I was thinking about the significance of such a day and why it's important to recognize "Coming Out" with it's own holiday. After all, it's not like a "religious" holiday (ie Christmas, Easter, Hanukkah, Ashura, etc.) and it's not a commemoration of some great historical event (ie Independence Day, Groundhog's Day, New Year's Day, etc.)... so?

The closest I could relate it to is a birthday.

Every year in May, I celebrate the day I was born. I love to celebrate birthdays because it gives me a chance to recognize the blessing a person has made in the world simply by being born. There has never been a person alive who didn't impact somebody else's life in a dramatic way (whether they know it or not) and I think that's a special – amazing – thing to celebrate**! The nice thing about birthdays is that everybody has one - it's something we can all relate to

I also have two other "birthdays" I recognize in my life: the day I came out as gay for the first time and the day I gave my life to Christ. These two days are actually very similar for a number of reasons.

Not everyone can tell that I've had either of them. While I still amazes me that people can't always tell by looking, the fact exists that there are some people who don't realize I'm gay when they meet me. I firmly believe that if you're not looking for it and don't know how to recognize it, homosexuality is very easy to miss. Unfortunately, there are also people who meet me and can't tell I'm a Christian. Scripture is pretty clear about how to be recognized (love), and I know there are times when I'm not representing myself the way I should. While I think/hope that both of these aspects would be fairly obvious to anyone who meets me, it's my reality that they aren't always.

I can hide either of them. If it's true that not everyone will recognize these parts of my identity, then it's also true that I can hide these parts... and I have. There have been instances when I've interacted with people that I've feared for my safety or I've realized I could jeopardize my witness by revealing that I'm gay or a Christian, so I've allowed them to remain hidden. This is a sticky choice because if it happens too often it can become easy to do, and while it's happening I'm living inauthentically... a lie.

It's my responsibility to share both of them. Living a life that's not authentic is unhealthy, both for me and for the people who I'm living with. Either there are people who know the truth who are expected to lie to protect me, there are people who know the truth who won't lie despite the consequences, and there are people who don't know the truth and are prevented from going very deep without it. The only way I can relate to those around me in an authentic and healthy way is to be honest about myself.

I have to come out.

I am a Christian.

I am a homosexual.

The first time I acknowledged either of these things is a day to celebrate because it's a day I came one step closer to living authentic to who I was create to be... and every time I continue to acknowledge them to a new person, I continue to become more authentic and more complete. That's what "Coming Out" is about... and it's a reason to celebrate!