To an extent many people do hide things about themselves, but it's a certain number of things that society enormously targets that can be bad for the person. Being gay is one of them.
However, we must understand that like certain athletes that have come out, there is a different calculus involved. In their circles, being openly gay is incredibly stigmatizing, while in society at large, it has become less so (though still highly stigmatizing). In the elite business world (or even in general), being openly gay is still something that coworkers or employers want kept private, without any hint that one might be gay showing up, because "that doesn't belong at work." Meanwhile everyone else can enjoy talking about their significant others, children and marriages. There can be courage in the cultured sense with this, just as there can be courage in the self for being able to accept themselves.
In terms of being prideful, that's a concept of self and can happen at any time in one's life. I don't really think my pride should be measured by whether or not it has become easier for people to feel pride in who they are under this given circumstance. Had others been earlier trail-blazers? Yes. But people don't owe every waking moment, nor should measure their self-concept to those that came before.
