Sock Out Bias on National Coming Out Day Oct. 11

The Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion encourages employees to show support as allies for sexual and gender minority patients and colleagues — including those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender — by wearing rainbow socks for National Coming Out Day on Tuesday, Oct. 11.

According to the 2022 Accelerating Acceptance report by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), LGBTQ+ Americans are reporting an alarming increase in unjust treatment, including bias, for the second year in a row. Seven in 10 report personally experiencing discrimination, up 11% from a year ago, and a disturbing increase of 24% from 2020. In addition, over the past two years, 61% of Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) LGBTQ+ people face discrimination based on their intersectionality of race or ethnicity and sexual orientation/gender identity, compared to 32% of all LGBTQ adults.

Observed in the U.S. and countries around the world, Coming Out Day was founded in 1988 to raise awareness of the LGBTQ+ community and its civil rights movement. Oct. 11 marks the anniversary of the 1987 National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights.

The theme for this year’s Penn State Health National Coming Out Day, “Sock Out Bias,” will focus on recognizing and eliminating bias against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender patients and employees.

“National Coming Out Day provides an opportunity for all Penn State Health employees to show support for eliminating bias against our LGBTQ+ colleagues and patients,” said Lynette Chappell-Williams, Penn State Health’s vice president and chief diversity officer. “By wearing rainbow socks on Oct. 11, employees become allies with a part of our community that continues to experience challenges, including discrimination and health disparities.”

Employees looking for more ways to support LGBTQ patients and colleagues can:

• Check out the pronoun poster and flyers in the Digital StoreFront.
• Watch the webinar “Ally to Accomplice – Supporting Sexual and Gender Diverse Communities” by Sonya Wilmoth.

Learn more from GLAAD’s 2022 Accelerating Acceptance report

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