Letter From the Editor

I am writing these words on October 11, 2002 which just so happens to be the 14th annual "National Coming Out Day" on which lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people come together to promote awareness of sexual difference and to encourage others to "come out of the closet." Even in an age when LGBT characters appear on television and in film, coming out remains a central challenge to all LGBT people, especially teenagers. Fortunately, some sources of support are now available, including the coming-out and HIV prevention program highlighted in this month's cover story: the "Working It Out" Project. A community-research collaboration that began in New York, the "Working It Out" video and intervention have been disseminated to agencies and organizations throughout the country, providing support to LGBT teens when they need it most.

In keeping with this theme, this issue continues with a profile of "How Do I Look," a feature film about the LGBT "Ballroom community" that first came to widespread attention with the film "Paris Is Burning." We also hear firsthand from two of the film's stars, Octavia and Luis Luna Ortiz (who, as chance would have it, was also one of the actors featured in the "Working It Out" video)! Our "Psychologically Speaking" columnist, Dr. J. Buzz von Ornsteiner, provided advice to a teen who may be gay and is having problems with his parents. And on a different but not less important note, we round out the issue with an inspiring interview with radical AIDS Doctor Alan Berkman. So read on!

Ray Smith
Editor, Body Positive Magazine

P.S. For more on National Coming Out Day, see: www.hrc.org/ncop/index.asp.

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This article was provided by Body Positive. It is a part of the publication Body Positive.