History Main / ArmouredClosetGay

** Angels [[NoBiologicalSex are normally genderless]], though they use 'he/him' pronouns by default. The KnightTemplar angel 6 Juggernaut Star Scours the Universe especially hates mortals (especially humans) and any angels who ascribe to mortal concepts like gender, calling them deviants and seeking to destroy them whenever possible. It even [[ItIsDehumanizing willingly refers to itself as an 'it']] just to distance itself from such mortal concepts. [[spoiler:It later turns out its spiked skeleton apperance is an intentionally cultivated GameFace: When its concentration slips, 6 Juggernaut Star's form in the void turns out to be a BrokenAngel who looks like a human woman in a pretty dress, with burnt-away wings. Even TransTribulations sufferer 82 White Chain, who has begun identifying as a 'her' and hates 6 Juggernaut Star for representing the worst of angelkind, is given pause when she discovers it and tries to reach out to 6 Juggernaut star as 'sister'.]]

* ''Film/TropicThunder'' has a less extreme version of this with Alpa Chino, a famous rapper who's branching into acting. [[HaveIMentionedIAmHeterosexualToday His catchphrase as a rapper seems to be "I love the pussy" and he hawks a soda based on his music called "Booty Sweat."]] Toward the end of the film, as all the actors talk about their love lives, he's asked if he has anyone special that isn't just a sexual thing, and Chino replies that he's had a crush on someone he was too shy to ask out. When asked the girl's name he wistfully replies "Lance." When they naturally question it, he falls into a long, denial-filled rant about how he isn't gay and how much he "loves da pussy." [[spoiler: He's last seen in the movie hugging Lance Bass at the Oscars.]]

* Harry Black in Creator/HubertSelby's ''Last Exit to Brooklyn'' and in the film adaptation, where he's played by Creator/StephenLang. He affects a macho demeanor (though nobody takes his bluster seriously), is married to a woman whom he loathes and finds physically revolting, and has clandestine affairs with local drag queens while embezzling money from his union to wine and dine his homosexual lovers.

* In ''Out of the Shadows'' by Sue Hines, Jodie is continually picked on by the AlphaBitch because of her [[PseudoRomanticFriendship extremely close friendship]] with Ro. She gets back at the Alpha Bitch later on in the book by suggesting that she's trying to cover up her own lesbian yearnings with her bullying. It's never confirmed if her accusation was right or not, but the Alpha Bitch ''does'' leave her alone after that.
* In the horror novella ''The School House'' by Simon Bestwick, the protagonist's friend committed suicide after being raped by two classmates who had mercilessly tormented him on suspicion of being gay (it's never revealed whether he really was.) Although it's possible this happened because they were in an all-male boarding school where there were no girls around, the protagonist seems to suspect that the bullies put up a front as tough-guy thugs because they were unsure about their own sexuality.

* In ''WebVideo/DeathNoteTheAbridgedSeriesKpts4tv'' Mr. Yagami is a [[PoliticallyIncorrectHero homophobic]] JerkAss [[CompensatingForSomething obsessed]] with [[RatedMForManly "manliness"]] but at one point he dressed up as Franchise/SailorMoon... and he hits on [[NoYay Ryuk]].

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

* A strange case in ''Literature/TheBlackMagicianTrilogy'' in that there's no macho posturing, and only a little gay-bashing. Dannyl, a magician from a country that has very strong prejudices against homosexuality, is so incredibly deep in the closet (due to the aforementioned prejudice and an incident as a teen) that he constantly uses his magic to suppress any and all attraction to men. Utterly subconsciously-he doesn't even know he's doing it till he exhausts himself magically and can't do it anymore.

* In ''Literature/TheWayYouAre'', the main character spends most of the novel in the closet. His armor is slowly chipped away as the story progresses.

* ''Series/SexEducation'': [[spoiler:Adam Groff]] is revealed to be an Armoured Closet Bisexual when he kisses openly gay classmate Eric Effiong.

[[folder:Film]]

** Four seasons after his last appearance, we learn this about Buffy's brief love interest Scott Hope in "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS7E7ConversationsWithDeadPeople Conversations with Dead People]]". He told people that every girl he broke up with was a lesbian, "and then last year, [[SarcasmMode big surprise]], he comes out." This was likely an ActorAllusion gag, as the actor who played Scott went on to star on the American ''Series/QueerAsFolk''.

* In the ''{{Series/Community}}'' episode "[[Recap/CommunityS5E11GIJeff GI Jeff]]" [[Franchise/GIJoe Cobra Commander]] is jokingly depicted as being secretly bisexual, having been Destro's lover. He spends a lot of the episode denying it even in the middle of battle, shouting that he'll get vengeance for his "[[BlatantLies totally platonic friend]]".

* Riley of ''[[Series/{{Degrassi}} Degrassi: The Next Generation]]'': star track runner, football team captain, and quarterback, summertime lifeguard, insatiably attracted to men. Early on any insinuation of his sexuality led him to lash out violently, including clocking a gay lifeguard in the jaw. But anger management classes and his new boyfriend's coaxing have helped him to [[CharacterDevelopment not only calm down]] but even [[ComingOutStory come out publicly]].

** Santana is a female example - she 'fesses up to Brittany that the reason she [[AlphaBitch acts like such a bitch]] is because she is angry, and she is angry because she has feelings for Brittany that she can't handle. Some parts of the fandom then quickly decided that Santana's AnythingThatMoves behaviour is because she subconsciously has decided that it is easier being the school slut rather than the school dyke.

* In ''Series/QueerAsFolk'' Drew Boyd is a macho football player who was engaged. Then he hooked up with Emmett and insists on staying in the closet until near the end of the series.

* Parodied in an episode of ''Series/{{Scrubs}}'', with The Todd. Carla and Elliot suspect that Todd is gay (since he hasn't actually slept with any woman he supposedly has) and that his womanizing personality is merely an act he puts on to avoid suspicion. They confront him and get him to tearfully come out of the closet... but then he proceeds to act exactly the same as always, only towards men instead. Then he reveals to the two of them that [[FauxYay he was only pretending to be gay]] because "[[GuyOnGuyIsHot chicks dig gay dudes]]". Then he walks away and [[AnythingThatMoves starts hitting on both men and women equally]].

** Naomi was this for much of Series 3, assuring everyone how very straight she was in between make-out sessions with Emily. [[TransparentCloset It didn't really work]] - well, except for Cook, who was probably too horny to care.

AKA Haggard's Law[[note]]Named by [=RationalWiki=] after Rev. Ted Haggard, fundamentalist Christian pastor who was caught fornicating with male prostitutes[[/note]], or the Law of Inverse Homosexuality: ''The more [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial vocally opposed]] a person is to homosexuality, the more likely they are [[YouAreWhatYouHate to be gay themself and closeted about it]].''

AKA Haggard's Law, or the Law of Inverse Homosexuality: ''The more [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial vocally opposed]] a person is to homosexuality, the more likely they are [[YouAreWhatYouHate to be gay themself and closeted about it]].''

** Angels [[NoBiologicalSex are normally genderless]], though they use 'he/him' pronouns by default. The KnightTemplar angel 6 Juggernaut Star Scours the Universe especially hates mortals (especially humans) and any angels who ascribe to mortal concepts like gender, calling them deviants and seeking to destroy them whenever possible. It even [[ItIsDehumanizing willingly refers to itself as an 'it']] just to distance itself from such mortal concepts. [[spoiler:It later turns out its spiked skeleton apperance is an intentionally cultivated GameFace: When its concentration slips, 6 Juggernaut Star's form in the void turns out to be a BrokenAngel who looks like a human woman in a pretty dress, with burnt-away wings. Even TransTribulation sufferer 82 White Chain, who has begun identifying as a 'her' and hates 6 Juggernaut Star for representing the worst of angelkind, is given pause when she discovers it and tries to reach out to 6 Juggernaut star as 'sister'.]]

** Comes up in a sense. Juggernaut Star hates mortals (especially humans) and angels who ascribe to mortal concepts like gender, calling them deviants and seeking to destroy them whenever possible. It often rants at length about how disgusting humans are and how angels who sympathize with them are insane. [[spoiler:Then Maya sees Juggernaut Star's natural form in the void and it looks almost ''exactly'' like a human woman, just with red skin and spikes. Juggernaut flees the scene without explaining this, but the implication of [[BoomerangBigot what's going on]] is very clear.]]

He's the strongest, toughest, manliest man in the sports team. He might hate gays and be vocal, or even violent about it. He will remind everybody that [[HaveIMentionedIAmHeterosexualToday he is completely, 100% straight]]. That is, during the daytime. When night falls, you can find him WhereEverybodyKnowsYourFlame with the {{Club Kid}}s and {{Gym Bunn|y}}ies. He might be browsing Grindr with a headless torso pic. He's the self-loathing gay guy who hides behind a macho homophobic façade.

Subtrope of ClosetGay. Polar opposite of GayBravado -- acting gay to affirm your heterosexuality -- unless it's a [[DoubleSubversion double bluff]], of course. Sometimes overlaps with {{Gayngster}} and with TransparentCloset--just because the armor's there doesn't mean that people can't see through it. May result in IrrationalHatred of gays, or {{tsundere}} behavior toward the object of such a character's same-sex affection.

Despite [[http://www.afterellen.com/tv/493157-gay-tv-tropes-every-queer-woman-aware what After Ellen wrote,]] this isn't ForcedOutOfTheCloset, though this character may end up being a target of that. Remember that the character's homosexuality has to be mentioned in-story. If it's never said but you have good reasons to believe that a character is an armoured closet gay, explain it at WildMassGuessing.

* ''Fanfic/TheKingNobodyWanted'': Ser Alliser Thorne is suspicious of Jarman Buckwell and Jaremy Rykker's close relationship and scorns Aegon "Bloodborn" Frey as a likely "buggerer". He also shows no interest in women sexually, has a clear infatuation with Jon Connington, shows signs of a crush on Aerys and describes an admiration for watching Jaime Lannister's skill with the sword that sounds distinctly sexual.

* In ''WebVideo/YuGiOhTheAbridgedSeries'', Pegasus is Armored Closet ''Straight''. He [[FauxYay deliberately acts]] as CampGay as possible and is willing to kill to protect his secret. Also, Marik Ishtar; despite the obvious signs of being gay (hanging around with an attractive man, reads yaoi, flaunt his abs, and stroking a phallic symbol), he frequently denies his homosexuality.

* Otto, Karl's agent in ''Film/{{Magicians}}'', strenuously denies that he has any kind of homosexual love for his client. His denials ring a bit false consider that he once snogged the guy completely out of the blue (and then had the nerve to challenge Karl's own understanding of his sexuality with accusation that "we just kissed..."), and then, whilst trying to pep Karl up before a gig, blurted out "I love you!"

* A double case in ''Literature/{{Camouflage}}''. The protagonist himself, who's bisexual and firmly not liking his homo-romantic side, and [[spoiler:the main antagonist, whose become a massive prick about it]]. Ultimately, [[spoiler: the latter's monstrous actions serve as a cautionary tale to Danilo, and he accepts himself and goes on to fight for LGBT rights.]]

* In ''Literature/FellowTravelers'' by Thomas Mallon, Hawkins Fuller is very much in the closet. He even bashes homosexuals at work. The book was set during [[RedScare the McCarthy era]] when being gay meant being black-listed and possibly never working again. Fuller had no choice but to play the part. To a lesser extent, Timothy Laughlin fits the self-loathing part, and he was also in the closet for a long time because of necessity.

* ''Literature/MitchTobin'': Bruce in the fourth book, who hotly denies that he's gay despite having had sex with men and threatens anyone who he thinks will tell his mother.

* ''Series/ControlZ'': Gerry is vocally homophobic, but it turns out he likes to watch gay porn. This naturally gets him called gay himself, though he insists that he's not. [[spoiler:Season 2 reveals that he's lying, even to himself-he really does like men.]]

* On ''Series/ParksAndRecreation'', Marshall Langman, who along with his wife Marcia heads the [[MoralGuardians Society For Family Stability Foundation]], is heavily implied to be this. In "Sex Education" when they try to shut down Leslie's sex-ed classes for the elderly, They go on TV and talks about the importance of abstinence-only education.

* In ''Series/QueerAsFolk'' Drew Boyd is a macho football player who was engaged. Then he hooked up with Emmett, insists to stay in the closet until near the end of the series.

* ''Theatre/AngelsInAmerica'' features a famous real life example Roy Cohn. He's so deep in the closet that even when admitting to sex with men against undeniable evidence (which was only brought up because he freaked out at even a hint of him being linked to the gay community), he still finds a way to claim that this doesn't make him a homosexual, as in his mind true gay men are weak and devoid of clout, which makes a supremely powerful man like him heterosexual. Adding onto his hypocritical homophobia, Roy refuses to even be officially diagnosed with AIDS, stating that the disease afflicts gay men, and has his record changed to state he has liver cancer. As in real life, his death from AIDS forever links him to the community that he despised whilst alienating him from his bigoted allies.

* In the video game ''VideoGame/{{Bully}}'', one of the jocks, Kirby, behaves the same way, until you finally make out with him. ''All'' of the cliques have one boy who will kiss Jimmy if his respect with their gang is high enough. If it's not, even Cornelius, the Urkel-like gay nerd, will try to whup Jimmy's ass with a yardstick.

** Craig Tucker and Tweek Tweak are heavily implied to be this in Season 19's [[Recap/SouthParkS19E6TweekXCraig Tweek x Craig]], as they repeatedly state that they are not gay, but the whole town either ignores or disregards their statements, and eventually, Tweek and Craig get together in the end, realizing that they are gay, as confirmed by WordOfGod by Creator/TreyParkerAndMattStone on Twitter, which is further shown on Season 21's [[Recap/SouthParkS21E2PutItDown Put it Down]].

AKA [[Wiki/RationalWiki Haggard's Law]], or the Law of Inverse Homosexuality: ''The more [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial vocally opposed]] a person is to homosexuality, the more likely they are [[YouAreWhatYouHate to be gay themself and closeted about it]].''

* Wiki/RationalWiki refers to this as [[http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Haggard%27s_Law Haggard's Law]], in reference to an infamous RealLife incident where Ted Haggard (known for his staunch, aggressive anti-gay stance) continued to claim that he's not gay or bi [[ImplausibleDeniability despite being caught paying male prostitutes to have sex with him]].

[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZmHC75FDqQ And of all the televangelists his favorite is oral]]"''