Many have heard of the phrase "In The Closet", but recently, that phrase has taken on a new meaning for me.
Recently, I met someone in college who is homosexual, and there was a lot of speculation regarding his sexual preference among others around me, and although I knew that he was gay, I didn't approach him about it.
Even if that meant that I was the only openly gay man, and felt alone in regard to the social atmosphere. Later on, the individual and I discussed the fact that he doesn't seem open about himself, and he simply stated that people from his high school, and hometown knew- but he didn't want anyone to know in college.
Before that conversation, I thought that once someone came out the closet that they were out for good. However, the closet door has now become a revolving door that seems to keep gays in and out of the closet.
This idea baffled me, I didn't understand why someone would come to college and feel the need to hide who they are, but then again everyone is different? Isn't college about experience and being open about who you are because we are outside the realm of high school and all of its bullshit.
I am so confused, isn't college suppose to be liberating? Yet, now I've been introduced to reverse "closeting" and it saddens me. I wish I could take everyone who struggles and show them the light at the end of the struggle, that light that I've been able to find.
So as the revolving closet door comes around to trap those who were once free, I hope that we stop the madness and realize that true freedom comes from being able to be yourself no matter what.
am glad to say that i have no revolving door and that i hope you don't, either. we should all be true to ourselves because that's how the nature of being gay is. in reality, there are gays out there who think they aren't supposed to be gay and some even try to fight it. but i suppose its a totally different thing to simply put it on and take it off like a garment that, in a sense, should be permanent.
ReplyDeletei know someone actually who is gay and attends a lithuanian orthodox church. but he has to hide it, because if not he'll be kicked out of the church and basically exiled from his family. lithuanian orthodox church members don't even recognize gay people as a proper existence in the world.
That is crazy regarding your friend. Of course my closet door is wide OPEN! No rotation here. I love the comparison you made about the garment.
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