campaigns for LGBTQ rights. I feel pride in their ability to do so. But being ‘out’ and being visibly queer are not absolutes.
They are privileges that we need to deconstruct.First, what does it mean to be ‘out’? There’s often an underlying implication, whether through op-eds, celebrity culture or social media, that someone’s identity is only valid when it is known by everyone.
The same goes for TV and movies. From Heartstopper to Love Simon, coming out stories usually involve one big revelation – often without the queer character’s consent.
I’m a Muslim woman who wears hijab, so practically everyone I come across assumes I’m heterosexualThen, on screen, they’ll come to terms with it and perhaps things will be OK.