Ellen Page reveals she is a lesbian
 

Good for her!

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/...lesbian-n31091

I hope that very soon, we can all learn to love, and at the very least, accept and respect each other.

Ever since Juno there's been wide spread rumors of her being gay. It's not exactly shocking.

:) This isn't about being "shocking." This is about people (celebs and noncelebs) not being forced to hide themselves in a heterocentric world.

We can't force acceptance and respect but we (through social dynamics, policies, and laws) can tell heterosexual naysayers that their viewpoints can no longer silence and oppress other people.

Reverend Al Sharpton's brilliant self was on a show I was watching. I can't find a link to the show but here's one of Reverend Sharpton's much needed articles:
http://thegrio.com/2013/03/27/rev-al...udes-everyone/

(read the comments section of the above article :rolleyes:)

I heard on the news "Ellen Page has big announcement" or something equally as annoying for a teaser. I knew immediately what the big surprise was gonna be and my first thought was, and in other news, water is wet and it's dark at night.

But I do try to be supportive. On one hand I feel like we seriously have moved beyond this and we don't need to know every single celebrity's sexual orientation. It doesn't impact my perception or acceptance of an actor or athlete's talent. But I do accept that these moments of famous people outing themselves gives a little boost of hope for those teenagers who are thinking about committing suicide because they can't bear the thought of living the rest of their lives as they are currently living.

I did notice in the Olympics, with the discussion of gay athletes and all the Russian hubbub that the figure skaters have stayed completely out of it. At least one of the male skaters is straight and I only know that because in a completely separate issue it was mentioned that the ice dancer's girlfriend is competing or something. That was the full extent of the discussion. It easily could have been news that we actually have a straight skater. Or him feeling defensive or needing to prove to the world that he's straight. Now, if his girlfriend is in the stands for his performance tonight, it will probably be brought up. The NBC figure skating commentators are terrible and will probably make an issue of it. I'm WAY preferring Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinsky on NBC Sports Network. They are more fun to listen to, more insightful and way less schmaltz. But that's a different discussion...

Can I ask how some of you already knew Ellen Page is a lesbian?

If you haven't already, listen to her speech. It's beautiful. She doesn't even mention her own sexuality until around the 6 minute mark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTAjZxTyAQI

Gay people come out for themselves. And for someone in the spotlight, they, whether they like it or not, come out for other people. They are seen as an advocate, a defense, another person to add to a long list of strong people who not only announced to their friends and family that they're gay, but to the world.

And what do you suppose would happen if (prior to her giving this speech) Ellen Page was seen walking down the street hand-in-hand with a woman? Or if (prior to his coming out) Michael Sam invited the same guy to watch him in every game and practice? It would be blasted all over the news and every social media site, and the whole country would be talking about it.

I think by Page announcing it, she's actually made it a non-issue.

I have no clue. But I also don't pay attention to celebrities' lives unless a story ends up in a major national news source (like this story did), so maybe she's alluded to it before?

This.

I was hoping the people who claim this is a "duh moment" would tell us why this is a "duh moment."

I just already assumed she was gay. I can't explain gaydar, but it's there. I can give you some symptoms, but they wouldn't define her gayness. I can say she always seems to look uncomfortable in girly clothes and seems to have a kind of butch presence about herself. Does that make her gay? No. But it made me assume she is. If she got married, had a baby, or other things that would seem to mean she's straight, I'd have said who knew? But it's no skin off my arse in any case.

I do think that once you are a known entity by people who don't know you, MANY areas of your life are open to retribution. "Come Out" as a Democrat, Republican, Vegetarian, dog lover, gas guzzler or hybrid driver, religious/unreligious, many people will pick sides and choose to love you or hate you as a result. I personally put gay/straight in these same categories. Some people will choose to love or hate you on that simple point of your entire person, but not worse than being a Republican in Hollywood. We can hope that people won't be all militant about it, but assuming that anything you say or do in public won't cause them to boycott you at the drop of a hat - not gonna happen.

I don't know if I would exactly call it a "duh moment," but one of my guilty pleasures is reading Hollywood gossip blogs, and her being a lesbian has been alluded to in those circles for the past couple of years. Therefore, I was not surprised that she came out. For me, it was more along the lines of "good for her."

Yep. DataLounge, my favorite gossip board, has been saying so for as long as she's been in the spotlight.

Hollywood is actually homophobic. That is why entertainers usually wait until they are millionaires before they come out of the closet.

That leaves Kevin Spacey, Levarr Burton, Hal Holbrook, Hugh Heffner, Magic Johnson, John Travolta and Isiah Thomas.

There is also a big assumption that a celebrity is gay if he or she isn't known to be in a relation with somebody of the opposite gender, and it's very very difficult for them to keep private relationships actually private. I like the context in which she came out especially. She was speaking as a young lesbian at an event for young gays and lesbians.

tuco99, what in the orca are you talking about in your second post?

THey need to come out.

Only if they want to.

Symptoms. Oh.

The only Republican celebrity I recall receiving backlash is Stacy Dash, which is hilarious, because I didnt think anyone cared that much about a celebrity's politics.

Let Ellen Page live. I didnt have any feelings towards who she loves anyway. Still, good for her!

DuBaiSis really said "some symptoms." Oh.

/I can ignore tuco99

I wouldn't say "Hollywood" is homophobic. I would say the Hollywood machine is phobic of anything that hurts profits. If America is less likely to see a movie starring a homosexual actor/actress in a straight role then then it benefits everyone to keep it quiet.

The gossip about plenty of actors and actresses has been spinning for years. When they finally come out it's a "shrug" kind of moment.

I'm in the IDGAF camp and wish people would just go on about their lives without making announcements.

Normal, everyday people do. Those in the spotlight could, but more attention would be drawn to them if they didn't.

It is what it is. I'm sure most don't want to announce it, but they feel like they have to, or else deal with a media circus and end up on the front page of every magazine with the headline, "Is he/she gay?!?!?!?!"

I couldn't agree more.

However, I am looking forward to the day when it doesn't have to be big news when a celebrity/someone prominent comes out.

I don't know the sexual orientation of the GCers in this thread, but along the lines of what Jen said:

Heterocentrism allows heterosexuals to nonchalantly say "I don't care...people need to stop announcing" OR "they need to just 'come out of the closet'...hurry up."

Power groups like heterosexuals always feel the need to weigh-in and "give permission" as though homosexuals are waiting for heterosexuals' seal of approval.

In response to ASTAlumna06's post: Arguably, normal everyday people make an "announcement" every time we use gendered language when talking about dating/relationships and when we do things like go out in public with people we date. That doesn't automatically equate to our sexual orientation(s) but it gives people an idea even if we are being dishonest and not forthcoming. I've told this story before on GC but I've had people get uncomfortable, annoyed, and even angry at me because I didn't announce the gender of my Significant Other (I usually use language like "Significant Other" and "Partner"). There are people who obviously breathed a sigh of relief (and told me they now feel more comfortable) when they met my Significant Other and realize it is a biological-male and gender-man. I wanted to cuss these homophobic people out but these are typically semi-professional environments. Darn.

Hal Holbrook was married to Dixie Carter for years & she doesn't seem like the type to live her life as a beard, so I don't know where trollco is getting that one.

Yeah, that one seemed weird to me. I tried to think of someone famous with a similar name and came up with nothing.

She kept her fingernails short.

LOL. Hush.

I don't like long nails and keep my finger nails short. I once went to the nail salon for a French manicure and she said "bitch, please."

Does that mean...could it mean...possibly....

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/i...DchXRXTSx9RnX_

If you follow celebrity gossip sites at all, it was fairly widely speculated. She was outed by a gossip site as being bisexual a while back. She apparently was essentially out already in her hometown--lots of people had stories about seeing her out with women. And I don't think she and Drew Barrymore tried very hard to hide the fact that they'd hooked up during the filming of Whip It. People just chose to see what they wanted to see.

I don't think it really matters if people are surprised by it or not--it's not about that. It takes a great deal of bravery to admit it whether people already knew or not (and certainly most people didn't), and even though Hollywood is more liberal than a lot of America, she's still risking plenty. Openly gay or lesbian actors still don't get leading roles. Hopefully this is one of the things that starts to change that.

I was just wondering whether most people would say something like DubaiSis said. Instead, most of you read gossip columns. Those darn gossip columns.

Technically, "hooking up" doesn't reveal sexual orientation just as someone can be married to someone of a different sex and gender and still be homosexual.

Where does Max ever get his "facts."

In other news, I didn't know who Ellen Page is. And I saw Juno. :o

I have never seen Juno in its entirety. So many things annoy me about that movie.

Hal Holbrook is flaming. He is one step away from being Liberace.

According to the gay-o-meter, Holbrook is 78% gay.

http://gay-or-straight.com/Hal%20Holbrook

Unless they are married to Dixie Carter.

If you say so.

1. I think more people should keeping out. On their own terms, of course. Sigh, there's no way to support without being part of the majority and sounding like I'm "giving permission."

2. I always wondered why people used "my partner" when they are straight. I always jump to them being gay/lesbian but I suppose it can be used to mean "long term boyfriend/girlfriend that's not my spouse or fiance." I'd feel silly talking about someone that important in my life as a boyfriend/girlfriend of 3+ years (arbitrary timeframe, yours may vary).

I was in conversation with a woman and man this weekend (around my age, maybe younger) who referred to their men as their partners: the woman has a long-term boyfriend in an LDR, the man has a husband (and child). My company's former CEO referred to his wife as his partner for years - I was relatively new to the company when I realized partner = she. I was floored because I assumed "he" because... well, he was giving me gay wholetime. Meh.

*rimshot*

I legit didnt know that was a thing. So as a woman who keeps her nails short AND has played volleyball and softball, among other things, you see how this could concern me.

Backstory: In HS health class, the grooming and hygiene section noted that "good hygiene" included, among other things, daily bathing and keeping trimmed, neat nails. I had this HUGE complex about being kempt (wait, that's not a word?) because I was overweight, so... duh. short, manicured nails = clean = attractive = win. Right?

and THEN, after high school I went through a no-polish phase. So there I was all through college and most of my 20s with short, clear-polish-at-best nails.

(If in an environment where using the person's name would be pointless because people would ask "who is that") I typically use "significant other" or "life partner" because:

1. I find it interesting how people (including me sometimes) are obsessed with announcing the title and status of relationships. God forbid you be legally married, for example, and not announce that you have a "spouse" or more gendered and sexual orientation language like "wife" and "husband." I always pick on my friends who stop using their Partner's name and now always say "my spouse" "my husband" "my wife." It is especially funny when I know the Partner and therefore know the Partner's name quite well. The Partner loses a name and also the relationship has to be announced as a legal union in an "I's married now" format. I eventually want to say "okay...we get it...you're not just 'any kind of relationship'...you're married now...cool."

2. I try to reduce my use of gendered and heterocentric language that people use to overtly and covertly announce and reaffirm sexual orientation; and people use to make ourselves and other people comfortable.

3. I also believe that "boyfriend/girlfriend" expires after a certain age just as being a "girl" or a "boy" expires.

Carrie Bradshaw: He's my boyfriend.
Mr. Big: Aren't I a little old to be introduced as your boyfriend?
Carrie Bradshaw: Point taken. From now on you'll be my man-friend.
Mr. Big: That sounds like a dog.
Carrie Bradshaw: Well if the shoe fits.

I was joking about Ellen Page, I'm not that familiar with the actress. But yeah, it could be a sign. It isn't a reliable sign alone, of course. Many non-lesbian women have short nails for the reasons you mentioned...however, most lesbians have short nails. Let's just say, having long nails can make lesbian sex unpleasant, if you know what I mean.