Until recently I was not aware that some people are strongly opposed to the core concept of coming out and the narrative of “the closet.” It has been criticized as reinforcing heterosexist ideas, because the only people who are in society’s closet and therefore need to come out of it are queer people. Why is this a problem? Because it reinforces the idea of heterosexuality as natural and normal, while painting other sexualities as deviant and hidden. Perhaps this is why I’ve often felt that coming out can seem a bit like a religious confession, like telling the world your dirty little secret.
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