For generations of LGBTQIA+ people, coming out has been described as a moment of extraordinary significance. Sometimes it is exactly that: the first time somebody says aloud words they may have rehearsed privately for years, an act that can carry relief, pride, honesty, resistance, vulnerability and joy all at once. It can transform a relationship because somebody is finally able to say, this is who I am, and discover that the person listening remains beside them.

Today, the Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association of Australia (VMHPAA) proudly recognises National Coming Out Day - a day to celebrate the courage it takes to live authentically and to stand in solidarity with all members of the LGBTIQA+ community.