On this October 11, National Coming Out Day will continue to raise awareness for individuals within the LGBTQ+ community, and champion the idea that homophobia thrives in silence. On this day, many people who identify as LGBTQ+ will “come out” (a term stemming from the phrase “come out of the closet”) to friends or family about their sexuality, which is a big moment!
“Coming out is a very brave thing to do,” says Ms. DeAngelo. “It’s extremely personal and different for everyone. Some people will feel scared and anxious when they come out and others might feel happy and relieved. This is why we want to make sure that we honor and celebrate everyone’s identity at MAELS.”
“We are trying to spread awareness of National Coming Out Day,” said Olivia C of Crew 8I. “It will help to show that everyone in our community is valuable and valued.”
This past week, Crews at MAELS dove into some lessons about the LGBTQ+ community. Students learned about affirming the identity of their Crew members by using the correct pronouns.
“I learned that it’s important to always use the correct pronouns,” shared Lulu from Crew 6D. “Otherwise, it makes people feel like we do not respect their identity or who they are as human beings.”
On Friday, students also discussed the importance of National Coming Out Day. After some understanding of these important topics, students collaborated on a school wide project to continue the celebration.
“We are writing quotes on ribbons for National Coming Out Day,” said Alistair of Crew 8I. “Later, we will put everyone’s ribbons together to make a rainbow wall so that everyone can see it.”
“The purpose of this project is to uplift people of the LGBTQ+ community. However, anyone can look at these quotes and feel uplifted,” said Aphelia of Crew 8D.
Ms. Cimini, the director of the MAELS LGBTQ+ Student Alliance, has been an advocate and ally of the LGBTQ+ community for as long as she can remember. She’s also the muscle behind a lot of the LGBTQ+ advocacy in our school community. Each year, Ms. Cimini decorates her classroom and hallways to celebrate Pride Month because she wants all kids to know that her classroom is a safe space. “We originally created these lessons to educate kids who are not part of the LGBQT community but these lessons actually allowed the LGBTQ kids to feel valued and seen. In the past, we’ve had kids that have admitted that they’re part of this community and they’ve never told anyone before.
According to Ms. Cimini, several teachers had shared that they had great discussions with their groups. She added, “this week, some LGBTQ+ students felt comfortable for the first time standing up and sharing who they were and being their true selves. This is truly the MAELS spirit. What more could we ask for?”
All of the students who engaged in the lesson come from different levels of understanding about the topic. Some students have previously engaged in conversations about the LGBTQ+ community while others are learning about it for the first time.
“I learned a lot of new things over the last few days in Crew,” shared Ian of Crew 6D. I learned that the LGBTQ+ acronym is a wide spectrum and can look very different for different people.
“I learned that we should appreciate everyone even though their lives are different from mine,” said Shannon from Crew 6G. “I really appreciated the lessons about pronouns and National Coming Out Day because I learned so much about the LGBTQ+ community. I want them to know that they have allies at MAELS and at the end of the day, we’re all the just people who deserve love and respect.”
Regardless of the level of prior knowledge, the MAELS community hopes to inspire students to use their voice to create a more loving and equitable community. Rovan of Crew 7I shared her feelings when she learned that some of her crew mates are part of the LGBTQ+ community. “It made me happy that they were comfortable sharing this and it made us want to learn more about them. It must have taken a lot of courage to use that voice and share that with everyone because I definitely don’t have the confidence to share parts of myself. Seeing and hearing them do that brought me a lot of confidence.”
For Jazlyn of Crew 8A, a safe space where students feel welcomed, comfortable and safe is important to her. “When people feel comfortable, that’s when they are able to grow into the people they’re supposed to be. We hope that when people see these happy quotes and the beautiful rainbow, they will feel happy and inspired. We want them to always feel a sense of acceptance at MAELS.”
Students shared their hopes for their community after engaging in equity work in support of the LGBTQ+ community.
“It’s a great thing that we’re doing and I totally support it,” said Lucas of Crew 7D. “I hope through this work, more students feel comfortable with being themselves.”
“We want to be more inclusive. We cannot judge others by what they cannot control. I hope that people will continue to educate themselves and learn about topics that they’re not sure about or uncomfortable with,” expressed Jessica from Crew 7C.
Ariella from Crew 7G added, “I love that MAELS acknowledges the LGBTQ community. These lessons and activities were great because it highlighted this important celebration. There’s no reason to pass judgement at all. Just because they’re part of this community doesn’t mean they’re less human or less deserving of love.”
“I hope those identifying with LGBTQ feel more comfortable in their own skin. I hope that they know they shouldn’t be afraid of who they are. I know not everyone feels comfortable talking about it but I want everyone to know that I support the LGBTQ community and I am an ally,” said Clara from Crew 6G.
At MAELS, we intend to continue efforts to eradicate hate and homophobia with friends and family coming to dispel stereotypes. To our beloved members of the LGBTQ+ community, we see you, we hear you and we love you. Know that you will forever have a safe place with us in our school community.
Michelle Ng, Director of Equity