Recently I was talking to a bisexual girl that I know, she's quite a bit older than me and was telling me how Ellen DeGeneres coming out (in 1997 I think) made here feel more comfortable about coming out to her family. I kind of started thinking about it and realised that before I came out to my mother I watched a lot of videos of celebrities, mostly Ellen too actually, talking about coming out and what life is like for gay people and it kind of made me more comfortable with who I am and helped me to accept it. I was just wondering if other people think that gay celebrities coming out helps closeted people feel more comfortable with doing the same thing?
I think it can help. It brings more visibility to LGBT people, and can sometimes act as a jumping-off point for people to bring up the issue with their friends and family. I just think its important for people to realize that celebrities are real people though, and don't speak for an entire community. Just like Chaz Bono is not the poster boy for trans men and Ellen does not represent ALL lesbian women.
It makes me feel worse, actually. There are many stories of celebrities coming out, and it just shocks me that so many of them make it into adulthood before being able to come out. In any case, I don't really see celebrities as people anyway, so it wouldn't affect me.
RavioliFaceMan, I think famous people just are afraid of losing fans when they come out in public and that is what it's keeping them. Not so much a personal struggle, I think. But I might be totally wrong. I think it totally helps. Not only that, I feel it is important to show diversity in the media anyway, so acceptance will become easier and people that a different from straight feel they are not alone. My boyfriend told me that they mocked someone famous about using the term "openly gay". But the term only exists because so many can't or won't be, which is sad. They don't need to scream it from the rooftops if they don't want to, but for one hosts shouldn't ask women about boyfriends and men about girlfriends, but just ask how the dating is going or if there is someone and leave it open. I really get mad about how they always assume that everybody is straight. But there seems to be a trend of using more and more gay (etc) characters in series and movies, and not only the stereotypes that you see in comedy (where, lets be fair, all characters are overdone).
I've started to really notice that trend as well. Especially here in Spain, pretty much every show you watch here has really normal happy gay people/couples in them. I think it really helps to change people's attitudes.
I personally cannot stand when celebrities are so deeply in the closet. It's definitely a disgrace to our community. However, I will add that there are a few exceptions. Did anyone read "Like Me" by Chely Wright? Chely is a country singer. She was pretty well known. Well, she's a lesbian. We all know that is not very accepted in the country community. Someone like her genuinely has a concern for her fan base. She's now found her calling to help others....and is happy, married, and pregnant. I just love her! I think it just depends on a lot of things.
I haven't read it but I saw her coming out interview on Ellen. I think it's people like her that I am talking about, the ones who know that it could ruin their career but still go ahead and be themselves anyway.
I definitely think that celebrities coming out helps closeted people to feel more comfortable. It shows that you can still live a wonderful full life even after you've come out. I think it's very important.
