Abstract
Abstract If coming out of the closet was so effective for gays and lesbians, could the same strategy work for abortion rights, undocumented immigrants, and people who have been victims of sexual assault and harassment? Chapter 16 explores the potential and the potential limitations of coming out of the closet for different kinds of groups. Women victims of assault and harassment have organized around #MeToo and #TimesUp and have managed, by coming out of the closet in numbers, to force many prominent people to be held accountable for their actions. Undocumented immigrants face segregation and status disadvantages, so their ability to change minds by coming out of the closet is limited. Womens’ abortion experiences are almost entirely closeted and this veil of secrecy has allowed opponents of abortion to remain unaware of how many people in their personal circles have actually had abortions. The closet for abortion histories has constrained the ability of abortion rights activists to win a fierce and ongoing public debate with abortion opponents. Marriage equality also had the advantage of being nondisplacing while some other kinds of movements have to displace the rights of others in order to succeed.
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