Wednesday is National Coming Out Day, and in Vermont, LGBT youth are getting a boost from ice cream.
The Ben & Jerry's scoop shop on Burlington's Church Street Marketplace is using the day to draw attention to the nonprofit Outright Vermont.
At the Church Street location, a portion of Wednesday's t-shirt and sticker sales from the company's "love comes in all flavors" campaign will benefit Outright.
Also, customers of the Burlington scoop shop who ask for rainbow sprinkles get them at no extra charge and earn Outright a donation.
The group works to build a supportive and healthy environment for LGBT and questioning youth in Vermont.
Outright's executive director, Dana Kaplan, told necn the visibility and role models made possible through National Coming Out Day can be a big help.
"The power of knowing that there is another individual who supports you in your identity--that there are other folks you can connect with--is really huge," Kaplan said. "We need to continue to be able to come out, and create narratives that are celebratory for queer and trans youth. That’s really what it’s all about."
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Ben & Jerry's has long been a supporter of LGBT causes. The company once even famously changed the name of Chubby Hubby ice cream to Hubby Hubby, in support of Vermont passing same-sex marriage rights.
