It's National Coming Out Day! As proud supporters of the Tennessee Equality Project, we offer a few do's and dont's on LGBT inclusivity based on interviews with our LGBT friends:

- DON’T assume someone is in a heterosexual relationship. Instead of “Do you have a boyfriend/girlfriend?”, ask “Are you in a relationship?”

- DON’T assume someone’s pronouns. It is always better to ask! Asking someone’s preferred pronouns may feel awkward at first, but it is better to be momentarily uncomfortable than to be unintentionally disrespectful. Avoid using “Mr./Mrs./Miss/Ms” if you are unsure.

- DON’T tag people in coming out or other LGBT posts unless you ask.

- DO be mindful that some people are not out in all of their social circles. Follow their lead, and be flexible and supportive in different environments.

- When referring to someone who is trans, DO be sure to include their current identity. For example, a trans man is someone who currently identifies as a male, not someone who “used to be a man”.

- DO call people by their names. It’s not their real name vs. their trans name. It is their name.

- DO support and correct. If you hear someone being called the wrong pronoun or being disrespected in any way, first ask if they’re okay, and then correct the offender.

- DO elevate and strengthen the voices of actual queer people. Allies are great; representation and visibility is better.