Reflection 4: Prying Open the Closet—On the Ethics of Outing

In the days of old Hollywood, closeted stars had to contend with not only the rise of an unscrupulous tabloid press, but an American society overwhelmingly unsympathetic to homosexuals. In the 21st century, however, LGBTQ individuals have gained unprecedented mainstream acceptance. Today, many performers, athletes, and politicians now often live openly as LGBTQ individuals. Still, not all of today's public figures are comfortable coming out of the closet. Those who chose not to openly disclose their sexual orientation, must rely on public charades, clandestine lifestyles, and the good graces of the LGBTQ community. Sometimes, their secrets are safe. Other times, they might find themselves publicly outed. Outing is the act of disclosing an LGBTQ person's sexual orientation, or gender identity, without their consent. Reasons to out a public figure vary, but it in every case the outed individual is robbed of the choice to reveal a very personal aspect of their life. Do you believe outing is acceptable? Is it a necessary evil, or a loathsome practice? For example, can a case be made to out an A-list celebrity or Washington politician if his or her outing would help the overall visibility of homosexuals in American society? Must some people's privacy be sacrificed for the greater good? Finally, what of closeted homophobes, those individuals who, in public, harm the LGBTQ community, but live the lifestyle behind closed doors? Are they fair game—and who decides?

Include at least two of the following in your reflection:

• “Why I Out Gay Republicans” (Politico)
• ”Heartstopper star Kit Connor says he has been forced to come out as bisexual” (NBC News)
• “Here are 13 Celebrities Who Had No Option but to Address Their Sexuality to the Public” (Buzzfeed)
• “’Outing’ of LGBT Celebrities, Like Rebel Wilson, has a Harrowing Past” (Media Diversity Institute)
• “The Gays are Getting Revenge by Outing their 'DL trade' Who Voted for Trump and We're Cackling” (Pride)

Requirements:

• MLA Style, including parenthetical citations and works cited
• ≈500 words

Due: Fri 11.22 (via Canvas)