Racine Sun

This year's National Coming Out day earlier this week had special meaning to a Racine-area state assembly representative.

Rep. Greta Neubauer (D-Racine), who turned 30 last month, came out as queer more than a year ago.

"I am proud to be part of Wisconsin’s vibrant LGBTQ+ community," Neubauer said in her Oct. 11 Twitter post. "#NationalComingOutDay is a day to celebrate LGBTQ+ people embracing their authentic selves and to continue the fight for equal rights."

Her Twitter post included a message for her LGBTQ+ constituents.

"LGBTQ+ folks, whether or not you've come out — you are part of our community," the post said.

Neubauer, a social movement organizer and fifth generation Racine resident who once worked as a legislative aid to now Racine Mayor Cory Mason when he was in the state Assembly, has represented Assembly District 66 since her win in a January 2018 special election. She was re-elected in last November's General Election, taking more than 70% of the vote.

Wisconsin state Assembly District 66 includes Racine and much of eastern Racine County.

Neubauer came out as queer in a June 2020 Racine Journal Times article in which the then freshman assembly representative said she felt compelled to come out to demonstrate that it’s not something people need to be ashamed of.

"The main reason that I really wanted to talk about it is because I don’t want other people to feel like they can’t share their stories, and by keeping it to myself, even though it is personal, and in many ways, I feel that I shouldn’t have to share every piece of my personal life, but I know by not sharing that implicitly, it says to other folks, 'Maybe you shouldn’t share either,' or, 'This isn’t a safe community to share that kind of thing,'" Neubauer said in the Journal Times news story. "It felt really important for me to say that this is not something I’m ashamed of."

National Coming Out day was established by psychologist Richard Eichburg and gay rights activist Jean O’Leary 1988 to raise awareness of the LGBT+ community and its ongoing civil rights movement, according to information on American Psychological Association's website.  Oct. 11 was chosen for the day of the anniversary of the 1987 march on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights.