Disclosure and exposure in context

This chapter provides an overview of the general themes regarding initial disclosures and basic approaches to “outness. It highlights details of initial disclosures, providing insight into the obstacles and facilitators people encounter, as well as the mechanisms/approaches individuals used when coming out for the first time. Reactions from others and the consequences of (initial) disclosure are considered as well. In introducing the concept of LGBTQIA+ disclosure as recurring—the “safety dance,” the discussion turns to the importance of physical presentation and visibility (i.e., “passing”) as a key factor impacting disclosure practices. Finally, the chapter provides a general explanation of how individuals partake in the “dance,” including what factors LGBTQIA+ folks use to assess new people and situations, what accommodations and adjustments they make based on context or audience, and what strategies they use when they deem disclosure unfavorable.