Blog 5: The Mask &The Closet

During the first half of the 20th century, many believed LGBT sexuality was a mask or a performance and that LGBT identities could be flexible or a choice. Basically, a mask that could be taken on or off when needed. In the second half of the 20th century the idea changed to a “coming out” symbol. Sedgwick believed you were only truly living your best life as your most authentic self if you stepped outside of the closet and were open and honest. If you didn’t come out and instead hid inside the closet, you were perceived to be dishonest and shameful. This pertains to my archive because in a sense the concept of putting on a mask pertains to law enforcement every day an officer can essentially put on “the mask” being his/her uniform and go to work to protect and serve while putting on a mask of a straight persona in order to remain in the closet and not be outed at work. I believe this is detrimental to not just law enforcement but also the community. Many officers fear coming out on the job but at the end of the day it’s just a job that you could change or replace. At the end of the day you can’t change who you are, who you identify as, and who you love, so to constantly hide behind a mask or in a closet is just a stressful non-happy situation. Over all I think the concepts of the mask and the closet are detrimental to the LGBT community in how it sets apart LGBTQ people from mainstream society. I’ve never agreed with the concept of coming out, I always said well if straight people don’t have to come out and say hey I’m straight why do I need to come out and say hey I’m gay… why can’t I live my life as freely as my straight counterparts. In my opinion coming out still represents the immense inequality that still exists in our society.

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