COMPULSORY CLOSETS AND THE SOCIAL CONTEXT OF DISCLOSURE

In this study I analyze the dynamics of the disclosure process, particularly the power contests in the disclosure of a lesbian identity. I found that when disclosure is conceptualized as an interaction, it becomes clear that both parties are active and that the successful completion of a disclosure depends on the degree of consensus and cooperation between the individuals involved. When I analyzed the dynamics of the disclosure of a lesbian identity, I found that many heterosexuals resisted a context of open awareness. They marshaled their heteronormative power and privilege to prevent, deny, or reverse a disclosure in order to maintain a context of closed awareness. The penalty for persistently refusing a compulsory closet was social death.