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HoDC: National Coming Out Day

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Andrew Peterson
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Davidson chapter.

HoDC: Humans of Davidson College is a series started by HerCampus Davidson to profile members of the community and learn more about their stories.

Our National Coming Out Day Series highlights the significance of National Coming Out Day to the LGBTQ+ members of the Davidson community.

“My mom is a single mom by choice, and I am the product of a sperm donation. I should probably mention that my mom is a lesbian.  I would say we have a typical relationship. Two girls who fight a lot, but we love each other.”

“I’m not your typical ‘Coming Out’ story because I don’t really have a ‘Coming Out’ story. My mom has always been pretty open, ‘like you can like girls, you can like boys, you can like anyone, it’s totally fine. I love you, you’re still my daughter, and you still have a place in my home and in my heart.’  That’s been really nice, and coming here, it is just really sad to hear all the negative coming out stories that people have, but there is not much you can do except support them as a community.”

“I’ve heard some really conflicting things about National Coming Out Day w/o acknowledging that there are some who can’t come out for their personal safety makes it a bad thing.  I think it is important that people do come out if they want to. We need to increase visibility. We need to de-stigmitize the queer population.  I think that coming out is really important, and I get why people wouldn’t.  Tell them that we are not this odd thing that nobody knows.  I think coming out is really important, and I think we need to celebrate those that have come out and to acknowledge those who can’t, and hopefully they will be in a place one day where they can.”

“I understand why putting your name out there anonymously would be scary. I get why people are doing it.  WE have to step up while we wait for those who can’t.”

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar
Andrew Peterson is a member of the Class of 2018 at Davidson College. He was born in Elkin, North Carolina and attended the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM).  After graduation, Andrew came to Davidson, where he is an English major and an Neuroscience minor on the pre-med track.   He began writing for HerCampus during his sophomore year, and most of his articles are human interst pieces highlighitng unique individuals at Davidson.  When he is not writing for HerCampus, Andrew serves as President of Timmy Global Health, a committee head for Dinner at Davidson, Programming and Publicity head of the Civic Engagement Council, a founder and organizer of TEDxDavidson, a University Innovation Fellow with Davidson I&E, and a regular volunteer at Ada Jenkins Free Clinic.  During his time at Davidson, Andrew has spent a summer studying British Literature at Cambridge University, lead two medical service tripes to Quito, Ecuador, went on his first mission to Nicaragua with the Chaplain's Office, and spent a summer conducing biomedial research at NYU Dental School. If you would like to learn more about Andrew, feel free to reach out to him at anpeterson@davidson.edu.