Closet / Closeted

To be in the closet, or closeted, is to keep one's sexual orientation or gender identity private from some or all of the people in one's life. Coming out of the closet is the process of choosing to share that identity. Being closeted is not a moral failing. For many people it is about safety, family stability, faith communities, or economic survival, and the level of openness can differ from one setting to the next. The decision about whether, when, and to whom to come out belongs entirely to the person whose identity it is. Revealing someone's LGBTQ+ status without their consent, known as outing, can put them at real risk and is never the choice of an onlooker to make.