Exercising civil rights in private

In reference to a Tennessee paper who published a list of concealed-carry permit holders, Andrew Sullivan asks, "If gun rights are civil rights, why would anyone feel the need to hide the fact that they own one?"

Glenn Reynolds immediately turned the question around to abortion. But my original thought was to something dearer to Mr. Sullivan. "If engaging in homosexual sex is a civil right, why would anyone feel the need to hide the fact that they do so?"

And before anyone claims guns can be dangerous, let me refresh one's memory: In the mid-80's, AIDS single-handedly reduced the life expectancy of homosexual men to Third World levels.

There are a lot of actions that are civil rights that you may not want anyone to know. What politician you voted for is one obvious example. Privacy should still be respected.