Who cares?

Well I guess I do – and I’m not sure why. I’m not sure it it’s just plain ol’ curiosity or what, but I’ll admit it – I want to know….. Just who are the closeted gay celebrities? The reality is that coming out of the closet is a life long process which we all do it in our own time. Some celebrities we may never know and others will do it in their own time. In the mean time I’ll just have to speculate and do the old I told you so later! I’m an activist for gay rights in many ways – I’ve been known to protest, write letters, blog, sign petitions, march in parades etc. However I have to say that the most powerful activism that I participate in is just being a plain ol’ out gay guy.

When I say that coming out is a life long process - I’m not kidding. People make assumptions all the time. Let me give you a couple of very recent examples – Kent and I are season tickets holders to both Husky basketball and football. I know, I know, it does not fit the stereo type but what can I say we are so butch! (stop laughing!) Anyway – recently we decided to meet with the athletic department at the University of Washington and upgrade our seats. Now we’ve been a couple for 13 years so in some ways you kind of forget about it and assume everyone knows but during the course of the conversation with guy from UW it was clear that he assumed we were to “buds” (oh we’re “buds” all right Ed) that liked football and had tickets together. He makes the comment, something to the effect “the wives must do their thing while you guys go to football”. So you can handle this is several ways – but we ALWAYS correct this king of stuff. I think Kent said something like - “we don’t have to worry about the wives since we are a gay couple” - very matter fact but friendly and move right along in the conversation. It’s not so much a confrontation as it is, educating. 99.9% of the time people are great about it. But you see what I mean about it being a life long process? Another recent example – my parents were in town and my Mom and I are sitting there and a couple of young Mormon missionaries come to the door. I answered the door and before they could get very far I said something like “I want you to know this is a gay household and I’m not sure the Mormon Church wants much to do with us”. Again – not aggressive but matter fact. One of the guys looked pissed but the one that took the lead handled it really well and asked if there was anything they could do for me and that was the end of that. Happens all the time in work setting not with my immediate co-workers but with business acquaintances when you first meet them – they see the ring and there goes the assumption and I here I go again – got to come out again.

This turned out to be a much longer post than I had intended but the Ricky Martin thing got me to thinking – What if everyone who was gay and in the closet just came out? The whole gay rights thing would become a non issue. Everyone has to do it in their own time but I’m here to say it’s the most politically powerful thing you can do!

I’ve got a new item on the sidebar of my blog. Celebrates who have come out of the closet and those that I suspect are gay. I’ll cross them off as they come out! Let me know if there are others I should add.

Out and Proud –