I understand that homosexuality was still illegal in 1920s England. My question is: if a man decided to come out (to use the modern term) to a family member or friend what consequences could he face both legally and socially?
Legal wise, I think a few good references would be how Alan Turing and Oscar Wilde was treated. I know the timing is a bit off since Oscar Wilde was from 1900s and Alan Turing is from the 1940s and 1950s, but I think you can still glean a glimpse into this issue. Both men were prosecuted under the Labouchere Amendment (1885), which criminalized Gross Indecency. Gross indecency is used for homosexual men instead of sodomy (if buttsex can be proven). The punishment for being gay can vary though. Oscar Wilde was given a few years of hard labor, while Alan Turing was given a hormone therapy (read, chemical castration).