As freshman Svea Bleske decorated her face with paint and glitter, her excitement reflected the euphoria of National Coming Out Day.

Bleske said she enjoyed participating in National Coming Out Day with the Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA).

“It definitely feels good to be able to support the school in terms of people who still have not come out or other youth in Minnesota that have not come out yet either,” Bleske said.

GSA adviser Kyle Sweeney said she sees National Coming Out Day as a time to recognize and support the LGBTQ+ community coming out.

“It’s a national day that was designated to recognize that coming out is a thing, and to give people the opportunity to say it on a day that other people are saying it,” Sweeney said. “People sometimes come out for the first time on National Coming Out Day, but I think more it’s used as an awareness tool.”

Senior GSA president Elise Bargman said she values National Coming Out Day because it signifies the bravery of people who come out and express their true self.

“I think for a lot of queer people, (National Coming Out Day) is a reminder of the courage it takes to come out and the political statement and personal statement that it makes as part of your life,” Bargman said.

Sweeney said National Coming Out Day sparks excitement for her because she hears from her friends on social media, and enjoys celebrating with students at Park as well.

“My friends will post pictures or memories or political statements on social media, so that’s kind of fun to see everybody out there being open and telling their story,” Sweeney said. “I think at a younger age, there’s more new (people) coming out, and so it’s fun to celebrate with the students, too.”

According to Bleske, in addition to dressing in flannels and putting paint and glitter on their faces, the GSA painted the senior wall the night before National Coming Out Day.

“We painted the wall, the senior wall, outside. It’s a white background with a rainbow heart and it says ‘SLP supports LGBT students’ and says ‘National Coming Out Day’ in rainbow letters,” Bleske said.

The next GSA meeting takes place at 8 a.m. Oct. 18 in room B231.