Ivel Posada ’14, co-chair of the QSA, attended the EqualiTEA hosted by Lowell House Masters Diana L. Eck and Dorothy A. Austin. Posada said that he thought it was fitting that the first BGLTQ House Masters opened their home to celebrate National Coming Out Day, and that he appreciated the chance to talk to senior Harvard affiliates.

“It provided a sense of history on how Harvard has changed over time,” he said, adding that he talked to attendees about what it was like to be gay at Harvard 50 years ago.

Despite the presence of coming out day in many of the houses, some said that the University lacked a central effort to promote National Coming Out Day. Posada said he hoped for a campus-wide email recognizing the day from a well-known school official like University President Drew G. Faust or Interim Dean of College Donald H. Pfister.

“[National Coming Out Day] is also a way for the University to come out in support of the LGBTQ community,” Posada said. “Harvard didn’t use it as an opportunity to show this support. There was no administrative acknowledgement.”

Avik Chatterjee ’02, a BGLTQ tutor in Dunster House, noted that there is always room to be more inclusive, despite marked improvements in Harvard’s attitude toward the BGLTQ community over the years.

“It’s important for students to know that there are people who are supportive of you coming out,” Chatterjee said.

—Staff writer Brianna D. MacGregor can be reached at bmacgregor@thecrimson.com. Follow her on Twitter @bdmacgregor.