 Tuesday, October 11th was National Coming Out Day, but Boston University's Center for Gender, Sexuality, and Activism has an entire week of pride planned. From a queer art exhibition to bait sales, the CGSA is focused on hosting events that provide queer students a positive community and a place to show their pride. Be proud of yourself and who you are and talk with other people who share your same identities and be able to bond over that and like, I don't know, connect with them. For many students, the CGSA events have provided that space and connection. I feel that the CGSA truly emphasizes not only just a safe space, but also provides opportunities for collaboration and also just an overall place for us just to come together and just have a good time. Like just having that community where you can celebrate yourself and celebrate other people is really important. Establishing a safe queer space on college campuses has proven increasingly important with one in five Gen Z now identifying as LGBTQ according to a 2022 ballot poll, and the average age to come out is 20. Coming out is a pivotal moment for a queer person, and having a day to honor that means everything. The importance of just being yourself, especially because coming out is such a difficult process, just having that space to just be yourself, especially on a particular day instead of just every other day because you're yourself every other day, but on a coming out day you're you in front of everybody else in the world. As you can see, the CGSA is full of pride this week. For more information about their events, visit their Instagram and be sure to stop by 100 Bay State Road to check out What's in Store. For BUTV10, I'm Annie Main.