You know, I thought for about a minute about NOT coming out. I mean, sure, I'd been out for over 6 years, I'd helped run the queer student alliance at my undergrad school. But this was different. This was medical school. This was my career. But after serious consideration, my activist self won out. I decided to take the risk, if for no other reason than to educate future physicians -my classmates- about gay lesbian and bisexual issues.

I put on my favorite earrings (the ones with dangling pink quartz triangles) and bought a new set of freedom rings (six small metal rings, painted each color of the rainbow, which symbolize gay lesbian and bisexual pride). I strung the cold metal ID chain through the rings, popped my brand new ID in the plastic case, and hung it around my neck.

It happened on the first day, during the Diversity Workshop. During a self-identification exercise, my classmates and I were each invited to join a group that we identified with. Among the choices were the expected ones: Male, Female, White, Black. In addition, there were a few others: Jewish, Economically Privileged, and of course, Gay Lesbian and Bisexual. I headed straight ...well... directly for the sign. I came out to my entire class, as well as half of the second year class, the dean for students, and the Chaplain himself!

And wouldn't you know it? I was not alone. Furthermore, I did not receive a single negative response. And to this day, I have not received a single negative response, from fellow classmates, from faculty, from attendings. Quite the opposite in fact. My experiences being out woman at Yale have been surprisingly positive. As the Office for Minority Affairs began to rework itself into the current Office of Multicultural Affairs, my views and the views of other lesbigay students were solicited and respected. Sexual Orientation has been included in the nondiscrimination clause of the Yale Physician's Oath.
A. J. Babineau, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, YSM '98


I felt dizzy. I had spent a few minutes of every day the summer before beginning Yale Med wondering what 'coming out' would be like this time around, envisioning so many of those classic conversations among my new peers: 'well, actually...' or 'I Have something to tell ...' More than that, I was both anxious and emboldened by stories of Conservative Medicine--- the homophobic guffaws in the operating room, the embittered, forever-closeted resident who has no pictures, no rings, and never brings his/her partner to the Winter Bash for fear of being written out of prosperity and achievement. Finally, sure, there were a few reassuring words in the Anti-discrimination Statement, but would the Dean shiver, would a hopeful mentor squirm, when the truth was transmitted?

So, with this sampling of summer broodings, I was given the opportunity to come out of my entire class of 100 in one instant. Was I crazy? Perhaps I was, but I made the split second decision and I presented myself as a gay man at a break-the-ice workshop on the third day of medical school (I wasn't alone-- I stood with two women who came out in their own ways). And I really haven't looked back with regret.

Coming out continues, of course, but studying, conversing, learning, maturing, and living in this student environment has made being a gay man a relatively easy kind of person to be, and more importantly, has imparted me with the confidence to approach unknown waters (like third and fourth year of medical school!) with less fear and more self-respect. Return to students or home
Daniel Kamen, YSM '98