Image by StephenMcleod - time for nudes? via Flickr
The day a gay man or woman finally leaves the happy lands of
Narnia is always a big day, regardless of the circumstances. You can be as feminine as a
Southern Belle or as flamboyant as a cheap noontime host but people will still deny that you're queer until they actually hear it from you directly. This is why coming out is such a significant and personal experience and one that should never be taken lightly.
Many feel that coming out isn't necessary in order to demonstrate gay
pride these days and I can understand why. Living in the closet means we tend to invest in our nesting environment and thus we enrich our personal Narnias with the trappings of nobility, career advancement or love of family. We have a million and one reasons for keeping up the lie and we've gotten used to how we our closeted lives. We know it's not right and it's not true but it is what it is and we've become content. It's like
learned helplessness - you know, the bit about the bird who won't fly out of an open bird cage.
In this week's Technicolor Musings, let's take a closer look at whether or not it's worth it to leave
Mr. Tumnus and his oddly intriguing fuzzy treasure trail for the land beyond the wardrobe. Is it worth it to come out? Why should we still leave the closet? What difference does coming out make?