Slang:” coming out of the closet”

Quote

“I’m not coming out of the closet”

Mike Piazza, former catcher and first-baseman for the New York Mets, in a telephone interview

Meaning

To tell others that you are gay or homosexual; to openly admit your homosexuality

Use

To come out of the closet means to tell your friends and family that you are gay. A lot homosexual men and women are afraid to tell others that they are gay. These people are in the closet about their homosexuality, though one day they might come out and tell their friends and family about their homosexuality.

For a long time, there have been rumors that Mike Piazza is gay. He keeps telling people that he is not gay, and in 2005 he even married a woman –former Baywatch star Alicia Rickter.

Some celebrities who have come out of the closet include musicians George Michael, Michael Stipe (R.E.M.) and Elton John, who plans to marry his partner when gay marriage is legalized in London.

Many people say that Tom Cruise and Ricky Martin are in the closet. What do you think?

Examples

“Kevin was afraid of coming out of the closet, but his parents were very supportive when he did”