Indigenous Peoples’ Day and National Coming Out Day

October, considered by some to be the best month of the year, hosts a number of important cultural celebrations. This week, Indigenous Peoples’ Day and National Coming Out Day land right next to each other, on October 10 and October 11, respectively.

Indigenous Peoples’ Day is generally recognized in the United States on the second Monday of October. It is a day to honor the indigenous peoples of the land we live and work on, who were the original stewards and caretakers of this place. For over 10,000 years, the first people of this land (Turtle Island, North America) have lived, worked, traveled, created art, built cities, and stewarded the environment. Despite centuries of oppression, indigenous tribes and nations have preserved their cultures to this day, cultures that continue to live and evolve through new generations.

Although Indigenous Peoples’ Day was only federally recognized for the first time last year, many states, cities, and institutions commemorate the day independently. In 2014, the Seattle City Council voted unanimously to recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Where it is recognized, Indigenous Peoples’ Day is commemorated instead of Columbus Day, which glorifies colonization, slavery, and genocide. You can learn more about the day and find links to further resources in this post from the UW Combined Fund Drive.

Take some time to learn about local Coast Salish tribes, including the Duwamish (who are still denied federal recognition), Suquamish, Tulalip, and Muckleshoot. The Puyallup tribe has a robust program to teach txʷəlšucid/Lushootseed, the native language of at least 13 tribes in the Puget Sound region. If you live on Duwamish land, consider paying rent.

At UW, Indigenous/Native American students can join RSOs such as First Nations @ UW (geared toward undergraduate students) and UW SACNAS Chapter (for folks in Science fields). For more, visit the UW page on Native Life and Tribal Relations and American Indian Studies department website. The AIS department also offers a graduate certificate in American Indian and Indigenous Studies.

To learn more about the history and cultures of indigenous peoples more broadly, check out An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz (available in the SAFS DEI Library) and the All My Relations podcast.

National Coming Out Day is recognized every October 11 in the United States. For LGBTQ folks, the personal is made political—simply loving someone, or dressing in a way that feels good, or using one’s name and pronouns in public is often seen as a political act. Because of this, coming out is a small but significant form of activism for queer folks. Homophobia and transphobia thrive in ignorance and silence, and LGBTQ communities have seen that when people know someone who is queer, they are more likely to be accepting and supportive of all queer folks. Not everyone wants to come out, or is in a position where they can safely do so. But for many, coming out leads to feelings of relief and liberation, lifting a societally and/or self-imposed burden of living inauthentically.

Not sure what to do if someone comes out to you?

1. Listen. Let them say what they need to say.
2. Thank them for sharing and for trusting you. Affirm that you support and care about them.
3. Ask a few necessary follow up questions (i.e., what pronouns are you using now, do you want to keep this private, etc.) but avoid asking invasive questions (i.e., have you had sex, what genitals do you have, etc.).
4. Ask what you can do to support them.
5. It’s okay to say something is new for you, but follow it up by saying you will educate yourself. Some folks may be excited to share more details about themselves or answer a bunch of questions, but some people don’t want to educate you—and they shouldn’t have to. The the SAFS Diversity Specialist (safsdeij@uw.edu) is a friendly and non-judgmental resource.
6. Avoid centering yourself or expressing discomfort. If you are confused or upset, find someone else to talk to; a mental health practitioner, a trusted friend or colleague who can be honest with you, and the SAFS Diversity Specialist are all good options.

For more information on coming out and National Coming Out Day, including resources for queer folks and supportive allies, check out the Human Rights Campaign, PFLAG, and the UW’s Q Center. Last year, the SAFS Equity and Inclusion Committee released a pronoun guide, which is a handy resource for folks thinking about how they use language. Folks who identify as LGBTQIA2+ can join groups like the Q Center’s Queer Mentorship Program, oSTEM (which has a chapter at UW), and 500 Queer Scientists. The Aquatic Sciences Queer & Trans Affinity Group, which has been running for almost a year, meets virtually on the first Wednesday of the month and is hosting a Coming Out Day Party at 2pm on October 11.