We look to art for models to imitate in life, and for decades, coming out stories in pop culture have offered inspiration for actual coming out moments. Media has helped create a language and set of shared cultural expectations around this process, whether it’s portrayed as an understated, quiet conversation, comic reveal, or full-on spectacle. Here’s our Take on Coming Out tropes in pop culture and the onscreen template that’s shaped the real-life process, for better and worse.