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From Haring to Here: Honoring National Coming Out Day Through Art
by Raye Maguire •
When we come out and come together, we make history.
October is LGBTQ+ History Month, with National Coming Out Day being recognized on October 11th.
Since 1988, National Coming Out Day has celebrated the courage of living openly and authentically. That same year, Keith Haring created his powerful National Coming Out Day painting to honor the bravery, pride, and joy of the LGBTQ+ community. Creativity in the face of oppression is more than expression—it’s resistance, it’s visibility, and it’s power.
Every piece of art community members shared for HRC’s National Coming Out Day Art Exhibition is a promise: We're here and we’re not going anywhere.
Check out a few of our favorites!
“This is my original creation, working from a starting point of the iconic Keith Haring National Coming Out Day artwork, simplified and multiplied by a hundred.
It reflects the vast numbers of people, in a broad spectrum of representational colors, who have navigated their way 'out of the closet'.
The joy resulting from the accumulation of this brave honesty is depicted in a pair of energetic Haring-like figures finding and celebrating each other.” - Seth Kalish, MD
“This ceramic diva is serving full drag fantasy, heels planted, arms outstretched, and ready to snatch the spotlight while coming out of the closet proudly! While National Coming Out Day can be somber and serious, it can also be a time to celebrate us!
Being our authentic selves in public for the world to see. Strutting on one leg corseted in black and cream and the other dipped in glossy crimson, she's giving body while carrying a sunshine-yellow torso that screams, "Look at me, world!" Up top, her blue halo of a face is framed by campy big bold white eyes, while a pair of luscious red lips dangle like the ultimate mic drop. Painted in bold primary colors, she's equal parts playful and revolutionary queen, a camp icon demanding peace, love, and acceptance with every exaggerated pose.
This is drag as armor and celebration, a glitter-glazed reminder that now, more than ever, the LGBTQ community must fight, must shine, and must be seen, because visibility is the fiercest look of all.” - Thomas Doyle, DC
“Coming out is an act of revelation that inherently entails a state of vulnerability, yet it simultaneously represents the courageous presentation of one's authentic self.
It is a reaffirmation of one's existence and a declaration of the intent to engage with the world by making one's diversity visible.
The work I have selected is a painting that utilizes the trans pride flag to evoke a symbolic dawn - the birth of the sun.
This piece serves as an allegory for reconnecting with the origin of our being through a profound bond with the world, and for aligning ourselves with the deepest desires of the spirit.” - Marco Pérez
“My paintings celebrate the joy and intimacy of lesbian relationships, affirming the beauty of connections that have too often been hidden or silenced.
On National Coming Out Day, when we honor the courage it takes to live openly, my work offers painted declarations of love that are unapologetically visible.
Each canvas becomes a space where the presence of lesbian couples is validated and celebrated through tenderness, passion, and the everyday moments of shared life. By highlighting these relationships, I strive to create the kind of images I longed to see growing up: images that affirm that queer love is real, complex, and worthy of joy.” - Joan Cox
"Miguel’s coming out is not just a personal story; it is a declaration of pride woven into the very fabric of his work.
Every mural he paints and every design he creates carries the weight of a life lived with honesty and authenticity. It is a powerful reminder that the most beautiful art comes from the most genuine places.
His journey shows us that true mastery isn’t just about the technique on the canvas, but about the integrity in the soul" - Miguel Andrisani
These are just some highlights of the powerful creativity that was shared by members of our community across the globe! See the full gallery here: hrc.im/NCODArt
At a time when LGBTQ+ people are facing relentless attacks on our rights and dignity, we draw on the strength of our history and demand a better future.
By sharing our stories, we honor our queer elders like Keith Haring who paved the way with their voice and create our own history.
- Topics:
- Bisexual
- Transgender
- Allies
- Coming Out
Love conquers hate.
