Ellen Page reveals she is a lesbian

[tuco99]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

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

THey need to come out.

[amIblue?]

Originally Posted by tuco99

THey need to come out.

Only if they want to.

[DrPhil]

DuBaiSis really said "some symptoms." Oh.

/I can ignore tuco99

[SoCalGirl]

Originally Posted by tuco99

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

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.

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by SoCalGirl

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?!?!?!?!"

[DrPhil]

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.

[33girl]

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.

[amIblue?]

Originally Posted by 33girl

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.

[tuco99]

Originally Posted by amIblue?

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

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

[amIblue?]

Originally Posted by tuco99

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

If you say so.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by 33girl

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.

Where does Max ever get his "facts."

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

[DrPhil]

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.

[tuco99]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

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.

Unless they are married to Dixie Carter.

[DrPhil]

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

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by DubaiSis

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...

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.

Originally Posted by DrPhil

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

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?

Originally Posted by Jen

She isn't coming out for straight people. Her coming out is meant to help both herself and hopefully those still struggling. It doesn't matter if a straight person wants to know or not - it matters that someone struggling with coming out or their own sexuality has people in the public eye to look towards. It matters that people see and know gay people are part of society. Until coming out and being gay is a process with little possibility of retribution from society, it will be necessary.

This.