Diversityconcernsresolutelyopposepersecution，butalsocastdoubtonexclusionarypolicies，includingsomethatareonlyindirectexclusions.Americanpoliciespersecutingandexcludinghomosexualsinthemid-twentiethcenturydidnotdiscouragehomosexuality，butdidforcemostlesbiansandgaymenintosecretlives，whatwecall“thecloset”（Chauncey，1994，epilogue）Forthehomosexualminority，aworldofpublicmasksandsecretsexliveswasemotionallydevastatingandinherentlyunstable.Policiesencouragingdiscretionandprudenceintheworkplaceandotherpublicenvironmentsarefine，butthoseruthlesslycoercingadultstohideinclosetsarenotuseful.
Aregimeoftheclosetalsoimposescostsonthirdparties.Themostunfortunateexampleismarriage.InAmericaofthe1950s，andprobablyinChinatoday，mostgaymenandlesbiansmarriedpersonsoftheoppositesex-typicallywithouttellingtheirheterosexualpartnersabouttheirtruesexualfeelings.Mostofthesemarriageswereunhappyforbothpartners，andcertainlyunfairtopartnerswhoweremisinformed.Today，somebisexualorgaymaleAmericansstillmarryorhavesexwithwomen，butwithouttellingthemthattheyarealsohavingsexwithmen.ManyoftheseunsuspectingwomenhavebeeninfectedwiththeHIVvirusthatcausesAIDS.Moregenerally，medicalexpertshavefoundthatAIDS-preventioncampaignsdependheavilyoncooperationwithgayandbisexualmalecommunitiesandhaverecommendedagainstgay-stigmatizingpolicies（e.g.，PhilipsonandPosner，1993）.
ThelowestAIDSratesamongWesternsocietiesareinScandinavia，whosecountriesnotonlyabandonedanti-gaylawsandpolicies，butadoptedlawsaffirmativelybarringanti-gaydiscrimination.Indeed，Denmarkasthefirstnationintheworldtorecognizesame-sexunions（1989），andallitsNordicneighborshavefollowedsuit-withfurtherdeclinesinAIDSrates.Expertshavefoundaconnectionbetweentheirpro-gaypoliciesandlowerratesofsexuallytransmitteddiseases（seeEskridgeandSpedale，2006）.