▁the ▁San ▁Francisco ▁Ex am iner ▁which ▁attributed ▁the ▁prediction ▁of ▁a ▁" n ational ▁out ing ▁day " ▁to ▁writer ▁Arthur ▁Evans . ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁individuals ▁Pet rel is ▁and ▁Good man ▁named ▁was ▁Mark ▁Hat field , ▁a ▁Republican ▁Senator ▁from ▁Oregon ▁whom ▁Pet rel is ▁had ▁first ▁helped ▁expose ▁as ▁secret ly ▁hom osex ual ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁political ▁out ing ▁of ▁an ▁elected ▁official ▁by ▁American ▁activ ists . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁after math ▁of ▁the ▁out ing ▁of ▁newly ▁dece ased ▁mult im ill ion aire ▁Mal col m ▁For bes ▁by ▁the ▁les bian ▁and ▁gay ▁news ▁magazine , ▁Out Week , ▁Pet rel is ▁said ▁of ▁the ▁t actic , ▁" Out ing ▁is ▁a ▁very ▁complicated ▁issue . ▁There ▁are ▁no ▁rules ▁for ▁out ing . ▁Polit icians ▁give ▁up ▁a ▁lot ▁of ▁their ▁priv acy . ▁Their ▁lives ▁are ▁lived ▁in ▁a ▁fish bow l ." ▁ ▁Steve ▁G und erson , ▁a ▁Republican ▁representing ▁Wisconsin ' s ▁ 3 rd ▁con gression al ▁district ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives , ▁had ▁been ▁among ▁those ▁individuals ▁Pet rel is ▁had ▁included ▁on ▁his ▁list ▁of ▁clos et ed ▁hom osex uals ▁at ▁the ▁May ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁press ▁conference ▁on ▁the ▁steps ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Capit ol . ▁When ▁ ▁Pet rel is ▁encountered ▁G und erson ▁at ▁a ▁gay ▁bar ▁in ▁Alexand ria