Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Oooooooh . . . Shocker!

Okay, I don't know how reliable this information is, but according to Perez Hilton , Clay Aiken officially comes out of the closet in the upcoming issue of People magazine. It's not up on the People website, so I don't know if Perez is just that good or this is a giant hoax.
Let's assume, though, that this is true. Yes, it's the least shocking outing in the history of coming out of the closet, but there's a bigger issue here. Why does coming out of the closet have to be a big deal? Or better yet when will the day come when it's not a big deal when a celebrity (or anyone for that matter) comes out? Anyone who had eyes knew that Clay Aiken was gay, and yet he has spent years sidestepping the issue and denying it. To me, that does more harm than good -- further enforcing the notion that gay is shameful or something to be hidden.
Now, I know it's easy for me to sit here on my "Straight Girl Throne" preaching gay pride. I've never had to hide my heterosexuality or fear that I would suffer major reprisals for my sexuality. This situation, though, is a pathetic reflection on our society that forces people to hide who they are, who treat a natural phemomenon as sinful or dirty. This is the 21st Century, people; it's time to get over our straight selves and just let people be people. And then maybe the day will come when people don't have to go on magazine covers and state the obvious.
(PS -- As the reigning Ms. Fag Hag since about 1971, I just want to say "Hey, Clay! I am such a fan of your people . . .and your people are such a fan of me. Now I know why I wept so bitterly when your American Idol crown was stolen out from under you!)

2 comments:

Jen said...

Well, Perez got it right. There was an item on msnbc.com about it. You're right--it's pretty much the least shocking coming out in the history of coming out. But as someone who is living in California and wondering if we are going to write discrimination into our state constitution with Prop. 8, I'm happy to see him coming forward. Gay people and gay families are people and families first, and I'd like to see our society treat them fairly and equally.

Danielle Filas said...

... and Lindsay Lohan, too, I hear.

Even though I don't CARE to hear, I hear. I mean, really, who gives a flying nun WHICH gender anyone prefers? Why in the heck is this news? We're such a pathetic, sick society.

Sigh.