On October 11, it was National Coming Out Day, a day encouraging GLBT persons to proclaim their sexuality to family, friends, and loved ones.
While I see benefits of sharing such an intimate aspect of oneself to loved ones, I also respect a person’s decision for privacy. For instance, do I need to tell my loved ones if I struggle with heterosexual lust? Should there be a campaign that encourages me to share these thoughts with my loved ones? The point is, I have a right to privacy and I have the right to keep such intimate details of myself to myself.
So although I understand some of the tenants of National Coming Out Day, it appears that the GLBT community contradicts itself by browbeating persons to disclose their sexual identity. Take a recent editorial from the Washington Blade…
The author, Kevin Naff, suggests that it is shameful that celebrities have not come out of the closet and proclaimed their sexuality to - not just their loved ones - but to the world. Kevin attempts to out persons such as Anderson Cooper and Shepard Smith, which may be true or may only be speculation. Kevin, on one hand, the GLBT community argues for sexual equality because each person should have a right to privacy. On the other hand, you appear to browbeat persons to disclose their sexual inclinations for the good of the cause. It seems rather hypocritical to me.
It’s one thing to encourage persons to be proud of their sexuality, still another to browbeat disclosure, even to the point of outing persons to the world, only to advance your cause.
Tags: [GLBT, gay, homosexual, National Coming Out Day, HRC, Washington Blade]
