This is the conversation we need to begin if we want to help folks begin to live in a life of truth and not lies as they hide in their closets.  Will folks be afraid to make that big step out of their closet?  Of course they will.  It took me forty years to exit my particular closet . . . but we must make folks aware that for ANY closet they might be in, there is a light and hope, because progress and support groups are awaiting their exits.

To create the conversation, we need to BECOME EDUCATED about the closets, so we will be able to discuss each closet with our fellow humans.  I am aware that most folks will probably think about homosexuality as being THE closet most talked about, but it most certainly might just be one of the minor closets!

And so, as Joan Rivers might say: “Can we talk?” 

The Hot Pants Closet
Can we talk about the closet of the husbands and wives who are cheating on their mate?  I call this the Hot Pants Closet.  With the divorce rate as high as it is these days, you know darn well there’s a lot of hanky-panky going on, and this is one very big closet!

What if the cheaters decided to come clean, get out of that crazy secret closet, and get some counseling help?  It’s available.  This is something couples can work through and families wouldn’t have to suffer.  And who knows?  Maybe this is a topic to discuss because the issue of “marriage” ALSO needs to be reconsidered?!

This is a closet for folks who are hiding . . . for fear their “love” will find out and whoop them upside their head!

The Chicken out Closet
Then, there is what I call the Chicken Out Closet.  It contains folks who are real chickens and won’t tell the person they are screwing that they are carrying a deadly virus or disease . . . and so, it is passed on to that partner, and, should a child be conceived, it is likely the poor baby will have the virus.  This is really stupid crazy and those little babies do not deserve to be born into such!

What if the chickens decided to come clean, get real and out of that closet?  There is help and a light showing them that counseling and even medical help is available.  Think of the little children who may not be born carrying - - say, the AIDS virus!! 

This is a closet for folks who are hiding because the Law could put them into the pokey.

The Respectable Booze Addicts Closet
Thanks to Betty Ford, we learned about the Respectable Booze Addicts Closet.  Work for a while in the uppity sections of the world and you’ll find plenty of bored, desperate housewife types boozing it up in the A.M.’s and P.M.’s but sober enough so no one in the neighborhood knows . . . and, of course, if anyone nearby does, they won’t say anything because it would be a blight on the neighborhood. 

What if the boozers decided to get real and deal with their problem?  There definitely is help available and one might only wonder in awe about what those folks might be able to accomplish IF they weren’t boozed up!

This is a closet for folks hiding because they don’t want to be thought of as blight on their neighborhood.

The Prescription Closet
Speaking about the respectable alcoholics, what about those who are hiding in their Prescription Closets?  Denying their addiction to drugs that kill their pains and hoping no one will know they’re hooked?  What a difference it might have made in Elvis’ life had he been able to exit that closet.  What a difference it might have made for Rush had he been “outed” at an earlier date - - - or for poor Anna Nicole!  And yes, sometimes “outing” a person can be the correct thing to do if we learn about their secret closet - - - especially when it deals with a secret problem that may be medically corrected . . . and - - - there is help available for those in Prescription Closets!

Yes, folks hide in this closet, but I’m not sure that some of them even realize they are addicts. 

The Freaked-Out Parents Closet
Here’s a big closet I call The Freaked-Out Parents Closet.  This is another closet that shouldn’t have to exist; but it does because of “societal standards”.  In this closet are parents with weirdo kids with blue hair-tongue jewelry-tattooed bodies and they don’t want the world to know these “weirdo’s” are their kids; this closet may also include the parents of gay kids or transsexuals, an ever-growing closet group at this time, when more kids are coming out of their closet to their folks and, when they do, the folks go into theirs!

What a difference it would make in these families if the parents learned there are a lot of support structures available for them and they could exit their closet and be able to proudly love and support their freaky family members! 

This is a closet where folks are hiding but they are suffocating themselves at the same time because they can’t live in the truth and openly love their kids.

The Home Sweet Homo Closet
And speaking of gay kids, there is what I call the Home Sweet Homo Closet. Although kids nowadays are realizing they are what they are so much earlier than my generation did, they’re still suffocating their true self in their little secret closet - - - so the folks won’t know, so their Church won’t know, so their schoolmates won’t know, so their future potential employers won’t know, and many times they keep it hidden even from those they call their friends.  And when you realize that in many places like Iran today, families are being encouraged to “kill their sons and brothers if they do not change their gay behavior” - - - talk about not wanting to come out of the closet!!!

And believe it or not, the U.S. government is urging young folks to stay in their closet with the crazy “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy in the Military!  Yes, homophobia is still alive and kicking in America.  It still feels respectable to be so.  It must be concluded therefore that ignorance is also respectable!

And yet, unlike in my day, today there are many lights shining for them with hope; waiting for them to exit their closet.  Granted, it’s still a pretty dim light in rural or back-country areas, but most towns and cities of any consequence today have support organizations and there are some great national organizations that reach out to all glbt (that’s gay, lesbian, bi, transgender) youth.  It’s time for this closet group to get real and be real so they don’t screw up their life learning to live a lie.  It must be noted that transsexuals are not necessarily gay or lesbian.

This is a closet where folks suffocate their true selves.  They may only think they are hiding.

The Really Black Closet
Being in any closet hiding a secret life makes a person liable to become prey! That creates another closet I call The Really Black Closet.  This is another closet that shouldn’t even exist because it is also illegal.  It is the closet for those who blackmail others and of course, they have to keep their closet activity quiet for fear of being arrested.  This happened to me back in the 1950’s when someone learned about the closet I was hiding in; I was naïve then and didn’t know what to do, but what should be done is for anyone being blackmailed – for whatever reason – they should seek the help of the authorities to catch the blackmailer - - - yes, even if it brings you and your closet into the light!  Blackmailing or being blackmailed is no way to live.  Let’s get real, folks!

This closet also contains folks who are keeping their secret of being a predator of children, their girlfriend/boyfriend/significant other.  How black a closet this is!  We need to crack that closet door open enough so the light will show them they can be helped through therapy and, yes, even prison time where they might think about just how dark and horrible this closet is!

This closet is definitely hiding because the Cops are watching!

The Klepto Closet
The great old-time movie actress, Hedy Lamarr, brought to light another closet that she had been living in, when the police report finally outed her.  I call this closet The Klepto Closet.  Anyone in this kind of closet should seek help; as it is available.  They don’t have to continue living in fear of being arrested.  She just couldn’t help herself in a store from pocketing unpaid-for merchandise.  Life is too short for this.

Another closet for those hiding their addiction.

The Bad Daddy Bad Mommy Closet
What happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas, but it also is a fact that what is happening in many private homes is also staying there - - - because there are folks afraid to let it be known they are abusing their spouse and even their children in many cases.  I call this closet the Bad Daddy Bad Mommy Closet.  Of course, they don’t want it to be known they are physically or psychologically abusing someone they say they love. This abuse might be seen by others but usually no one says anything because this is a “private matter” between family members.  This is also a closet that absolutely should be exposed because folks are truly being harmed.  And top this all off is the fact that help is available for these folks hiding behind “family traditions” - - - both for the abuser and the abused.  Again!  Let’s get real.  Love isn’t found at the end of a fist!  And, when it is said that if you “spare the rod, you spoil the child”, it doesn’t mean you beat the heck out of the kid!!

This might also be the closet of “Fathers” or “Padres” or “Pastors” who seem to have a proclivity of taking advantage of children of the parish.  They definitely are “Bad Daddy’s” also.

If you find someone hiding in this closet, they ought to be outed immediately!

The I Can’t Read Closet
Now, here’s a closet where those in it will not even be able to learn about it if they were looking at this web site; I call it the I Can’t Read Closet, because that is just what it is for these folks who are afraid to let anyone know they cannot read.  It’s a closet for the embarrassed in a “civilized” “well-educated” world.  This is one closet however, where folks can help with a light by talking about this and showing them there is definitely a help awaiting them once they admit the reason for being in their closet.  My own Dad, with only a 4^th Grade education, was unable to read like my brother and I could, and it was something he dared not speak about in the 20^th Century.

This is a closet of hiding from simple embarrassment or lack of knowledge.

The Peeper’s Closet
With this closet, of course we never think we know anyone personally in it, and we are always in shock when we learn someone we know, steps out of this closet - - - I call it The Peeper’s Closet.  Society has made it a shameful thing to admit and thus folks place themselves in this little secret closet.   It’s for voyeur’s - - it’s for peeping Tom’s and it’s no wonder they want to be in a closet, because what they do is invade the personal lives of others when we are at our most vulnerable.  This is really a closet door that needs to be spotlighted and thrown open so the peeper’s can find the help they need to satisfy this need to peep.

This closet also is home for folks who are NOT doing something illegal like peeping, it also has folks who are actually maybe satisfying that same need to peep, only they are doing it through X-rated porno movies, naughty magazines, and Strip Joints . . . and of course they have to keep this secret voyeurism in their closet so their family and neighborhoods won’t know.  And so, since it isn’t a crime, I guess I would say to this group of closeted folks - - - Come on!  Let’s get real and not be ashamed of doing something which is simply a part of the natural animal instinct - - - to look at others of the opposite or the same sex with lust in our minds and get the proverbial rocks off!!  Don’t put yourself in a closet because of this.  There is nothing to be ashamed of in being a human animal with animalistic feelings.

Of course, here is another closet for hiding because of the possible consequences that might come forth.

The Screw The Big Man Closet
Then, there is the Screw The Big Man Closet, probably filled with more “normal” folks than anyone willing to admit.  These closets are filled with folks who secretly make sure they don’t have to pay the tax man his due.  Of course, they don’t want anyone to learn they are cheating as there is a punishment for this type of closet living!  It hides males, females, Red, Yellow, Black, Brown and White, the rich and the not so rich.  And, there is also welfare fraud where taxpayers suffer because of those closet dwellers!

A closet for those in hiding - - - from a prison term - - -  maybe!

The Not In OUR Hood Closet
Here’s a closet that’s been around for millennia; I call it the Not In OUR Hood Closet.  It fills up with “respectable” citizens of all Races and Creeds, who overtly spout about how they just loooove everybody . . . but! . . . behind their politically correct façade, they labor to make sure they won’t get dirty because of them and their kind.  It’s called bigotry and since it is politically INcorrect, it is hidden behind closet doors.

A few of the KKK members have come out of their closets to show their faces these days, and this is proper; but, who knows who is under a white hood when their hatred is being acted upon!

This may be a very difficult closet to exit, even though a light of support burns brightly - - - beckoning.  The difficulty maybe lies in the fact that bigotry is something a person blindly and intolerantly believes in a particular opinion or creed; it allows them to believe only they are correct and it’s like a lethal virus.  It’s been taught!

We really do need to talk and discuss the ramifications of this closet.  If there were an epitome for closets that would disclose the least to most dangerous, this, in my thinking would rate a “ten”.  It is an insidious closet where folks are taught or learn ideological creeds that have the potential to warp minds.

Ah yes, the closet of respectability for those hiding who they really are and they end up suffocating the beautiful person that probably is inside.

The I’m Not In A Closet Closet
Got a question: Could it be possible to be in a closet, knowing you are, but denying it and you pooh-pooh the very idea?  You know, maybe like someone who gets up and begins the day with a beer, continues throughout the day with more beer, yet insists they’re not alcoholics!?   Guess I’d call this the I’m Not In A Closet Closet.

Shoppers, gamblers

In this closet, they’re not hiding - - - -  they’re in LaLa Land.

Might be kinda fun living in this closet though.  Whoopee!  It’s fantasy time!  But, really now - - - come on - - - get real to yourself.  Revelation is freedom; you could learn to love it.  And, could you imagine being in a closet of denial, yet not realizing it, because you’ve psyched yourself into believing that AIDS isn’t really a worldwide problem, or that genocide in Africa is a media scare!!?? 

The Closet To Die For
And so, let’s face it . . . we’re all gonna die!  And that’s a truth!  Of course, not all together simultaneously; but we each have an appointment date with the “big D”.  There are times in life, however, when we may think we should set the date.  I learned, while going through the death of a marriage and the emotional stress of a divorce . . . and, also trying to cope with the puzzles of “coming out” of my own closet . . . well, let me tell you I had one thought constantly on my mind, and I couldn’t talk to anyone, so I learned that, as I was exiting one closet, I had ended up choosing to go into another!!  And all because I was being wooed by that seemingly rational siren named Madam Suicide.  What a crazy closet!  I call in the Closet To Die For!

The Closet To Die For is the big façade.  Truly stupid, because help is at hand.