Proclaiming One's Sexuality, For A Cause

ABOUT SIXTY YEARS AGO there was a good left handed pitcher named Robin roberts. The new Robin Roberts in an actress, or do we call them famale actors nowadays? She is a celebrity, and thus, always under scrutiny. Her announcement the other day that she is gay was not a sensational news event, but it wasn't entirely ignored either. If it had been, I wouldn't know about it. But why do I know about it? Why should I? There must have been a time, fairly recently, when being gay was frightening, and when it was always tempting to gay people to avoid all the bullshit by staying in the closet. Back then, everyone stayed in the closet, and we all thought that hardly anyone was gay, homosexuality was nothing but a nasty rumor, and anyone who was suspected of it, was the subject of the most dire worry and concern. But now everyone doesn't stay in the closet; the number of openly gay people has swelled to the point that those remaining concealed are becoming a small minority, are finding it difficult to remain concealed, and finding it increasingly frustrating that they have to suffer the consequences of concealment, while their friends and community enjoy the benefits of coming out. That might be one reason why she came out; to join the club. Perhaps some of her fellow lesbian friends urged Robin Roberts to come out, in order to further the cause of acceptance and equality. That this needs to happen is more evidence that we have come a long way, bu that we still have far to go. It shouldn't matter to anyone anyone's elses sexual orientation, and people shouldn't have to proclaim their sexual orientation to strengthen the cause of social equality. But they do. Maybe someday soon they will achieve what they seek, and the proclaiming can stop.