Dennis Evanosky

Rev. Laura Rose speaks to Coming Out Day participants in front of the First Congregational Church on Central Avenue Sunday afternoon. The group marched down Central Avenue to join participants from other Alameda churches.

Last Sunday many of Alameda's congregations chose to come together after their respective services and joined the rest of the world for National Coming Out Day.

Among them were groups from the First Congregational Church, Twin Towers Methodist Church, the Alameda Spiritual Learning Center, Buena Vista United Methodist Church and the Buddhist Temple of Alameda.

The Alameda Interfaith Choir appeared for the first time to lead some 150 marchers in song.

Despite its name, National Coming Out Day is an internationally observed awareness day for coming out and discussing gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues. It is observed worldwide each Oct.11 to recall the Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights on Oct. 11, 1987, when some 500,000 people marched for gay and lesbian equality.