What proportion of all gays are closeted?

[jizzeater]

We're guessing for the sake of conversation.

 

[Lube]

I'd say that this question fails to account for bisexuals, but maybe we don't actually exist

Well, then I guess straight people don't exist because they're not included either.

Start a similar poll about bisexual closetedness. That would be equally interesting. It's just not what I was looking for here.

Isn't this question impossible to answer?
You can't really account for all the closeted gays because, umm, they haven't acknowledged homosexuality...

Sure you can say "Oh, but I know." That really gets nowhere though.

We're guessing for the sake of conversation.

Yes, it's an opinion poll.

 

[freefall]

The correct answer is unknown, since closeted gays (gays in denial, etc., whatever terms you want to use) will not mention anything about them being closeted to anyone rashly, but judging from the real life, I must say above 90%.

 

[Lube]

^Yup, just judge from real life. Just wondering what people think.

 

[BeMused]

Well, then I guess straight people don't exist because they're not included either.

Start a similar poll about bisexual closetedness. That would be equally interesting. It's just not what I was looking for here.

Haha I'd get yelled at because I'd say that it's close to 97%, and that everyone's a little bi, some more than others

 

[Telstra]

i would say very high proportion.

They should conduct a statistical test to young men 18 and over to see how % of them get a boner when they look at hot men by themselves.

It would be an interesting study.

 

[bulge]

99, 999999999...% is closed. Most are married with a woman and have children. The so-called gay world is only the visible top of male-to-male sexual attraction. Quite some never act on it and only desire and will never recognise their desire. Quite some have sporadic contacts. Most are in such bad need for the "real male" they turn out completely homophobic since anything gay isn't in keeping with their fantasy and imagery of the real male and so they are in bad need to hate anything gay, which in their misconception is not masculine (if they really knew real gay men, they would be quite astonished), with all the usual problems of course (hooliganism, gay bashing, military, popes, all kind of religo's, how do I prove myself and my father I am the really really realy hard str8 man? How can I be harder? How do I piss farther than any one else?etc,...). Being str8 (themselves and other guys) is the core part of their fantasy. Never would they go in the gay world. They only want str8, str8, str8, str8,.. and nothing else.

 

[Nomenclature]

i would say very high proportion.

They should conduct a statistical test to young men 18 and over to see how % of them get a boner when they look at hot men by themselves.

It would be an interesting study.

A study like that was conducted at the University Of Georgia in 1996, I believe:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVSIqKR7CQk[/ame]

 

[Lube]

^Fascinating

 

[bloom9]

I would restate the question as:

"What proportion of gays are confused or in denial?"

I'm thinking a high percentage. I am 41 and in the last year or so have come to accept that I am gay, while not out yet I think it will happen soon, not so concerned with family as I am with work.

 

[BrownBoi89]

A study like that was conducted at the University Of Georgia in 1996, I believe:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVSIqKR7CQk

Is anyone else trying to figure out which porn company produced the vid used in that study?

 

[gdude30]

What are gays. That's non sense they don't exist

I'd say AT LEAST 90%.

There are just too many people in this world who either have a wife, gf, or are single but pretend to be looking for a girl and deny that they are gay because of pressure, culture, or etc.

I mean look at how long it takes for celebrities to come out. And it's so obvious who actually is gay but they say, "Oh no I like girls". A few years later you'll hear "LOL I'm gay."

It's sad but I'd definately say at least 90%. Because even though we have huge prides and events there are quite a few people who support gays and who are straight or bi. But those who are actually gay and not closeted. There aren't too many of those.

Although when I think of closeted I think of someone who goes, "I LIKE COCK BUT I LIKE WOMEN" or "I LIKE COCK BUT I'M SUPPOSED TO LIKE WOMEN" or "I BASH FAGS CAUSE I LIKE MEN"

I think those who just can't come out of the closet because of family or can't be completely out don't really count.

As long as they admit it to themselves that's what counts

 

[lbMaine]

I feel that sexuality is on a sliding scale...hetero on one end and gay on the other. There are some guys that are on one end of the other; however, I feel that most of us are somewhere in between, depending on the circumstances and desires of the moment and this changes with the circumstances.

I was married, have three grown children, always had suppressed desires (except for the high school buddy). When I started using the Internet about 12 years ago, I found that I was not alone! Many married guys have urges to be with another guy (I wasn't weird after all!). Finally came "out" to myself, but have remained closeted to all except the guy I'm in bed with!

Thanks for the good discussion.

 

[Lube]

It would be interesting to see the age of those who voted, as I'm guessing that younger guys probably feel that fewer gay men are closeted, which is probably true.

But I didn't want to make it a public poll, for fear that I wouldn't get many answers.

Thanks for voting, everyone!

 

[Lube]

Interesting that 87% of JUBbers who voted think that half or more of all gays are closeted.

So, do you believe guys when they tell you their straight, if you have suspicions?

 

[G-Lexington]

I wouldn't say I "believe" them so much as I accept it. I have a couple casual friends who I think might be gay, but who say they're straight. Either they ARE straight, or they're too worried about their sexuality to admit their feelings. If it's the latter, I don't think needling them, or trying to yank them out of the closet, is going to accomplish anything. Better to keep being a good friend, and keep showing them that being gay and out is no big deal. Being a positive example, if you will. If they are gay, my feeling is they'll eventually open up to me. It's happened before.

Lex

 

[TickTockMan]

I'm not talking about bisexuals in this poll. Just gay men: men who choose other men over women for sex, regardless of personality or looks or whatever.

So you think being gay is a choice?

 

[MyReply]

This question is unanswerable.

 

[AngelFromAbove]

Interesting that 87% of JUBbers who voted think that half or more of all gays are closeted.

So, do you believe guys when they tell you their straight, if you have suspicions?

I'm like Lex in that I do not try to investigate further. There have been plenty of men whom I know and knew were bisexual or gay; there have also been men I've simply suspected. No, I do not believe every man when he states that he is heterosexual.

However, I do and did not force the subject of their pronounced heterosexuality. Generally, those men let me know on some subtle or not-so-subtle level, without verbalizing it, that they had same-sex attractions. However, I did not feel that it was my place to question them, regardless.

 

[Speeds]

I think around 99.5 percent are closeted around the world.

Most asians and middle easterners are closeted until they die. Mostly it's the westerners who have the freedom to be out.