--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The closet does have a benefit. It…" description: "\"“The closet does have a benefit. It provides safety. Which at times is important. But remember, as long as you are in there, two other things will be t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68c/anthony-venn-brown-25652_closet_the-closet-does-have-a-benefit-it-provid_2449268.png" --- # The closet does have a benefit. It provides safety. Which… ![“The closet does have a benefit. It provides safety. Which at times is important. But remember, as long as you are in there, two other things will be too. Fear and shame.” quote by Anthony Venn-Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68c/anthony-venn-brown-25652_closet_the-closet-does-have-a-benefit-it-provid_2449268.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68c/anthony-venn-brown-25652_closet_the-closet-does-have-a-benefit-it-provid_2449268.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68c/anthony-venn-brown-25652_closet_the-closet-does-have-a-benefit-it-provid_2449268.png) > ““The closet does have a benefit. It provides safety. Which at times is important. But remember, as long as you are in there, two other things will be too. Fear and shame.”” [Anthony Venn-Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-venn-brown/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A closet offers physical safety, but staying inside can breed fear and shame, limiting growth. **In simple terms:** Safety can trap you with negative emotions. Key Takeaway Balance safety with openness to avoid fear. Themes psychology faith personal growth freedom Mood reflective encouraging Type inspirational motivational When to use this quote - therapy sessions - support groups - personal reflection - journaling Key Concepts safety vs. stagnation emotional health spiritual development Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take to leave the “closet”? - How can you transform fear into courage? A Different Perspective Too much isolation may worsen anxiety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Coming out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coming-out/) [Coming out of the closet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coming-out-of-the-closet/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Homosexuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homosexuality/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [God will never let you sink under your circumstances. He always provides a safety net and His love always encircles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-johnson/god-will-never-let-you-sink-under-your-circumstances-he-always/) [Barbara Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-johnson/) > [“The truth has a way of coming out of the closet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/march-lions/the-truth-has-a-way-of-coming-out-of-the-closet/) [March Lions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/march-lions/) > [Can you give me a reason for coming out of the closet?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keys/can-you-give-me-a-reason-for-coming-out-of-the-closet/) [Keys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keys/) > [“Coming out of the closet feels liberating because you no longer have to carry all that crap around with you, in your mind, wherever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-thomas-malone/coming-out-of-the-closet-feels-liberating-because-you-no-longer-have/) [Ian Thomas Malone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-thomas-malone/) > [What's become more important to me over time is to not try to sell myself as someone that I'm not, and that begins with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-rice/what-s-become-more-important-to-me-over-time-is-to-not-try-to-sell/) [Christopher Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-rice/) > [I know what it's like to be in the closet! I know what it's like to be bullied and attacked because someone or some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-alexander/i-know-what-it-s-like-to-be-in-the-closet-i-know-what-it-s-like-to-be/) [Jason Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-alexander/) > [Coming out of the closet doesn't always mean liberation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-zhang/coming-out-of-the-closet-doesn-t-always-mean-liberation/) [Jenny Zhang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-zhang/) > [I think as far as I've been able to understand from my friends that I went to college with and things like that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-ritter/i-think-as-far-as-i-ve-been-able-to-understand-from-my-friends-that-i/) [Jason Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-ritter/) > [I am not in the closet. I am not coming out of the closet. I am not gay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-am-not-in-the-closet-i-am-not-coming-out-of-the-closet-i-am-not-gay/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [Coming out of the closet as a gay man didn't cost me anything, but deep down it wasn't who I was. It was only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lux-pascal/coming-out-of-the-closet-as-a-gay-man-didn-t-cost-me-anything-but/) [Lux Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lux-pascal/) > [“Here's a queer fact: none among the skeletons in your closet are ‘straight’ so expect them to ‘come out’ very, very soon...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khayri-r-r-woulfe/here-s-a-queer-fact-none-among-the-skeletons-in-your-closet-are/) Khayri R.R. Woulfe > [“ The closet implies a literal, physical boundary dividing one’s life before publicly declaring queerness, and after. It’s a threshold impossible to recross, two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-perry/the-closet-implies-a-literal-physical-boundary-dividing-one-s-life/) Grace Perry > [“The true ugliness of the closet is its subtlety. It eats away at your soul bit by bit and you don't even realize it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gar-mcvey-russell/the-true-ugliness-of-the-closet-is-its-subtlety-it-eats-away-at-your/) Gar McVey-Russell > [I realize it's a cliche, almost, that coming out of the closet is a very healthy and empowering thing to do, but for me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bd-wong/i-realize-it-s-a-cliche-almost-that-coming-out-of-the-closet-is-a/) [BD Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bd-wong/) > [Outing someone is like ripping a butterfly from its cocoon. You can damage them for life and rob them of THEIR life changing experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-venn-brown/outing-someone-is-like-ripping-a-butterfly-from-its-cocoon-you-can/) [Anthony Venn-Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-venn-brown/) ## More by Anthony Venn-Brown > [“A review of 850 research papers concluded that people with religious involvement and belief system have better mental health outcomes. They have higher levels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-venn-brown/a-review-of-850-research-papers-concluded-that-people-with-religious/) [Anthony Venn-Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-venn-brown/) > [“Sometimes people tell me they don’t want to label themselves by their sexual orientation. I used to reject my gay identity. In fact I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-venn-brown/sometimes-people-tell-me-they-don-t-want-to-label-themselves-by-their/) [Anthony Venn-Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-venn-brown/) > [“When you hear of Gay Pride, remember, it was not born out of a need to celebrate being gay. It evolved out of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-venn-brown/when-you-hear-of-gay-pride-remember-it-was-not-born-out-of-a-need-to/) [Anthony Venn-Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-venn-brown/) > [The enemy is not individuals, churches, 'ex-gay' organisations or political parties; the enemy is ignorance. Change is created by focusing our energies on overcoming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-venn-brown/the-enemy-is-not-individuals-churches-ex-gay-organisations-or/) [Anthony Venn-Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-venn-brown/) > [When you finally embrace the gift of your sexual orientation it IS the end; the end of shame, fear and oppression. You leave the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-venn-brown/when-you-finally-embrace-the-gift-of-your-sexual-orientation-it-is/) [Anthony Venn-Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-venn-brown/) > [“Even if you believe the Genesis record of creation you’ll see that God did not create a black and white world of male and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-venn-brown/even-if-you-believe-the-genesis-record-of-creation-you-ll-see-that/) [Anthony Venn-Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-venn-brown/) > [Every single courageous act of coming out chips away at the curse of homophobia. Most importantly it's destroyed within yourself, and that act creates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-venn-brown/every-single-courageous-act-of-coming-out-chips-away-at-the-curse-of/) [Anthony Venn-Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-venn-brown/) > [“According to my previous belief system, being a Christian and homosexual was not only incompatible; like heaven and hell, they were in absolute opposition.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-venn-brown/according-to-my-previous-belief-system-being-a-christian-and/) [Anthony Venn-Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-venn-brown/) > [When we choose to live authentically we chip away at others prisons of pretend and create an opportunity for them to walk out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-venn-brown/when-we-choose-to-live-authentically-we-chip-away-at-others-prisons/) [Anthony Venn-Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-venn-brown/) > [Outing someone is like ripping a butterfly from its cocoon. You can damage them for life and rob them of THEIR life changing experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-venn-brown/outing-someone-is-like-ripping-a-butterfly-from-its-cocoon-you-can/) [Anthony Venn-Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-venn-brown/) > [“There are those from religious backgrounds who resist and oppose LGBT equality; some very obsessively and publicly. They make bold accusations and negative statements…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-venn-brown/there-are-those-from-religious-backgrounds-who-resist-and-oppose-lgbt/) [Anthony Venn-Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-venn-brown/) > [If you are in the closet and fall in love with someone of the same gender, it doesn't automatically remove the shame and fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-venn-brown/if-you-are-in-the-closet-and-fall-in-love-with-someone-of-the-same/) [Anthony Venn-Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-venn-brown/) > [Homophobia and the closet are allies. Like an unhealthy co-dependent relationship they need each other to survive. One plays the victim living in fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-venn-brown/homophobia-and-the-closet-are-allies-like-an-unhealthy-co-dependent/) [Anthony Venn-Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-venn-brown/) > [It's better to live one day on this planet being true to yourself than an entire lifetime which is a lie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-venn-brown/it-s-better-to-live-one-day-on-this-planet-being-true-to-yourself/) [Anthony Venn-Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-venn-brown/) > [“To all my friends who constantly talk disparagingly about the supposed 'homosexual lifestyle' and stereotype gay people and the community, I'd like to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-venn-brown/to-all-my-friends-who-constantly-talk-disparagingly-about-the/) [Anthony Venn-Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-venn-brown/) [Explore all 22 Anthony Venn-Brown quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-venn-brown/) ## More Closet quotes > [For so long, for my whole life I didn't have to but I lived in the closet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-evans/for-so-long-for-my-whole-life-i-didn-t-have-to-but-i-lived-in-the/) [Scott Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-evans/) > [I own about 300 pairs of shoes. When I start to go over 300, I have mini-sales from my closet and give the money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-london/i-own-about-300-pairs-of-shoes-when-i-start-to-go-over-300-i-have/) [Stacy London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-london/) > [I'm not big on the closet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-butler/i-m-not-big-on-the-closet/) [Dan Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-butler/) > [There's a she wolf in the closet, Let it out so it can breathe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakira/there-s-a-she-wolf-in-the-closet-let-it-out-so-it-can-breathe/) [Shakira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakira/) > [It's important for closet gay athletes everywhere, not just at the professional level, but more importantly athletes at the younger level in high school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-fujita/it-s-important-for-closet-gay-athletes-everywhere-not-just-at-the/) [Scott Fujita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-fujita/) > [I feel like I've been shut in a closet, and he's on the other side, and he doesn't have the key to unlock the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/i-feel-like-i-ve-been-shut-in-a-closet-and-he-s-on-the-other-side-and/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [“The truth has a way of coming out of the closet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/march-lions/the-truth-has-a-way-of-coming-out-of-the-closet/) [March Lions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/march-lions/) > [People dance and we have a lot of music and... this might be the closet I get for a while.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-crowe/people-dance-and-we-have-a-lot-of-music-and-this-might-be-the-closet/) [Cameron Crowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-crowe/) > [The emails and the tweets and the Facebook posts and the fan mail that we get from young people all over America that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-donovan/the-emails-and-the-tweets-and-the-facebook-posts-and-the-fan-mail/) [Trevor Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-donovan/) > [She up in the closet!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madea/she-up-in-the-closet/) [Madea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madea/) > [A lot of the stuff I was on 'All Stars,' it wasn't new, it was all stuff out of my closet and stuff that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chi-chi-devayne/a-lot-of-the-stuff-i-was-on-all-stars-it-wasn-t-new-it-was-all-stuff/) [Chi Chi DeVayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chi-chi-devayne/) > [Friends are readily disappointed by the size of my closet. And I thought it was big!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-jessica-parker/friends-are-readily-disappointed-by-the-size-of-my-closet-and-i/) [Sarah Jessica Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-jessica-parker/) > [“My closet’s so full of memories and fearful homosexuals that I have nowhere to hang my clothes. Well, that and I don’t know how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/my-closet-s-so-full-of-memories-and-fearful-homosexuals-that-i-have/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“We’re not broken. We’re not in the wrong bodies. We’re not inadequate. We’re not lesser. We’re not unwanted. We’re not fraudulent. We’re not undesirable.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnostic-zetetic/we-re-not-broken-we-re-not-in-the-wrong-bodies-we-re-not-inadequate/) Agnostic Zetetic > [I've never seen so many sweater sets...are you sure this is a closet and not a portal to the 1950s? -Renee Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desperate-housewives/i-ve-never-seen-so-many-sweater-sets-are-you-sure-this-is-a-closet/) Desperate Housewives Browse all 425 Closet quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The closet does have a benefit. It provides safety. Which at times is important. But remember, as long as you are in there, two other things will be too. 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