Openly Gay Folks Less Stressed Than Straight Folks
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This is a happier Oreo too.[/caption]
Just ask anyone trying to put together an outfit when running late for a job interview: the closet can be a stressful place. A new study finds that gay people who are out are less stressed than their closeted counterparts, and usually more relaxed than straight people.
"Lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals who were out to family and friends had lower levels of psychiatric symptoms and lower morning cortisol levels [a stress hormone] than those who were still in the closet," said researcher Robert-Paul Juster.
Increased stress is bad for the body, which means that coming out may provide health benefits as well. "Coming out is no longer a matter of popular debate but a matter of public health," said Juster. "Internationally, societies must endeavor to facilitate this self-acceptance by promoting tolerance, progressing policy, and dispelling stigma for all minorities."
So, in the spirit of increased health and a stress-free environment, anything you'd like to tell us?
