Raul Esparza Interview in Sunday Times — Page 9

I just finished the article. I admire Raul for being so honest about sexuality, but dislike the reporter for seemingly making a big deal out it. Also, I disliked the implication in the way the story was written that Raul's sexuality issues are tied to his relationship to his mother. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't, but I don't think the reporter was fair to Raul in how the article was written.

I second, or third, or fourth those who have written that coming out is not an easy process.

I was just about to post the same, PalJoey. :)

I disliked the implication in the way the story was written that Raul's sexuality issues are tied to his relationship to his mother.

But... they sort of are? He seems to state pretty clearly that his family's influence on his life has played a pretty big part in the conflict of sexual identity. Both of Raúl's parents are Cuban immigrants, and he comes from a very conservative Cuban Catholic family. That in itself, though stereotype, can speak volumes. The article solidified an impression that I've had for some time, which is that the issues of being unsure within himself are bred from and fairly tightly tied to cultural and familial expectations. He says straight-up that he had a fear of disappointing his family, whose expectations his mother seems to exemplify. I think it's really hard to assume that the reporter framed it a certain way when that very well could have been (and seems to me like) Raúl's implication.

---

Updated On: 11/26/06 at 08:26 PM

Thank you Namo, for saying exactly what I've been thinking while reading this entire debate: It is HIS story.

He did not sit there and say "so-and-so- the professor I loved- was born in such-and-such time in wherever". He told his story, or the parts of it that he felt he needed to get out, and that is his right. Maybe he cleared it with those involved, maybe he didn't, but what it comes down to is that you can never make every single person in your life (or the lives of those you love) happy, you can only try your best and make sure that your own happiness and sanity are not pushed back to appease others who you happen to have crossed paths with. Those who try to please everone will only end up hurting themselves, and that is not a fair price to pay.

Emcee, no offense, but if you didn't find the Broadway.com article the least bit funny, you need to get a sense of humor... at least, where Raul is concerned.

---

Oh, I did find parts of it to be a little witty But my general opinion of them isn't too great... they approach a lot of things with minimal taste.

I mean, I think Perez Hilton handled this one a bit more gently. That's saying something!

---

Here's the Broadway.com interview:

http://www.broadway.com/gen/Buzz_Story.aspx?ci=541001

The introduction mentions that he came out in the Times, but goes on to say that this particular interview was done under explicit instructions to talk only about his work.

You can also get to it through the main page.

---

Updated On: 11/27/06 at 01:42 PM

sweeet i am going to see it in 2 weeks .... cant wait.

I def. can relate and appreciate him for saying so. He's a strong person, and it makes me like him even more.

Who cares?








Elsa, "Born Free" The Lioness
Kenya, Africa

The Broadway.com article did seem a little like "he talked about his sexuality and stuff already so we're just gonna stick with business and his career". Which isn't a bad thing but this definitely threw me:

"Prior to the publication of that piece (and with explicit direction to stick to discussing his career), Broadway.com was only too happy to chat with the amiable actor..."

---

The Broadway.com thing confuses me; it was obviously done before the Times article came out, so they could have been told it was happening and for that reason been told to stick exclusively to his work, or just been told that without any reason why.

Nobody has asked him about The Normal Heart in like, years. I'm beginning to think there's some sort of taboo (unintended) against it.

This argument has come up in a few places throughout the boards, this idea of "who gives a sh*t who he's sleeping with?" and honestly, he really doesn't talk about his sex life. It's fine if you think it doesn't matter, but until a lot of things in this world change, what he did is going to continue to be a really important process. What he's doing in his bedroom may truly not be anyone's business but his own (though again, he didn't *really* go there), but he did what he felt he had to do. To claim that sexuality is suddenly more important than acting is a little bit silly, since he hasn't exactly done like twenty interviews about being gay or whatever. He's done one. And hey, as important as I feel it is, if he DID start talking exclusively about his sexuality in every single interview, I'd think it a little excessive, too.

---

Updated On: 11/28/06 at 09:45 AM

It opens TOMORROW! And I'm thrilled!

---