(Washington, DC) - On October 11, 1987, about 500,000 people marched on Washington to raise awareness around the struggle for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality. Since that historic March on Washington, October 11 has been celebrated as National Coming Out Day, with events organized around the country that encourage people to "come out" as LGBT in their neighborhoods, schools, workplaces, and places of worship to put a human face on our civil rights movement.

"National Coming Out Day is a great time to consider the different ways that we can all come out and live openly in our communities. Transgender people are increasingly choosing to live openly in regards to our gender identity and expression," said Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE). "However, it is important to remember that being out as trans is still potentially risky, with job loss, harassment and hate violence still all too prevalent."

There has been a striking increase in transgender media visibility in the last decade, with movies like Transamerica, Boys Don't Cry, and Ma Vie en Rose making successful runs on the big screen. Court cases dealing with the intersection of transgender people and employment discrimination and family law have also made print and broadcast national news. Transgender activists have won major legislative victories as well, with the passage of transgender-inclusive anti-discrimination bills in eight states (California, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, New Mexico, Rhode Island, and Washington) and the District of Columbia.

The National Center for Transgender Equality, Human Rights Campaign, and other advocates are currently working together to develop a Coming Out Guide specifically for transgender people.

"Coming out includes a unique set of challenges for those who identify as transgender-particularly when it comes to coming out at work, and managing identification documents and medical privacy issues," said Mark Shields, director of the Human Rights Campaign's (HRC) Coming Out Project.

If you do decide to come out this National Coming Out Day, please use your best judgment to keep yourself safe and sound. To find more information on transgender-specific coming out resources, visit here. You can also revisit Week #31 of our 52 Things You Can Do for Transgender Equality here to read a few ideas on how you can celebrate October 11.