ABSTRACT
Coming out is an intensely individual process, particularly difficult if a gay person is intimately partnered with a heterosexual mate. This chapter examines three common scenarios where a straight spouse is involved. Some gays choose to stay married, using that public image as a cover for a double life. Others decide to leave their heterosexual relationship shortly after they acknowledge their own homosexuality. Another less common choice is the endless closet, in which the couple lives together with their secret intact.
