The “glass closet” refers to someone who lives a gay lifestyle but does not confirm their sexual orientation. It is a median between being completely in the closet and being out. Many Hollywood stars in the past lived in the glass closet. Some activists dislike it, while others feel that sexual orientation is a private matter.
Some people use the term “glass closet” to describe someone who is gay without being “out”. In other words, someone in the glass closet openly lives a gay lifestyle, but refuses to comment on it or confirm their impressions of their sexual orientation. Cases of people living this way are more common among celebrities.
This slang term refers to the idea of being “in secret” about one’s sexual orientation. When someone is in the closet, it means that they have a totally concealed sexual identity, as opposed to someone who is out of the closet or “out,” openly confirming a gay sexual orientation. Being out in the open often has social and political consequences, leading some people to stay in the closet to advance their careers or to avoid controversy.
In a way, the glass closet is a median between being completely in the closet and being outright out. Someone in the glass closet could, for example, live with someone of the same gender and commonly be seen in that person’s company, in what could be seen as a transparent gay relationship. However, if asked to comment, the person would neither confirm nor deny claims that he is gay. People in the glass closet may also be less likely to acknowledge their partners publicly, for fear of attracting attention.
Many Hollywood stars in the 1920s and 1930s lived in the glass closet, because Hollywood studios feared gay actors might be rejected by the public. As a result, these stars generally lived a very “outside” lifestyle but insisted on personal privacy in publications, sometimes even setting up sham marriages with other gays and lesbians to make it appear they were in heterosexual relationships.
Some people who are partially shut out don’t mind speculations about their sexual orientation, enjoying their status as someone who is partially out without having to deal with the social consequences. Others become vehemently angry if they are portrayed as gay in the media or if interviewers ask them about their sexual preferences. In some cases, people can even sue for defamation if they are “unmasked” in the media, an action more commonly associated with people who are completely in the dark.
Some activists dislike the glass cabinet, arguing the partial closure harms the gay community. By this logic, if people living this way were outspoken, the public might have a more positive perception of gays and lesbians because they would learn that a number of people in a variety of industries identify as gay or lesbian. Other people feel that sexual orientation is a private matter and that people who wish to stay in the glass closet have very valid reasons for doing so.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
