An NBA executive comes out as gay. This article is interesting on many levels. As a gay professional man, I can relate to Rick Welts' experiences. Until the last few years, I led a fairly compartmentalized life, which is not healthy and felt inauthentic (funny, that Welts used similar words to describe his own experience). As recently as Friday, I had an interview with a company (where I was already on the fence about whether I was interested in the position). The interviewer (another attorney) asked me whether I was married (from what I understand, this is not a legal question). I don't know if this person suspected me of being gay nor do I really care...The old me would have responded with an answer that concealed my sexuality. Instead, I responded that I wasn't married, but that I am attached (although I don't think this guy is too bright, I assumed that he could figure that out what this meant). The first thing Saturday morning, I emailed the recruiter to tell him that I didn't think that there is a good fit. Like I said, I was already on the "interest" fence anyway. After my talk with this moron, I decided that I have no interest in being in an environment that believes that its okay to ask this type of question.
I do hold out hope that eventually we as a society will reach the point where, as David Stern stated, coming this is a "non-event" (or, even necessary). We certainly are not there yet. As recently as this week, I started seeing advertisements against gay marriage in NY. The reasons against gay marriage are ridiculous (one of the arguments used in the ads are that some NY teachers had taken elementary students to a gay wedding or some foolishness---one would have thought that the teachers took them to a porn show).
Being gay is not all of who I am, but it is a part, a significant part. I can no more separate being "gay" from being male or being black (or, being impatient). All of these different qualities, characteristics and attributes combine into making me the person that I am, and I should not have to separate them out from any reason (nor do I have any intentions of doing so).
Yes, we have come a long way, but we are not there yet.
Update 5/16/2011...CNN Anchor Don Lemon has come out as gay...Not that I am all that surprised, but, I applaud Don's courage...I have always enjoyed watching him on CNN (and, it doesn't hurt that he is easy on the eye!)...But, I think it took a great deal of strength to do what he has done and I look forward to reading his book next month.
I do hold out hope that eventually we as a society will reach the point where, as David Stern stated, coming this is a "non-event" (or, even necessary). We certainly are not there yet. As recently as this week, I started seeing advertisements against gay marriage in NY. The reasons against gay marriage are ridiculous (one of the arguments used in the ads are that some NY teachers had taken elementary students to a gay wedding or some foolishness---one would have thought that the teachers took them to a porn show).
Being gay is not all of who I am, but it is a part, a significant part. I can no more separate being "gay" from being male or being black (or, being impatient). All of these different qualities, characteristics and attributes combine into making me the person that I am, and I should not have to separate them out from any reason (nor do I have any intentions of doing so).
Yes, we have come a long way, but we are not there yet.
Update 5/16/2011...CNN Anchor Don Lemon has come out as gay...Not that I am all that surprised, but, I applaud Don's courage...I have always enjoyed watching him on CNN (and, it doesn't hurt that he is easy on the eye!)...But, I think it took a great deal of strength to do what he has done and I look forward to reading his book next month.
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