Media Montage: Rock Out 2 Come Out

Push for Gay Rights Comes to Grand Rapids

“I feel that a lot of gay people do feel like we might be the last minority to really gain our civil rights. You’ve heard that from our President,” said Drew Stopples of East Grand Rapids.

Speak Equal and West Michigan Pride partnered up Sunday for the first National Coming Out Day Event in Grand Rapids to raise awareness.

“I love it. I think that it’s fantastic. I had my first coming out day experience two years ago,” said Simone Stephens of Muskegon, Mich.

The Coming Out Day event, known as “Rock Out 2 Come Out” has many optimistic about change in the future.

“It will create a platform for gays and lesbian and trans-gender people to be able to talk about and express who they are openly without being ostracized or hated or misunderstood or attacked or, you know, subjected to derogatory comments in anyway,” said Brooke Murphy, the organizer of the event. [READ MORE]

Are you out?

In Grand Rapids, local group Speak Equal is making their voices heard in media with advertisements and with a big, musical event.

The group began with a local honoring of the Great Nationwide Kiss-In this summer, and is continuing their efforts in October to bring the west Michigan LGBT community together. “Speak Equal was born out of a discussion with several members of the west Michigan community who were interested in seeing a variety of large-scale, city-wide and regional events that put forth positive messages about the LGBTQ community,” explained founder Brooke Murphy. “We are committed to organizing all-inclusive, peaceful rallies, protests, petition opportunities and educational events that provide insight into the Human Rights Campaign.”

With that in mind, Speak Equal has teamed up with West Michigan Pride board members to host Rock Out 2 Come Out on Oct. 11 at Rosa Parks Circle in Grand Rapids. The four-hour concert and celebration will feature performances by West Michigan Pride favorite Jo Gage, Flying Without Wingz and Whitney Dawn, plus a host of local drag kings and queens. The event, closed out by folk singer Dawn, will include a candle lighting in honor of people who do not yet have the strength to come out.