National Coming Out Day, which takes place annually on Oct. 11, aims to create a national support network for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals coming out, while also raising awareness for gay rights. But the day is about more than just civil awareness — it's an opportunity to celebrate selfhood and sexuality. In short, it's a reason to party about who you are — and what's a party without a little song and dance?
The Queer Straight Alliance (QSA) has decided to add a little more festiveness to Tufts' observance of Coming Out Day today. "We decided we wanted to make it more of a celebration for being out and the environment at Tufts," sophomore Martine Kaplan, co-president of the QSA, said.
Organizers paired the usual daytime rally and open-mic festivities with a nighttime musical performance at Brown and Brew by queer musical artist and sometime-actress Julia Weldon.
This is not Weldon's first time at Tufts. The talented musician performed on campus last year during finals week but failed to draw the kind of crowd that Kaplan hopes will amass tomorrow.
"We're hoping to pack Brown and Brew," she said, adding that last year's audience requested Weldon's return.
"People who did see her last year really liked her," QSA co-president Simon Katz, a senior, said.
A few minutes on Weldon's MySpace page reveals why she's such a popular pick for the event. Her soulful, acoustic songs are at once poignant and full of energy, and they do not tiptoe around the issue of sexual orientation.
The artist will appear earlier in the day, too, at the Coming Out Day rally on the lower patio of the Mayer Campus Center. That will give her "good face time" with potential concert attendees, Katz said.
"We hope we'll be able to bring people who wouldn't necessarily think to come see a queer performer at Tufts," he said.
Embracing personal identity is definitely a noble excuse to put off that problem set for a few hours and hit up a concert on a weeknight. Head down to Brown and Brew at 8 p.m. tonight to jam out for the sake of queer-straight solidarity.
