Love and compassion

It's National Coming Out Day.

The Human Rights Campaign and PFLAG (Parents Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) have created this 24-page, downloadable pdf guide that I think is a great resource -- A Straight Guide to GLBT Americans.

(Note: When you click on this link, you'll need to scroll down to get to the text, and it will be really large when you get there. Don't fret. You can read it real big like that, or you can print the whole thing out.)

Here's a bit about it:

The guide is a resource that helps map some of the emotions straight people feel when someone first comes out to them, walks people through myths and facts about GLBT Americans, and outlines ways straight people can demonstrate their support.

I'm not telling you anything you don't know here, but here's what I know: as we sit here, there are young people ending their lives, adults engaging in secret behaviors, and people suffering in more ways than we may be able to imagine. Sometimes, all it takes is one person to help keep someone from feeling suicidal, alone, or deviant.

I'm a firm believer in people getting to know one another in meaningful and respectful ways, in ways that honor one another, and in ways that support ongoing appreciation of differences.

Today is a good day to try to live in a loving way.
(And I have a feeling tomorrow will be, too.)