See also Closet (disambiguation) and In the closet (disambiguation)
Being closeted or in the closet means being aware of one’s lesbian, gay or bisexual orientation or true gender identity yet averse to revealing it because of various personal or social motivations. It can also include denial or refusal to identify as LGBT. Overall, most reasons not to come out stem from homophobia and heterosexism, which marginalize LGBT people as a group.
On a personal level, there are internal conflicts involving religious beliefs, upbringing, and internalized homophobia in addition to feelings of fear and isolation. Also, there are potential negative social, legal, and economic consequences such as disputes with family and peers, job discrimination, financial losses, violence, blackmail, legal actions, restrictions on having or adopting children, criminalization, or in some countries even capital punishment.
Given the number of unpleasant, harmful or even fatal consequences of coming out in world societies, it is questionable to call being closeted a choice. As a strategy, remaining closeted is the result of various goals to minimize potential loss and harm or to increase social standing and putative wealth not just for average people but also for social figures such as entertainers, athletes, and political leaders.
Read more about this topic: Coming Out