There are several “common steps” that homosexuals go through for coming out or staying in the proverbial closet:

1.  Initially, the individual  may start off realizing how different they are from most people of the same gender. This causes them to become even more confused.
 
2.  The individual decides whether they should come out or stay in.  This is because it is also the same time when they observe their peers attitudes towards homosexuals.  Based on that, they may come out of the closet or keep their sexual identity to themselves.

3.  For the homosexuals that come out, they become more aware of what is going around themselves and what they can do to inform others.  In some instances, the homosexual will come to believe that they are superior because of all the negative views the heterosexuals have towards the homosexuals.  (Barbara Ponse 1978 etd. Eliason)  However, those who “keep it to themselves” plunge deeper within themselves debating what their sexual identity is and creating psychological problems.
 

Most Importantly: Coming out isn’t a short process; it is a life long process.  

     Unfortunately, many people are homophobic. In today’s society, people would still like it if homosexuals would "keep their mouths shut" and keep their own sexual preference to themselves.