"Psychologists often term this as either " stigma" or "fear of rejection." It isn't wrong, but it only gives the symptoms without the causes. Every queer person knows what the closet feels like, but the stress of coming out of it or staying in it differs. The stress of staying closeted in a country with anti-LBGTQ laws is different from the stress of staying closeted in a conservative family."
"The important question remains: Who built the closet in the first place? In some places, it is built by laws and policies, hate speech, and threats of violence; in others, by family, social statuses, norms, and community. At times, the "quietness" will be to avoid being a victim of violent crimes, and sometimes, it will be to maintain social harmony. Homophobia in some places will be defined by overt hateful behaviour; in others, it will be seen in the forms of ignorance and microaggression."
Many queer individuals choose silence about their identities due to diverse stressors. Psychological labels like "stigma" or "fear of rejection" describe symptoms but not underlying causes. The experience of the closet and its associated stress differs by context: oppressive laws, conservative families, risk of physical violence, social ostracism, or workplace misgendering each create distinct pressures. The closet is built by laws, policies, hate speech, threats, family, social status, norms, and community. Homophobia manifests as overt hate in some contexts and as ignorance or microaggressions in others. Identity-related mental health outcomes share a universal pattern, while cultural causes shape their aetiology. The Minority Stress Model (Meyer, 2003) addresses related disparities.
Read at Psychology Today
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