The first National Coming Out Day 35 years ago took on Reagan and AIDS stigma

In October 1988, at the height of the AIDS crisis, people around the country received white envelopes in their mailboxes. Vibrant purple and magenta letters spelled out “National Coming Out Day,” with the tag line, “Take your next step.”

Inside were bumper stickers with the NCOD logo, a pamphlet of ideas about how and why to come out as gay or lesbian, and a little white card — the commitment card.

The instructions were clear: On Oct. 11, sign your name on the carbon paper, proclaiming you are gay or lesbian. Then send one copy back to NCOD headquarters and give the other to a trusted friend. NCOD would compile a commemorative journal listing the names of all the respondents.

“No matter how far in the closet or out of the closet you are, you have a NEXT STEP,” proclaimed the mailing, words of comfort to a scared population.

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