Roger-Luc Chayer (Image : AI / Gay Globe)
The Emancipation of Young LGBT People is Receding in the United States under Trump
After one year in power in the United States, due to the excesses and extreme positions of President Donald Trump, the emancipation of young LGBT people is receding for the first time in 25 years. Rather than facing life openly, they prefer to stay in the closet to avoid discrimination related to housing, employment, and even within families.
Young Gay Teens Left Homeless Due to Family Rejection
In 2025, U.S. news reports have repeatedly revealed young gay people aged 13 to 18 living on the streets, without resources, after being brutally rejected by their parents—often fervent Republicans of the MAGA movement—as soon as their sexual orientation was discovered.
Coming Out: Between Liberation and Danger
Coming out is often glorified as a liberation, a necessary step towards mental health, academic success, and professional achievement. But after 33 years of journalism, I can say frankly that it is not always a good idea. Sometimes, this “damned closet” is a necessary refuge in the face of a world that remains too brutal and intolerant. Forcing someone out of the closet can sometimes be more destructive than healing.
Why Coming Out is Not Always a Good Idea
Coming out is not always an act of courage or liberation. Sometimes, it is a leap into the void, an exposure to a world that is neither ready nor benevolent. Coming out means risking rejection, violence, loneliness, and sometimes even rupture with family or community. It is not a predetermined path to happiness but often a journey fraught with obstacles and dangers.
In certain conservative environments and rigid families, telling the truth about oneself can lead to severe consequences: eviction from the home, social isolation, workplace harassment, and even physical assaults. The freedom to be oneself then becomes a luxury reserved for those strong enough to withstand these blows.
This does not mean giving up one’s convictions or identity, but simply acknowledging that the closet is not always a prison—sometimes it is a temporary refuge, a shield against a world that is still too harsh. Society is progressing, that is true, but it remains far from uniform: for some, coming out is a victory; for others, a risky battle where every step can be costly.
Children’s Homosexuality: A Political Issue for MAGA Republicans
For many MAGA Republicans, children’s homosexuality is seen as a threat to their traditional values and their rigid vision of family and society. They often view non-conforming sexuality—especially among youth—as a form of “deviation” or a foreign “influence” that undermines the moral order they fiercely defend. In their view, children must follow a clearly defined path: heterosexual marriage, nuclear family, strict gender roles. Any deviation is seen as a danger to the “American way of life” they want to preserve.
The Weight of Prejudices in the Surroundings of Young LGBT People
For these reasons, I would even add that sometimes the young person’s surroundings or close relations are simply not open-minded or intelligent enough to understand. It is with their perverse prejudices that they judge their child, too often causing devastating consequences and leaving lasting trauma for those who have faced a poorly received coming out.
The Choice to Come Out Must Remain Personal
It is up to young people to assess their personal situation and decide whether coming out is necessary or not. It is not up to LGBT associations or organizations to impose a mandatory coming out to be “truly” gay or lesbian.
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