Merits and Flaws of the Broom Closet

[Wings Akimbo]

The term "out of the broom closet" baffles me. What makes you "out of the broom closet"? Do you decide to run down the street hollering your beleifs? Do you tell your closest friends and parents? Do you not say anything but if the subject comes up then discuss it?

I like to take the latter view. I don't hide my beleifs but I don't put them out in public for all to see. That would be odd.

Stranger: "Hi, I'm Bob."
Me: "Hi, I'm Alanna and I'm buddhist-pagan!"

Just, no.  

[Orion-Blacknuckle]

Mostly everyone who I know has been told or overheard that I'm no longer a Christian except my mother and my grandparents, unless they too have found out somehow. If it came down to it and my mother asked my point-blank what my religion was, I'd have to tell her, but until then I'm keeping it quiet.

As for if I would walk up to someone and tell them, no, I wouldn't do that. I also think that it shouldn't really matter what religion you are to get along well in society, but you find prejudices everywhere. That, and some people just don't care what you are or what you believe in.  

[TeaDidikai]

Crazy Bananna

The term "out of the broom closet" baffles me. What makes you "out of the broom closet"? Do you tell your closest friends and parents? Do you not say anything but if the subject comes up then discuss it?

If we are going to use the extended metaphor- it means you do not practice active misdirection.

Within the Gay Scene, often times people will "date" people of the opposite gender for example.

The Broom Closet at times includes the attendance of religious rituals and active participation in order to not raise questions.

Generalizations I know- but we are talking about something that comes in shades of gray.  

[jaden kendam]

Crazy Bananna

Stranger: "Hi, I'm Bob."
Me: "Hi, I'm Alanna and I'm buddhist-pagan!"

I know people who do that. You say hi, my name is jake. Then they say "hi, my name is moron. I am a Wiccan. Does that scare you?"  

[TheDisreputableDog]

My university is doing "Religion & Reflections Week" this week, as I have mentioned elsewhere. I picked up a schedule on Monday and it had a ribbon stapled to it:


I was initially confused. Yesterday I read on the student portal that they are "Religiosity Ribbons, showing that the wearer encourages other students to ask them about their religious views so that they may share them with everyone else."

Now, okay. This week is supposed to be about promoting tolerance so "everyone can be more aware and open to individual beliefs and practices." But seriously, WTF?  

[Poisen_Lotus]

I generally only tell poeple who are either open-minded or really close to me. Every one else It's more of a don't ask don't tell policy. The subject doesn't really arise often so it's not a big deal. As a general rule of thumb I don't tell elderly people or southerners . Personally I find people who are blatantly open with the faiths rather annoying. But that's just me.  

[Boadicia]

If they don's ask, then I don't tell. If I feel the person can't be trusted, then I might wiggle my way around the question, but I won't lie outright unless I feel the person's motives are dubious. Only those who are really close to me know the truth. Otherwise, it's no one's business. As for an employer, why tell if he doesn't ask (especially since asking the question in an interview is considered discriminatory anyway)?  

[Eshmasesh]

TheDisreputableDog

My university is doing "Religion & Reflections Week" this week, as I have mentioned elsewhere. I picked up a schedule on Monday and it had a ribbon stapled to it:
---

I was initially confused. Yesterday I read on the student portal that they are "Religiosity Ribbons, showing that the wearer encourages other students to ask them about their religious views so that they may share them with everyone else."

Now, okay. This week is supposed to be about promoting tolerance so "everyone can be more aware and open to individual beliefs and practices." But seriously, WTF?

I don't get it.  

[CuAnnan]

Eshmasesh

TheDisreputableDog

My university is doing "Religion & Reflections Week" this week, as I have mentioned elsewhere. I picked up a schedule on Monday and it had a ribbon stapled to it:
---

I was initially confused. Yesterday I read on the student portal that they are "Religiosity Ribbons, showing that the wearer encourages other students to ask them about their religious views so that they may share them with everyone else."

Now, okay. This week is supposed to be about promoting tolerance so "everyone can be more aware and open to individual beliefs and practices." But seriously, WTF?

I don't get it.

I do. It's about trying to be seen to be proactive in combating inequality and promoting diversity.  

[Pelta]

reagun ban

I do. It's about trying to be seen to be proactive in combating inequality and promoting diversity.

Except that the ribbon was originally used to promote cancer awareness, a cause to be expanded and lauded. The bastardisation of the ribbon symbol to mean everything from "I support our troops" to "I'm a pagan!" is a bit much.

Plus, why would you really want to wear a sign saying, "Ask me about how special I am?"  

[CuAnnan]

missmagpie

Plus, why would you really want to wear a sign saying, "Ask me about how special I am?"

Because you* suffer from low self esteem and want people to think you're interesting?


* Just in case anyone who doesn't know me thinks I'm talking to maggie here, I'm not. Her self esteem is about as low as mine, and we're both fantastic people, I'm using the proverbial you.  

[Vertigo_Kiwi]

I think I'm the master of keeping my beliefs secret. If a family member asks I just say I'm Christian. If it's a friend I tell them I have no religion. In a way it makes me feel fake, but it's what I have to do to avoid broken hearts (the elderly in my family) or a game of 20 questions (I'm not social enough for that). Plus I live in conservative Ohio, and admitting I'm anything but Christian would be incredibly stupid.

The only people who know anything about my pagan beliefs are my mother, father, my sister, and one close friend. Even then they don't really know anything about it.  

[jaden kendam]

reagun ban

missmagpie

Plus, why would you really want to wear a sign saying, "Ask me about how special I am?"

Because you* suffer from low self esteem and want people to think you're interesting?


.

How could you say such a thing to her? I am dissappointed.

Anyways, how many freaking yellow ribbons do we need anyways? No matter what it says, you are bound to have backlash.

For example:

"I support the troops". Then I often get, "If you dont support the war, then you dont support the troops."

I can see the reaction to this new one.

"I support pagans" Then I would probably get, "You die. You got to hell."  

[Pelta]

deadmanjake

reagun ban

missmagpie

Plus, why would you really want to wear a sign saying, "Ask me about how special I am?"

Because you* suffer from low self esteem and want people to think you're interesting?


.

How could you say such a thing to her?

Because I'm not entirely as fragile as I look?

Quote:

I am dissappointed.

You didn't read the fine print. wink

Quote:

Anyways, how many freaking yellow ribbons do we need anyways? No matter what it says, you are bound to have backlash.

People not understanding the symbol doesn't necessarily invalidate it. Like the original cancer ribbons. Wearing one doesn't mean you support cancer.

Just because some idiots think the ribbon means that everyone who wears it deserves to go to hell doesn't invalidate the idea behind it. But now I'm talking myself in circles. What invalidates the idea is that it's a call for attention for people to feel special about themselves.

I mean, I'd look funny at Christians who go about with a big sign on them saying "Ask me about Jesus." Why wouldn't I feel that way about pagans who do the equivalent?  

[geekgurl]

I tend to use a combination of misdirection and the truth. My responses are very much dependent on the situation and the people involved.

When it comes to my ex and his family, I try to be very discrete and just don't talk about it - especially when my kids were younger. This is "The South" and he and his family are in very rural TN in a town where his "Daddy" works at the court house and knows everyone. I would have been in danger of having my kids taken away from me if I hadn't been very careful about it.

I work with a couple of fundies and, for the first couple of years that I was there I was very much in hiding. However, I've now been there for 7 years and I'm very secure in my job. Most of the folks I work with know that I'm "not Christian" but they don't acknowledge knowing much more than that - although it should be obvious based on the "witchy" stuff that's decorating my cube. There are a few people whom I'm close to who know. I try to be gracious when turning down various church-related invitations (winter carnival, "trunk and treat" Halloween substitute, etc.) and I've gone to several funerals of co-workers family members that had a very Christian base to them without making any comments about the services (other than quiet comments between a couple of us who were not Christian when there was an altar call at one of them....)

My parents think it's just one more strange thing their strange daughter does.

When my daughter's friends who are exploring various religions ask me about being pagan or Wiccan, I try to be pretty open about it - especially when it comes to misconceptions they may have based on books and movies (I steer them away from $ilver's books and other fluffy bunny stuff, explaining some about why they're not "real")

So, I consider myself to be somewhat in the broom closet, depending on the situation. It's not so much "hiding" as it is being discrete and not causing conflict where it's not necessary.