The one undeniable benefit of having spent some time in the closet is that it nurtures a talent that you can fall back on any time: lying convincingly. Sometimes I worried that queer kids in the twenty-first century coming out at twelve, or even younger, would never develop that valuable skill.
"The author highlights that one clear advantage of spending time in the closet is developing the skill of lying convincingly," he writes. This ability can be a useful tool for navigating challenging situations related to identity and safety. The experience, though often painful, can inadvertently strengthen a person's capacity for deception when needed.
The author expresses concern about modern queer youth who come out at very young ages, wondering if they might miss out on learning this important skill. He suggests that early coming out might prevent them from building this resilience and skill in deception, which could be valuable in certain contexts or hardships they may face in life.