to be opened...

[echoboy]

I don't know if this has been asked already but I'm curious to hear your opinion.

It seems that we live in a world where homosexuality/bi-sexuality is more accepting. We hear the heteros state that they're fine with it and have friends who are gay but deep down, do they really just respect it and not truly accept it?
Recently I've noticed certain artists that are in indie bands coming out of the closet and although they're not in the mainstream, one would think it'd be easier for them to be out. But it seems quite the contrary. I could only imagine how difficult it must be for a more mainstream entertainer to come out and not be pigeonholed. It must be extra hard for those who are men and are genuinely bi sexual.

What are your thoughts on this? Is the world truly ready for an artist/entertainer to be open about their sexuality and not be judged with negative consequences even in a subtle way? For example, would Ricky Martin's last record have been more successful if he was still in the closet??

 

[deleted704937]

The unbridled success of so many openly gay artists suggests that yes, it's fine. I think there's danger of homosexuality being used as an excuse. Ricky Martin's recent work would have been more successful if he weren't getting old in more ways than one.

 

[Reddhott]

The problem with the folks coming out is that for some, it becomes their schtick. Ellen is the prime example. She used to be very funny. Then she came out and suddenly everything she said or did centered around being a Lesbian. I didn't care. But she stopped being funny for several years. She seems to have let that go and now she is funny again. Nobody is worth listening to if they sing only one note, and it really doesn't matter "what" that note is.

 

[Petrolhead]

i don't know about the entertainment world but look at Tom Daley. it was incredibly brave of him to declare he was in love with a man. however the press and public reaction (at least here in the UK) has been overwhelmingly positive. indeed, when he went on the Jonathan Ross chat show a week or so later, he got a huge standing ovation when he was introduced.

compare that to the reaction he might have received even a decade ago!

i think society (at least western european society) is relaxed about one's sexual orientation now.

it sometimes reminds me of an experience when i was at school. the teachers then used to punish children who were left-handed, as it was seen as abnormal! fortunately those days have long gone and i hope that we all soon come to the same position on sexual orientation.

 

[TaigaStar]

The problem with the folks coming out is that for some, it becomes their schtick. Ellen is the prime example. She used to be very funny. Then she came out and suddenly everything she said or did centered around being a Lesbian. I didn't care. But she stopped being funny for several years. She seems to have let that go and now she is funny again. Nobody is worth listening to if they sing only one note, and it really doesn't matter "what" that note is.

I agree completely. Another example: my wife is more or less fine with the fact that I am bisexual; we'll often comment how hot a specific actor may be. After the fifteenth time, though, she'll just roll her eyes. Why? Because it's hyper saturation of a fact.

 

[Exbiker]

I think people should come out. Honesty and truth and openness matter in their own right - it's not purely about individuals. And we do need to try to keep it simple, respectful, rather than going on and on about it; I think Gay Pride days are excellent, but the ways ( some ) people show off on those days may not really be right for the rest of the year ... :smile:

I do agree things aren't "perfect" in the developed world, but it is not much of an issue any more, for most people. There's not really any major reason to stay in the closet, for most people ... Maybe a few exceptions.

But ( perhaps ) the bigger issue is that in many countries it is still unacceptable. China, India, a lot of the Middle East, Africa and some of South America ... Perhaps it's not right to get very specific about exactly "how" people in the US, Europe etc. need to behave, when hundreds of millions of people are denied a very basic freedom at any level ...