michelle Brown asked the group if they could guess what her sexual orientation was. Brown, 34, was among older attendees of the event and was curious to learn about how conversations about this topic have changed since she was younger. She said when she was growing up, the only orientations people knew of were the ones included in the LGBT acronym.

Williams brought up the topic of pride parades, which usually take place in June. She said she feels that pride parades are slowly turning too inappropriate for children and families to participate in.

“We should be the people who LGBTQ kids look up to at pride events,” club president Papi Salgado said. “We are everyone’s safe space.”

TR student Griffin Nelson said he feels grateful that the organization gave him a place to be open about things that affect him as an bisexual male.

“I don’t feel like I have to convince them of anything, or that I owe them anything that I’m not willing to share if that makes sense,” Nelson said.

Nelson feels that every person who makes the choice to come out strengthens the LGBTQ community and encourages those who haven’t to not be afraid.

“Things do get better even if you have to wait,” Nelson said.