Members of Harvard's Bisexual, Gay and Lesbian Association (BGLSA) collected signatures on a poster, tabled in dining halls and distributed flowers and pink triangle buttons yesterday in celebration of National Coming Out Day.

National Coming Out Day, according to BGLSA member Sandy Cavazos '92, is a day for gay people to accept themselves and take pride in their sexuality. "The day is geared towards personal coming-out. It's a day for thinking about being gay and accepting yourself," she said.

Columbus Day

Although today is the "official" date of National Coming-Out Day, it was celebrated early at Harvard because of the Columbus Day holiday.

Members of BGLSA shouted such slogans as "Support your favorite sexual minority," and "Come out, come out wherever you are," as they sat in front of Widener Library yesterday. Approximately 250 passers-by stopped to sign their posters, which express support for gay people who decide to "come out of the closet." The posters will be displayed in Lamont Library.

"I have a friend who just recently came out to me, and I feel that I should be the same supportive friend I was before," said Maria E Kaibel '95.

Flowers and Triangles

BGLSA members also handed out flowers and pink triangle buttons. The pink triangles, which gay men were forced to wear in Nazi concentration camps, have been adopted by the gay rights movement as a symbol of pride and support for homosexual men and women.

"It's a real tragedy that at a school that's supposed to be diverse there aren't more first-years who feel that they can come out without facing ostracization by their peers," said Javier Romero '95, a member of BGLSA who was tabling yesterday.

Romero said that a few people who came to the table did not want their names on the poster, but most signed up readily.

Support to Friends

"It just meant that I'll be supportive of any of my friends brave enough to come out. It's a very difficult thing to do in the age that we live in," said Rachel J. Harris '93.

Joel L. Derner '95 said he supports National Coming Out Day. "It's important for people to know that any time they want to come out there will be people there to love and support them," Derner said.