Sen. Adam Schiff of California posted on National Coming Out Day, saying he supports LGBTQ+ neighbors, friends, and loved ones just as they are. The message on X got replies from people who questioned why he was talking about private lives and said he should focus more on things like housing and public safety in the state. Commenters went back and forth over whether these kinds of posts make sense or if the senator should stick to other issues.
The post consists of a short written statement and an attached graphic. The statement reads: “This National Coming Out Day, we remind all of our LGBTQ+ neighbors, friends, and loved ones that we support who they are, exactly how they are.” The graphic displays the words “NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY” against a dark background, with the letters of “COMING OUT” rendered in a sequence of rainbow colors.
National Coming Out Day falls on October 11 each year and is observed by some organizations and officials as a day focused on LGBTQ+ visibility. Schiff’s post did not include additional policy details or specific California legislation. Other public figures and local groups in California and elsewhere also marked the date with statements or events, though those messages are separate from this X post.
Responses to Sen. Schiff’s National Coming Out Day Post
Some replies focused on privacy and asked why personal lives were being turned into a political thing. One person wrote, “When did someone’s private bedroom become a matter of national political celebration?” and said equal rights don’t mean the government has to celebrate what people do in private.
Another wrote, “Why are you so obsessed with people’s personal sex lives?” while a third commented, “Imagine being so boring the most important thing about you is who you sleep with.”
Other people pointed out that California has bigger problems. One person wrote, “Senator, your constituents also deserve your attention on public safety, education, housing affordability, and government accountability,” and added, “Perhaps spend less time making ceremonial declarations about people’s private lives and more time demonstrating measurable improvements in their public lives.”
A separate user noted, “Honestly, why should anybody care one way or the other? Just another thing you can grift on.”
A smaller set of replies mixed support with other conditions. One commenter said, “We support them and love them,” while adding that people should play on appropriate sports teams and use birth-gender bathrooms.
Schiff’s message joins a series of public statements around National Coming Out Day, as online discussion continues over how elected officials address personal identity alongside other state concerns.
