Coming out is good for you only if its good for you.

While some parts of the world have become much more accepting toward LGBT people there are other parts where it can be dangerous to be open about ones sexual orientation. Here in the US the acceptance of our LGBT family and friends is very dependant upon where one lives and the communities one belongs to. Sadly in some areas of the US tolerance and acceptance of our LGBT friends and family   has taken a decided turn towards the worse and being out has become  more dangerous and one must carefully assess the tolerance in their specific community.

I am a huge supporter of the benefits of living out but now is perhaps a good time to review this 2011 study  showing  coming out is  helpful if its in a supportive envirnment.

Coming Out Always a ‘‘Good Thing’’?  Exploring the Relations of Autonomy Support, Outness, and Wellness for Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Individuals  by Nicole Legate, Richard M. Ryan, and Netta Weinstein very importantly points out that it is perfectly OK to be out to some and not out  to others. In other words if it will help by all means be out but self preservation says you are better off being quiet if it will do more harm then good.What this study  says makes total sense to me coming out in a supportive environment makes a huge difference on personal well being while being out in a homophobic environment not so much. Coming out to someone who from that day forward will hate your guts or worse beat the crap out of you is not going to help with your sense of well being.

If you like your job and coming out is going to make your job hell or worse get you fired logic says being out at work is not going to be good for your sense of well being.What the article says to me is coming out in a  supportive environment is good for your well being  and that if possible we should work,study, live and worship in as supportive an environment as possible.

l close with a link  to a Science Dailey  article about the study

Science Daily article -  University of Rochester (2011, June 20). Is coming out always a good thing? Disclosing sexual orientation makes people happier than thought, but mainly in supportive settings.ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110620094419.htm

Original Study published in Social Psychological and Personality Science Is Coming Out Always a ‘‘Good Thing’’? Exploring the Relations of Autonomy  Support, Outness, and Wellness for Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Individuals  Nicole Legate, Richard M. Ryan, and Netta Weinstein DOI: 10.1177/1948550611411929  Social Psychological and Personality Science published online 20 June 2011 http://spp.sagepub.com/content/early/2011/06/10/1948550611411929.full.pdf  Note while the originsl study was free in 2011 there is now a fee for the full text.