When is saying too much too much? And when does it become acceptable if ever at all to violate someone else’s rights? There are some in our community that feel it becomes necessary and acceptable to do so when it benefits them or their community but I am still left with the question do any of us in the end have the right to impose our needs or beliefs on others when we know it is not harming others? I have to ask myself as a Christian does my decision have more to do with the benefits it gives me and is this a decision or an action of love for my neighbor?
Recently OUT magazine ran an article (the Glass Closet) shaming individuals such as CNN’s Anderson Cooper and movie actress Jodi Foster for living in a glass closet. He states in his article these individuals “are comfortable with their decision because they feel like they’re living honestly” but goes on to state that such behavior is anything but and they have a responsibility to come out of the closet for the greater good and become the gay communities poster child. Many in our community feel that individuals such as these benefit from the basic freedom we all share in this country and that somehow they don’t share in the price many have had to pay by confronting the prejudices and hatred that has been presented to us. OUT magazine further goes on to justify outing these people by reminding the reader that even though these famous individuals don’t want to be defined by their sexuality in the end we are genuinely happier people once the truth was out noting one time singing success Lance Bass and the former Doggie Howser, MD actor Neil Patrick Harris as examples showing us how little this affected their professional careers. But still I wrestle whether we have a right to push ourselves onto others and by perpetuating such articles are we just encouraging a modern day witch hunt? I noticed one of the readers commented in the Letter to the Editor “No Kenny Chesney??? I am totally convinced that he is gay despite his denial on 60 Minutes a while back with (ahem) Anderson Cooper.”
In the end I can’t help but find this behavior very disrespectful, hypocritical with a message of exclusiveness. Everyone treats a person differently when they know a truth about them and it’s not our right to decide what others want to reveal about themselves. Issues like this only show me how deaf we are when it comes to the wisdom and knowledge of respecting the rights of others. Somehow the only thing that I really see that was truly accomplished was that articles such as these help us look ignorant to the overall community around us.
“Okay, I’m gay! Happy now?”
Anderson Cooper
April 4th 2007 OUT magazines Letter to the Editor (on-line)
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