# Is it ever fair to "out" people? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 3, 2004, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ever-fair-to-out-people/232285 "2004-03-03T12:58:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2004, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ever-fair-to-out-people/232285/41 "2004-03-05T15:11:41Z")
For those who support “outing” - Is this a fair tactic in all cases, or only for some? For instance, suppose there was a closeted gay politician. He doesn’t want to be out of the closet, is generally discreet, and is also generally gay-friendly in his votes. Would it be acceptable for some group to threaten to “out” him to force him to vote **against** some gay-friendly measure, like gay marriage? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![spectrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc29f/32.png) [@spectrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spectrum)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2004, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ever-fair-to-out-people/232285/42 "2004-03-05T15:49:36Z")
To threaten an outing unless one votes for/against any bill is blackmail, and not something I would support. I support just outing the bastards who work against equality for people just like themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2004, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ever-fair-to-out-people/232285/43 "2004-03-05T15:59:37Z")
Every Republican who publicly blasted Clinton for being a draft-dodging, pot-smoking adulterer had at least two of the three in his own background and deserved to be outed for it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ever-fair-to-out-people/232285.md?page=2)