Can We Put People Back in the Closet?- Page 5

[DG]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 1:04pm

Again, just for my clarification (because I haven't seen any of the TV appearences in discussion) - has the full interview aired, or is this in reaction to a clip used for promotion?

[RobbO]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 1:06pm

it is a clip. perhaps she will clarify or the full interview will say something completely different. i dismissed it until i read the current advocate and saw that 2 out of 3 letters regarding her was critical of her coming out at all.

[shameless]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 1:07pm

Unfortunately, I think Robb's right, and not just because I worship him. :)

I think the general public and especially the ultra-conservative anti-gay groups will try and use her comments to further their agendas. But, what else is new?

[DayDreamer]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 1:07pm

Shameless... what I meant by 'epitome of heterosexuality' is that these people are seen as role models for the majority of the population - scandals and all - and even with the 'rumours' none of them are out. I guess maybe 'epitome' was the wrong word to use.

I have no issue with being bi. I have no issue with people chosing to be gay. I respect them... for the same reason I hope people will respect the fact that I never felt it was a choice. I always was.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 1:07pm

DG--the day she came out, she said this in interviews on TV. I didn't see the teaser clip or whatever. I saw the interview.

So, Robb, if Anne Heche isn't inherently bisexual, why did she fall in love with man, then a woman and then a man? Again--I'm not talking about how people DO label themselves. I'm talking about what is true inherently--what does GOD see regardless of what that person or we see.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 1:10pm

You make sense to me, JRB.

I don't understand why if a guy is bisexual, some gay men will only acknowledge that he is gay. Isn't that denying half of his person? And isn't that totally dismissive of the woman he is involved with?

[DG]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 1:11pm

Well, I find it interesting that in the print interviews I'm seeing, she's very clear that her sexual identity is something she has no control over, it's simply a matter of recognition.

[robbiej]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 1:12pm

I disagree with you on one thing, jerby. Labels are not complicated. They are easy. They simplify complicated emotions and desires. And you have to remember one thing. You certainly have the right to think of Swopes as bisexual. But that may very well not be her truth, no matter that she was with a man at one point. And the fact that you choose to believe she's bisexual does, in fact, say much more about you than her. Just to be clear, IT DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING BAD ABOUT YOU...it just gives someone an idea about where you come from when it comes to sexuality and doesn't really give us any concrete information about Swopes. So what you, or I or RobbO or DG believe about her is really all about ourselves...about where we are in our journey in life as gay men. That's something we need to remember...our reactions have nothing to do with Swopes. But they are important in not only self-knowledge, but also in the way we speak to the world.

[RobbO]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 1:13pm

i'm not sure what god thinks but i'll take a stab at speaking for him/her/the color purple. the way i viewed the anne situation was a closeted lesbian who was dating men (dunno if she loved them or not) then dated a well-known lesbian while declaring to the world that she was, in fact, a lesbian.

loss of meds, spaceships, new names, and a walking trip thru the valley, she's straight.

i don't know what happened but i do know that she does not claim to be bisexual nor discusses her attraction to women (one woman?)any longer. so the appearance is of someone who was "test driving" lesbianism.

so, whether she is inherently bisexual i do not know. but the image she presented is damaging.

god has spoken.

Updated On: 12/7/05 at 01:13 PM

[DayDreamer]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 1:14pm

I believe that sometimes people just fall in love with the person, regardless of the gender. Like I said, I've known several women who have done that. Not so much with men, but that's just my experience.

[shameless]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 1:16pm

DD, I understood what you were saying. I'm sorry if it sounded like I was being argumentative. I was just making the point that from my experience it seems like society, in general, looks at most female athletes as being in the closet.

[RobbO]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 1:20pm

if these people are so afraid of labels, why do they accept the "gay label" and the accolades, congratulations on coming out, endorsement deals, etc. why don't they reject the label and state that for right now they want to date women, or men, or...

Updated On: 12/7/05 at 01:20 PM

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 1:21pm

For the record, I was in the closet for 10 years (knew I was gay at age 13, came out this past April) and I *never* want to go back. Being gay is amazing.

[RobbO]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 1:25pm

but can you play basketball?

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 1:29pm

And, robbie, I acknowledge that Cheryl may have always been gay--and was with men because that's what society says you do. But, yes, to me a person is either inherently gay, straight or bisexual. Their actions and accepting of who they truly are is a myriad of possibilities.

And Anne Heche may be a lesbian and all her men are facades. Or, maybe she WAS using Ellen and that was a facade. But if she loved both, she is a bisexual inherently. Anne IS a bad example as there is much much baggage.

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 1:31pm

AND because she's a loon.

[shameless]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 1:32pm

Jerby's right, and I think Anne Heche reflects poorly on all women, gay, straight or bi.

[ZONEACE]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 1:32pm

Can we just put Anne Heche back in the womb?

[JailyardGuy]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 1:33pm

Anne Heche reflects poorly on all *humans*.


That Celestia, though, now SHE was a keeper.

Updated On: 12/7/05 at 01:33 PM

[shameless]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 1:34pm

I stand corrected. :)

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 1:54pm

I think it should be noted for the record that no one on BWW respects my stance that I am mostly a top and that I am, at times, bisexual. Harumph!

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 1:55pm

AND he's f**ked Anne Heche.

Updated On: 12/7/05 at 01:55 PM

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 1:56pm

You're a top?

This could work...

[RobbO]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 1:56pm

we respect it. we just don't believe it.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 1:57pm

Honey, you ain't lived until you've eaten ***** in a flying saucer!!!!

Bluey--I always knew it could