LGBT Network encourages people to 'wear the ribbon' on National Coming Out Day

Long Islanders joined people worldwide to celebrate National Coming Out Day by wearing rainbow ribbons.

News 12 Staff

Oct 11, 2019, 9:54 PM

Updated 1,878 days ago

Share:

Long Islanders joined people worldwide to celebrate National Coming Out Day by wearing rainbow ribbons.
The "Wear The Ribbon" campaign was launched by the LGBT Network in Hauppauge.
"We designed this campaign so that parents, families, people's co-workers, everybody can get engaged and come out for safer spaces for LGBT people where we live, learn, work, play, pray," said David Kilmnick, CEO of the LGBT Network.
More than 1,000 institutions in 50 states and 10 countries are showing their support with the ribbons.
The LGBT community has made strides toward full equality since National Coming Out Day started 31 years ago, but Kilmnick says the fight for inclusion is still a long way away.
"We have the Supreme Court hearing three cases on whether it would be legal to discriminate against LGBT people," Kilmnick said. "We know that too many of our kids are facing bullying and harassment in schools. We know that still nearly a third of completed teen suicides are by LGBT teens."
Kilmnick says the network will host its first workplace summit at its headquarters in Hauppauge next week.
He says over 70 companies will be there to talk about creating more inclusive workplaces.