Coming out, Staying in, and Stepping in and out of the Closet: Questions of Black and Minority Ethnic-Queer Identities

Coming out is a contentious issue, particularly for the Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) populations. The following questions attempt to address the three large issues here: (i) Is coming out necessary in the first place? (ii) If yes, who does the BME-Queer (BME-Q) individual come out to, and (iii) where does he/she come out (in) to? The first question is related to the sexual identities that BME-Q individuals acknowledge, and the meanings they ascribe to sex and sexuality. Secondly, BME-Q people have to contend with poor comprehension of Queer sexualities and lifestyles in many BME communities. Finally, considering that the mainstream LGBT social venues are not immune to racism, the sources of socialisation with (coming out into) the majority LGBT community are limited. . These factors make sexuality identity formation and coming out both problematic concepts and arduous processes for BME-Q people. Harmonious integration of multiple identities for BME-Q people is important for psychological wellbeing. This paper explores the issues of coming out in the BME context, using narratives from BME-Q individuals and examples from popular film.