“Coming Out in the 60’s” Viewing and Discussion

In May, several folks met at the Cooper Center for Active Living, 345 Walnut Street, Newtonville for the LGBTQIA+ social hour to view and discuss the documentary Coming Out in the 60’s. 

The documentary highlighted four young activists interviewing gay, lesbian and trans-gender elders who told of how the perfect storm of 1960s activism — the anti-war, civil rights, and the women’s movements — inspired them to fight for their personal freedoms. These were the years that led up to the Stonewall Riots in 1969.

Many gathered shared personal coming out stories spanning across decades yet all agreeing that it is a life-long,ongoing process. While every personal narrative was beautifully unique, the common threads started with the internal monologue of being different and masking one’s true self. Then, singling out a trusted ally and navigating a wide range of reactions from family and friends. Lastly, radical self-acceptance. 

Despite radically different circumstances, the overarching thread connecting the experiences shared in the documentary and in person were the painful process of unlearning shame, the vulnerability of voicing one’s truth, and the ultimate liberation of living authentically.