Holy Excuses!
Singer Dusty Springfield used Catholicism to hide her lesbian ways, according to a new book, Dusty! Queen of the Postmods. Author Annie Randall writes: “Catholicism was recruited to explain her reluctance to marry the rare man who might have been undaunted by her celebrity. Dusty [said], ‘You have to concentrate on marriage and I’m a Catholic and can’t get divorced. I’m so self-centered.’” [NY Post]
Sounds like Clarissa Wright, to the max.
But I love Dusty, in any case.
For some reason, knowing Dusty Springfield was a lez makes “Son of a Preacher Man” so hot to me.
Weird.
You have to understand though at her height of “fame” during the mid to late 60′s was BEFORE Stonewall, and many other significant turning points in gay activism. It was the era when movie and record companies actively created “dates” with members of the opposite sex to hide their gay stars.
Tab Hunter, Rock Hudson et al, were still 20+ years away from being outed (Rock Hudson) or coming out on their own (Tab Hunter).
So for Dusty, who started became a “pop star” during the “British Invasion” being out of the closet was not only a career killer, but could have also cost her, her life. At the time Homosexuality was OUTLAWED in England as well as the majority of US States.
On the other hand, IMHO – we still have many actors, singers, politicians and others in the limelight who even in this more “enlightened” society are still hiding in the closet, so to condemn someone from hiding in the closet more than 40 years ago is not only hypocritical but also does not acknowledge the time era or those who still hide out of fear of their careers being ruined today over 40 years later.