Where did the phrase "coming out of the closet" come from?

Question

Where did the phrase "coming out of the closet" come from?

Answer 1

I believe it originated from the saying "skeletons in the closet", about family secrets being hidden.  Hence "coming out of the closet" means to reveal the secret that you are g*y.  As an above poster suggested, you can probably find a more factual explanation online.

Answer 2

It means to admit one's sexual identity, i.e.homosexuality, publicly and has been in common conversational use for about 30 years.

The idea of coming out was introduced in 1869 by the German homosexual rights advocate Karl Heinrich Ulrichs as a means of emancipation. Claiming that invisibility was a major obstacle toward changing public opinion, he urged homosexuals themselves to come out.