On The Subject Of The Closet

Just a simple poll based on recent discussions about atheists coming out of the closet online. This poll is only about online closets, so you may be out in real life but not online for various reasons.

vjack asked:

To clarify, are you asking whether we blog atheist-style under our own names?

What I mean by “out of the closet online” is essentially your name having been related in some way to atheism. For instance, if you sign up to an atheist discussion forum with your real name, or have it in your forum signature, then you are out of the closet. Likewise if you use your name on your blog, or some other public site, you are out of the closet.

If however, you use facebook under your own name but don’t use your real name anywhere else (as in the case of amiable atheist) then I would count that as in the closet online, since not everyone knows amiable’s real name. The same goes for oliver at msatheists.

So in answer to vjack’s question, if you blog atheist-style with your own name, that would be out of the closet. If you blog using an alias, but might have your name on the internet somewhere (most people do), without linking that name back to your atheist blog, that would be in the closet.

Loading ...

Possibly Related Posts:

Subscribe to my RSS Feed if you like what you read! - View blog reactions

Written by Adrian Hayter

August 11th, 2008 at 3:42 pm

Posted in atheism

Tagged with atheism, closet, polls

0 Blogs linking to this article »

Comments to “On The Subject Of The Closet”

Martian Says:
August 11th, 2008 at 4:27 pm (GMT)

I’m out of the closet online, on facebook for example. And in America, where I live, as you pointed out yesterday, that can be rough. Plus, I own my own business. So it was very much a conscious decision. But I’ve got “atheist” right there on my facebook profile, for all my clients to see.

amiable Says:
August 11th, 2008 at 6:33 pm (GMT)

hmm. i voted ‘in’ but maybe that was wrong. my blog is anonymous but i have hesitantly listed myself as atheist on facebook.

vjack Says:
August 11th, 2008 at 11:03 pm (GMT)

To clarify, are you asking whether we blog atheist-style under our own names?

cale Says:
August 13th, 2008 at 4:35 pm (GMT)

If you added the option “50/50″ I could vote. I am out on blogs that I read and comment but on my own blog I’m going to have to stay rather ambiguous, which is fine for now. My wife’s family is entirely dyed in the wool christians and also the majority of my readership (all but 1 of my comments, thanks to amiable). The tone of my blog will of course change as more “out” people visit my blog to discuss deeper topics but I don’t want to “come out” online before I’ve expressed myself to them in person.

One time I changed my facebook religion to pastafarian but later decided that wasn’t the right way to let them know.

Sisyphus Fragment Says:
August 13th, 2008 at 5:35 pm (GMT)

In term’s of social networking sites, I typically use my real name and happily put Atheist in the religion box. But when I blog or comment on blogs I use a pseudonym for my safety, as well as for job security.

Until last May, I was in the Air Force and I didn’t want to face any of the horrors I’ve heard other military Atheist’s have. I wanted to be promoted like any other guy and didn’t want to get shafted in any way extra because my superior saw that I said I didn’t support ‘the war’ or prayer during official functions. They knew I was an Atheist, but my writing was private..

anton kozlik Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 3:30 am (GMT)

Hi Gang,
I can’t really say what my stance would have been if the internet blogosphere had existed when I was working and my employment could have been compromised.
As for now, I use my real name all of the time. I have been the target of a few, very few, attempts at reprisals but they were small in terms of what I faced professionally on a day-to-day basis.
I am disgusted, however, by the blog respondents who go to great lengths to disguise themselves while their comments are contemptible, in-your-face, confrontations. If we could “subtract” their comments perhaps we could make more headway with the subjects at hand. Also, they certainly go not enhance the Atheist agenda.