There is a controversial practice in tabloid media which involves revealing the sexuality of a previously closeted LGBT celebrity. The reason it's controversial is that you have the people who cry for the right to privacy, and then you have the people who think such information is rightfully theirs. And the kicker is that there are out and proud gays on both sides.
Pro-whistleblowing homosexuals argue that the media should strive in all cases to break down the taboo surrounding homosexuality, and that opening up the closets of stubborn gays is a part of that. Their claim revolves around what many gay activists think; that LGBT youth need successful gay role models to help them accept themselves; and that the gay community as a whole benefits when the heteronomrative majority are exposed to singers, actors and writers they like being gay.
I agree that gay celebrities are beneficial for the above reasons. But it's no reason to violate the privacy of those in the closet.
Coming out the closet is a delicate procedure, and only you know when it is good for you to come out. You know the nature of your relationships best, and you can judge better than anyone (especially tabloid journalists) whether any one or several friends or family members will react badly. This is true no matter how famous you happen to be.
I do not think it can ever be moral to expose something so personal, and risk destroying a person's relationship with his parents, siblings or close friends in the name of benefiting the LGBT community as a whole. People have the right to privacy, and that right should never be overridden to further some ideological cause.
A sprouting of this debate is whether it's okay to whistleblow on anti-gay politicians and activists, in order to reveal the true motives behind their views (self-denial). I admit I've wavered on this- but I think that, essentially, the call for compassion is what is most important to me. Just because someone voted or rallied against gay rights does not give us leave to damage them in the way that being outed can damage.
And, we who argue in favour of gay rights shouldn't need to resort to discrediting our opponents. We have a great deal of logic on our side, as well as the call to love and unity amongst humans. Exposing closeted antigays simply isn't needed.
So, that's pretty much all I have to say on the matter.
Pro-whistleblowing homosexuals argue that the media should strive in all cases to break down the taboo surrounding homosexuality, and that opening up the closets of stubborn gays is a part of that. Their claim revolves around what many gay activists think; that LGBT youth need successful gay role models to help them accept themselves; and that the gay community as a whole benefits when the heteronomrative majority are exposed to singers, actors and writers they like being gay.
I agree that gay celebrities are beneficial for the above reasons. But it's no reason to violate the privacy of those in the closet.
Coming out the closet is a delicate procedure, and only you know when it is good for you to come out. You know the nature of your relationships best, and you can judge better than anyone (especially tabloid journalists) whether any one or several friends or family members will react badly. This is true no matter how famous you happen to be.
I do not think it can ever be moral to expose something so personal, and risk destroying a person's relationship with his parents, siblings or close friends in the name of benefiting the LGBT community as a whole. People have the right to privacy, and that right should never be overridden to further some ideological cause.
A sprouting of this debate is whether it's okay to whistleblow on anti-gay politicians and activists, in order to reveal the true motives behind their views (self-denial). I admit I've wavered on this- but I think that, essentially, the call for compassion is what is most important to me. Just because someone voted or rallied against gay rights does not give us leave to damage them in the way that being outed can damage.
And, we who argue in favour of gay rights shouldn't need to resort to discrediting our opponents. We have a great deal of logic on our side, as well as the call to love and unity amongst humans. Exposing closeted antigays simply isn't needed.
So, that's pretty much all I have to say on the matter.
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