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National Coming Out Day: 35 years of 'coming out' and its importance

The Pew Research Center found about 7% of Americans identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual and close to 2% identify as transgender or nonbinary.

CLEVELAND — Since 1988, Oct. 11 has been a day all about celebrating who you are for the LGBTQ+ community by commemorating National Coming Out Day.

"The harsh reality is that you do lose some people, a lot of people lose people they consider close friends or family," JD Harrison with the LGBT Center of Greater Cleveland says. "But the group of people in the other side willing to accept you as your true authentic self, it's worth everything you leave behind."

The Pew Research Center found about 7% of Americans identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual and close to 2% identify as transgender or nonbinary. So with that large of a population falling under the LGBTQ+ umbrella, many of them have had to "come out" or express their identity to family, friends, and even beyond.

"A day like today is a reminder to folks that coming out is a wonderful and unique process," Matthew Graves with the LGBT Center told 3News. "And it's a way to, again, celebrate those individuals."

The LGBT Resource Center of Greater Cleveland says there are multiple things people should consider, like their safety, privacy, and support they have before coming out. It's also recommended to prepare ahead of time for physical and emotional responses and know where, like the center, you can find resources.

"We are still going to be here, queer people are still going to be here no matter what," resource center employee Madeline Swanbeck says. "To be visible, especially for someone who has a chance to be visible, it gives a voice to someone who doesn't have that."

The LGBT Center has a number of tips when considering coming out, and you can read them below:

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