Out means away from the inside or center of a place, position, or situation. It can also mean not at home, finished, or made public.
From Old English “ūt,” related to Germanic words for “out, outside.” It has always expressed movement from inside to outside.
We use ‘out’ for spaces (‘go out’), lights (‘lights out’), secrets (‘it came out’), and even identities (‘coming out’). The core idea is always the same: something moves from hidden or contained to open and visible.
'Out' gained strong association with being 'out' about sexual orientation or gender identity, in contrast to being 'in the closet.' Historically, coming out carried severe social and legal risks, especially for women and gender minorities whose identities were heavily policed.
Use 'out' respectfully in LGBTQ+ contexts, without pressuring anyone to come out or treating being 'out' as morally superior to privacy.
Women and gender-diverse activists have led coming-out movements and created safer spaces where being 'out' is more possible.
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