The myth of being out

This chapter introduces the concept of “coming out” in the LGBTQ+ community as something that should never be contemplated in a vacuum or considered a finite event. Rather than being a single event that term implies, decisions and experiences of exposure and disclosure of sexual identities occur repeatedly in a larger context of (cis)heteronormativity and within individual contexts with their own sets of norms and expectations. What’s more, such exposures and disclosures necessarily reflect and respond to facilitators and obstacles in individuals’ lives. The ability and willingness to come out, be out, and navigate the world “out” is experienced differently based on factors such as region of the country, demographic differences (race, class, age, etc.), social and occupational roles and responsibilities, and regional and national events. This chapter situates the research this book is drawn from within the larger literature and describes its grounded theory approach and its methods in detail. It ends with a brief sketch of the remaining chapters of the book.