Before getting out Halloween costumes and jack-o-lanterns, don your rainbows and drag attire for National Coming Out Week.

Every day this week, the Lambda Alliance – the University’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) advocacy group – will host events designed to educate, celebrate and raise awareness of the LGBT community.

National Coming Out Week is part of The Human Rights Campaign’s Coming Out Project, “an on going campaign to empower gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and allied Americans to live openly and honestly about their lives,” according to the group’s Website.

Chuck Cohen, Lambda Alliance’s director of outreach, said the group works to create an “open and safe forum for people to discuss issues of sexuality.”

“The idea is just basically have an environment where people feel safe,” said the sophomore from Marietta. “Even if in the rest of your life you’re double checking every step and making sure no one knows. We feel safe.”

The Human Rights Campaign chose Oct. 11 as the date of National Coming Out Day to commemorate a 1987 gay and lesbian rights rally in Washington, D.C.

Every year, on the week that includes Oct. 11 – National Coming Out Week – advocacy events happen all around the country, ranging in Athens from panel discussions to professional drag shows.

One of Lambda’s events, Tuesday’s “Q & A with Queers,” is a “panel of different queer people who will be answering questions,” according to director of resources Shawna Scott.

“Queer is an umbrella term that includes all people of different sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions,” said the sophomore from Winter Springs, Fla.

The term “is more inclusive than the standard ‘gay,’ ‘homosexual’ or even ‘LGBT,’” she said.

Scott said at the Q & A, students can ask any question, such as “Why should I support same-sex marriage?” or “What is it that lesbians do in bed?” without fear of judgment.

The goals of the week’s events are simple: awareness, support and fun. “We want everyone to be educated,” she said.

National Coming Out Week starts today and ends Friday.