Coming out of the closet, or simply coming out, is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, transgender, and asexual (LGBTQ+) people's self-disclosure of their sexual orientation (or lack thereof) and/or gender identity.
Framed and debated as a privacy issue, coming out of the closet is described and experienced variously as a psychological process or journey;decision-making or risk-taking; a strategy or plan; a mass or public event; a speech act and a matter of personal identity; a rite of passage; liberation or emancipation from oppression; an ordeal; a means toward feeling gay pride instead of shame and social stigma; or even career suicide. Author Steven Seidman writes that "it is the power of the closet to shape the core of an individual's life that has made homosexuality into a significant personal, social, and political drama in twentieth-century America."
BDSM is a variety of erotic practices or roleplaying involving bondage, dominance and submission, sadomasochism, and other interpersonal dynamics. Given the wide range of practices, some of which may be engaged in by people who do not consider themselves as practicing BDSM, inclusion in the BDSM community or subculture is usually dependent on self-identification and shared experience. Interest in BDSM can range from one-time experimentation to a lifestyle.
The term BDSM is first recorded in a Usenet posting from 1991, and is interpreted as a combination of the abbreviations B/D (Bondage and Discipline), D/s (Dominance and submission), and S/M (Sadism and Masochism). BDSM is used today (2015) as a catch-all phrase covering a wide range of activities, forms of interpersonal relationships, and distinct subcultures. BDSM communities generally welcome anyone with a non-normative streak who identifies with the community; this may include cross-dressers, body modification enthusiasts, animal roleplayers, rubber fetishists, and others.
Coming out of the closet is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transsexual (LGBT) people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
Coming Out may also refer to:
Film/TV
See also
Coming Out is a 2000 South Korean short film directed by Kim Jee-woon.
Plot
The film opens with a man being interviewed about his sister, who has recorded a video diary in which she makes a shocking confession to her friends and family. Purporting to be a true story, the bulk of the film is presented as a reconstruction of actual events.
Hyun-joo announces to her younger brother Jae-min and his girlfriend Ji-eun that she has an important confession to make, and asks them to record it on video. After issuing an apology to her parents, she reveals that she has been hiding a painful secret and is not like normal people; she is in fact a vampire. Jae-min and Ji-eun initially think she is playing a prank, but to prove her sincerity Hyun-joo bites into her wrist and starts to suck her own blood. She goes on to disclose further details of her life as a vampire, and dispels many of the common myths associated with the legend. Having heard of others like her overseas, she has decided to join a community of vampires living in England.
Coming Out is a 1989 East German romantic drama film directed by Heiner Carow and written by Wolfram Witt. Starring Matthias Freihof, Dagmar Manzel, and Dirk Kummer, the film deals with the process of the protagonist's "coming out" and admitting to himself and others that he is a gay man. The film was shot entirely on location in East Berlin and includes scenes shot with amateurs in some of the city's gay bars and clubs.
Premiering at the Kino International in Berlin on the very night that the Berlin Wall collapsed, 9 November 1989, Coming Out was the first and last East German feature film that dealt centrally with the lives of gay men. Coming Out won two awards, including the "Silver Bear", at the Berlinale in 1990 for its frank treatment of the issue of homosexuality .
Plot
The story revolves around a young high-school teacher, Philipp Klahrmann, who during his first day at work collides with a fellow teacher, Tanja, in one of the school's corridors. As Phillip insists on making sure the Tanja is okay, there is an obvious connection between the two that is much more than a simple friendly co-worker relationship. As a result of the brief accident in the hallway, Philipp ensures Tanja is okay and later on takes Tanja out for a drink. A romance quickly develops between the two. That same night, back at Tanja's apartment, the two engage in a frank discussion. Tanja reveals that they attended the same university and that she had a crush, as did most of her female classmates, on Philipp who was at that time "going steady" with another classmate. Eventually, the two partake in their first physical display of affection, and after sleeping together Philipp bluntly asks if Tanja would want him as her husband.
Coming Out is the third album by The Manhattan Transfer, released August 19, 1976 on Atlantic Records.
On the advice of their manager Aaron Russo, the group downplayed the "nostalgic" tenor of their previous breakthrough album in favor of more contemporary songs. However, the throwback single "Chanson d'Amour" became a breakout single in Europe, and hit the No. 1 spot in the United Kingdom for three weeks (as well as charting elsewhere in Europe).
The song "Zindy Lou" featured Ringo Starr and Jim Keltner on drums, Dr. John on piano and Doug Thorngren provided additional percussion. The song "Poinciana (The Song Of The Tree)" featured a Michael Brecker solo.
Charts
Coming Out debuted on Billboard's Top Pop Album chart on September 18, 1976 and peaked at No. 48.