'Events like Coming Out Day and Pride are crucial in making this process easier because they are times when the LGBTQ community becomes visible - not just an idea, but a literally mass of people in the streets, or a collection of voices to be heard. 'LGBTQ people have to first identify themselves privately in a world that continues to tell them that people like them are not welcome, are not equal, and then eventually try to work up the courage to announce themselves as being different,' Nate Warden, founder of Coming Out, an open source platform for sharing stories about coming out, tells Bustle. It's more a reminder about why coming out is significant. The day is not about forcing anyone out of the closet or making people feel like they should have done it already. One of the best parts about National Coming Out Day is all of the amazing stories that emerge about how people came out - and the huge amount of love and encouragement for those who still don't feel quite ready.
