Now I don't really observe/ take note of these days because personally for me there is no point. For some people they might be great and all wonderful but I tend to see the dark side of these days more often.
For pagan pride day, or any pride day really, all I see people doing is rubbing other people's faces in things. No really, have all the pride in the world, it's good for you to take pride in what you love but if everyone had a pride day we would run out of days really quick. Not to mention that pride days tend to piss off people and lead to greater inequality and greater prejudice.
To find true equality we have to act like equals and expect equal respect. If someone turns to me and is prejudice, I try to educate them but if they're stuck in their ways like one of my elder neighbors, then leave them. Don't let them do anything to bring you down and get proper help if need be but in the same breath don't give them ammunition by being all uber out prideful and rubbing their nose in it just to spite them. Just realize that their mind is refusing to open and there isn't much you can do about it except damage control and to be ready to educate if they are to ever change their mind.
Now for coming out of the broom closet day.
I'm fine with it, maybe it gives people that last speck of courage needed to come out and show their true colours, which is basically what this day's about but I just hope that it doesn't push people to come out at the wrong time. I hope people have common sense to not come out in a giant family gathering of highly religious priests unless they have a few on their side for back up but I do know that sometimes peer pressure can make people come out at the wrong time because "that's what the rest of my coven is doing". If your coven jumped off a cliff would you do it?
Maybe the best time to come out was a week before, a week after, a few months or years after....or not at all for some people due to violent circumstances. The best time to come out is when you feel comfortable and safe.
Hell 8 years later and I'm still in the process, you don't need to wave it around or yell it from the rooftops. Tell people you trust not to make a fuss first, then move on to harder and more stubborn targets, close minded people may need to be told while in a group of mutually supportive family or friends (please don't make the close minded people feel threatened, that makes it worse) then when you run out of close family and friends then you really don't have to do much else except tell people if they ask or make assumptions.
Coming out of the broom closet can be huge like putting out a giant book series and letting the world know, to a gradual thing where only people who are interested will ever find out.
I fall in the second camp I think, if people want or need to know yes I will tell them and I wear my pentacle with pride but on the other hand religion doesn't come up in most daily conversations so not everyone I deal with knows yet and that's fine as well not everyone needs to know your brand of crazy just like you don't need to know everyone elses brand of crazy.
If we honestly need to know what every last persons brand of crazy was then I think it would be a pretty good idea to tattoo is on people or at least ask everyone to wear a shirt, but again that can backfire and cause bad things like genocide, so lets keep that can of worms well away from people who should not tempt it.
So broom closet, everyone has one but not everyone needs to come out of it. It's all up to you and you're situation.
Blessed Be
~Flaming
