Many individuals feel great deals of shame and fear due to their suppressed identity, as well as resentment towards the fragile balance between societal demands for heteronormative behavior, and the personal desires of homosexual actions (Rosenfeld 2009). .
However, those who refuse/fail to pass or appropriate the heteronormative lifestyle, are often victims of discrimination and hate (Robinson 2012). One of the areas in which visibly homosexual individuals, particularly gay males, suffer is in organized sports. Gay males often suffer a multitude of backlash when coming out, the gravity of which is related to the masculinity of the sport in which they participate (Eng 2008). Society views the typical gay male as being overtly feminine and weak, therefore making gay men unfit for such a dominant and masculine physical activity. For this reason, male athletes are not encouraged to come out and are rather forced by societal norms to do everything they can to pass as heterosexual, in order to maintain society's accepted idea of masculinity required to participate in professional sports (Eng 2008). Lesbian athletes are not often faced with the same severe adversity when coming out. In fact, it is often implied and anticipated, due to the stereotypical lesbian being manly and extremely capable in a physically demanding environment (Eng 2008). .
Another area in which queer-visibility results in unjust treatment is when dealing with law enforcement. Angela Dwyer (2011) performed multiple interviews with various LGBT youth, and found that the more unconventionally heterosexual the individual, the more likely they are to get harassed and unjustly policed. This visibility results from tone of voice, to method of dress, and even gesture and movement. Due to this, young people are often forced to learn to pass and to appear to be as heterosexual as possible when dealing with the police (Dwyer 2011).
