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majorbabs	Post subject: To Out or Not To Out Posted: Tue May 04, 2004 1:40 pm
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2002 12:01 am Posts: 744 Location: HuskerLand	I read today something like the following: "The accused, a known figure in the gay community, had threatened to out him if he didn't pay up."<p>I understand what "outing" means in this context, but I'm not sure that "to out him" meets anybody's style guidelines. TCE comments?
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SusanV	Post subject: Re: To Out or Not To Out Posted: Tue May 04, 2004 1:49 pm
Joined: Thu Apr 18, 2002 12:01 am Posts: 1399 Location: In the newsroom	<blockquote><font size="1" face="TImes, TimesNR, serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by majorbabs: I understand what "outing" means in this context, but I'm not sure that "to out him" meets anybody's style guidelines. TCE comments?<hr></blockquote>How or why would this be a matter of style? It's a phrase that's been out there (sorry) long enough to be acceptable and understood, IMO.
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JPSheehan	Post subject: Re: To Out or Not To Out Posted: Tue May 04, 2004 2:20 pm
Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2004 12:01 am Posts: 101 Location: Inner Baltimore	Yeah, I don't really like it, because it sounds self-consciously colloquial -- especially with the phrase "pay up" -- but it is efficient, specific, and generally accepted. The alternatives I've thought of certainly aren't any better.
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majorbabs	Post subject: Re: To Out or Not To Out Posted: Tue May 04, 2004 4:04 pm
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2002 12:01 am Posts: 744 Location: HuskerLand	I don't have any alternatives either, just hadn't seen the term in widespread newspaper use. (Maybe it's because I'm in the Midwest. We're slower, you know.) I did find it though, as a colloquial verb, in my Oxford.<p>Thanks.
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paulwiggins	Post subject: Re: To Out or Not To Out Posted: Tue May 04, 2004 7:46 pm
Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2003 12:01 am Posts: 3137 Location: Homebush NSW Australia	<blockquote><font size="1" face="TImes, TimesNR, serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by majorbabs: I don't have any alternatives either, just hadn't seen the term in widespread newspaper use. (Maybe it's because I'm in the Midwest. We're slower, you know.) I did find it though, as a colloquial verb, in my Oxford.<p>Thanks.<hr></blockquote> There's a case for a recast that uses the word ''out'' but defines it for those who are unfamiliar with it.
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EMorse	Post subject: Re: To Out or Not To Out Posted: Tue May 04, 2004 8:03 pm
Joined: Fri Mar 26, 2004 1:01 am Posts: 1025 Location: The Lexington Avenue Spaceship	I've noticed "out" being used not only in reference to exposing someone's sexual orientation but also to any sort of exposure -- notably in the Joseph Wilson/Valerie Plame case, where it seemed like every opinion column referred to the "outing" of Plame as a CIA operative.
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paulwiggins	Post subject: Re: To Out or Not To Out Posted: Tue May 04, 2004 8:17 pm
Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2003 12:01 am Posts: 3137 Location: Homebush NSW Australia	It seems out is in. How outre.
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majorbabs	Post subject: Re: To Out or Not To Out Posted: Wed May 05, 2004 10:36 am
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2002 12:01 am Posts: 744 Location: HuskerLand	Paul. you gave me my smile for the day. Thanks, mate.
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