Why National Coming Out Day is still important

<<Unknowingly, my husband gifted this little guy for oathing 4 more years in the Navy. He didn’t know it would be appropriate on so many levels.>>

I’ve come to terms with the inevitability that every day would be National Coming Out Day for me. Whether it’s the assumptions by colleagues and supervisors, or anyone for that matter that we come in contact with refererring to my spouse as “your wife”, or the quickness with which doctors order and HIV test whenever I need care (I’ve had five in the past 18 months), there is no doubt in my mind that there is so much more work to be done to garner true equality despite all that we have accomplished.

Being in the Armed Forces offers a uniqueness to our plight. The military has always set the bar for equality for our society; from intigration and combat opportunties for minorities and women, to repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, the DOD sets a precedence for our society of inclusion, diversity, and equal opportunity. So on one hand, I have this incredible support system for my husband and me at work with the Navy, while on the other hand we are verbally accosted as ‘fags’ in our local community.

This is why it is still so important to Come Out — whatever that subjectively connotes. It’s an experience brimming with elation, fear, confusion, and even support. However, living openly relays and understanding as a minority the plight of others — that not only will I not fear being who I am, but that I will not allow other’s fear of the beauty in human genomic variety deny the right for my cohorts to thrive. I live openly in hopes that young men and women will have a better experience than I.

I’m a husband, a sailor, a leader. My name is Jase, and I am gay.