You might have anti-gay bias if.....

[FreeState]

Every time someone famous comes out I hear a combination of how everyone knew, it really doesn't matter, one shouldn't have to come out, it will be nice when no one has to say they are gay.

Well... really?

When people say this, the only time I hear them say this is when a gay person talks about their family. They never say this when a straight person mentions their spouse or family. No one I know watches the news and makes those comments when the anchor makes it obvious they are straight.

I think those statements are based on bias. You might be a little homophobic if you feel that way.

As for me, I cant wait for the day when gays and lesbians are open and no one blinks an eye, that it is not frowned on to come out for any reason. Straight people are open with their orientation all the time, gays should be able too.

/rant

[orpupilofnature57]

1. I'm not Gay but I'm GLAD

and vacation in Provincetown every year ,and for the last ten during Family week , a pure pleasure being around people when they're able to be themselves without considering the implications .Unfortunately having to carry that burden can make people defensive ,and the people that try to impose that false norm couldn't subject themselves to loving ,brilliant people without denotations and connotations of the artificial lives ,Biased Closed minded assholes have .

[MADem]

2. No one asked Walt about Mrs. Cronkite.

But...to play devil's advocate, here, Walt was never a fit, sexy presenter on MTV or "The Mole" either.

Cooper wasn't always a serious journalist--he is now, but he started out doing a lot of "heartthrob" gigs. He was a youthful sex symbol who stood out because of his unusual looks (the premature hair, the piercing blue eyes), and when someone is a sex symbol, some (usually very young, but not always) folks enjoy a fantasy that they'll someday dance off with the object of their desire, be that Fred Astaire or Ginger Rogers. It helps the daydream along if one knows for which team the object of those affections roots.

Young people have a tendency to believe that fantasy could become reality at a far greater rate than is statistically likely. Oftentimes, because of this, publicists will insist that a client be circumspect so as to not "alienate" a cadre of youth who are lusting after the person--Ricky Martin was a good example of that. There are a number of very well known actors that "everyone knows" are gay, but they don't come out because they fear a box office backlash as a consequence.

Rupert Everett spoke to this very issue a few years ago: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1232588/Rupert-Everett-Coming-gay-actor-ruined-career-Hollywood.html

Actor Rupert Everett is urging gay stars not to 'come out' and to keep their sexuality a secret as it could end their film career.

The 50-year-old My Best Friend's Wedding star came out as gay 20 years ago and admitted that since then, he has been given supporting roles and not lead parts.

Everett is now suggesting that aspiring actors stay in the closet as it could harm their career.
He said: 'It's not that advisable to be honest. It's not very easy. And, honestly, I would not advise any actor necessarily, if he was really thinking of his career, to come out...'The fact is that you could not be, and still cannot be, a 25-year-old homosexual trying to make it in the British film business or the American film business or even the Italian film business.
'It just doesn't work and you're going to hit a brick wall at some point. You're going to manage to make it roll for a certain amount of time, but at the first sign of failure, they'll cut you right off.

Nowadays, Anderson Cooper is still a nice looking gent, but he's older--he isn't getting those teen-aged hearts beating fast like he did in his buff youth. He's also much more "serious journalist" and less "celebrity presenter" these days, as well.

We're getting closer to that "no one blinks an eye" day, but I will be the first to admit that we aren't there yet. I think the Republicans are largely responsible for holding up the wheels of progress--they seem to go out of their way to play some kind of stupid 'shame game'--look at Ken Mehlman and David Brock as two rather obvious examples. The GOP's good buddy, the religious right (who could not be more wrong) also like to throw a few logs of intolerance on the fire on a regular basis.

I think getting 50 state marriage equality would go a long way towards your "no one blinks an eye" goal.

[Fearless]

3. Hmm...

I don't think that saying everyone knew already is homophobic. A lot of us LGBTers have followed him closely over the years, and it was pretty obvious.

I do agree though that it's a big deal. Anderson is by all accounts a model adult and I don't mean in looks (although...). As an openly gay man he can prove to be an excellent role model for our LGBT youth who need good examples and support along the way.

And to the final point, it would be nice not to have to say that we're gay. The gay reporter. The gay marriage. The gay couple. They're just a plain old couple. Anderson is just a reporter. Gay marriage is just marriage.

Sure I'd describe myself as gay, but I'm not Fearless the Gay DUer. It's just Fearless. I don't need a justifying adjective for what I am that makes me different from everyone else but yet still part of the group. IMHO and for me of course. To me titles are just silly. Be yourself and don't worry about labels. Again IMHO of course.