ABSTRACT

Long before Stuart learned that he would not make partner, he has begun to contem-plate a change in strategy. "Everything seemed to hinge on my coming out," he recalls. "I was feeling more and more pressure to be social at work, and was increasingly convinced that that would be impossible until I came out. Being in the closet seemed to be the primary barrier." As the pressure mounted, Stuart considered his various options. "I was terrified, and I told myself that if I could get through the conversation itself, I would be fine. Everything else would fall into place if I could get my big, terrible secret out in the open."