'Don't Rain On My Parade' by Barbra Streisand Columbia/Kobal/Shutterstock Chauncey also offers a theory on how the closet connection was made: 'It may have been used initially because many men who remained 'covert' thought of their homosexuality as a sort of 'skeleton in the closet'.' This song's lyrics speak of renewal in general, but this infectious dance hit, which peaked at #5 on the Billboard 200 in August 1980, is a natural fit for Pride Month. He wrote that gays adopted the phrase from debutante balls, where young upper-class women 'come out' in society because they want the world to know that they are ready to date and marry eligible guys. So even though we were skeptical when he wrote in 'Gay New York' that 'coming out' didn't mean 'coming out of the closet,' we figured that this guy has serious gay history cred, so it's best to hear him out. He also wrote 'Gay New York: Gender, Urban Culture, and the Making of the Gay Male World, 1890-1940'. George Chauncey is so good at history that he gets to teach it at Columbia University. 'I'm Coming Out' by Diana Ross Roth Stock/Everett Collection/CP Images
