Homo-Journos Speak Out!

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Coming out at one’s job can be difficult, particularly when you work in the allegedly unbiased news media. A number of gay journalists, however, have decided that honestly truly is the best policy – former CNN anchor man, Thomas Roberts, made headlines last fall when he came out (and then again during his controversial conversation with Anderson Cooper, during which Roberts discussed his abuse at the hands of a Catholic priest). In light of Roberts’ coming out, AfterElton launched an extensive investigation into the ins and outs of being a homo-journo. In part one of their two part series, the AE boys chat with some of the media’s most well-respected gay newsmen (and, yes, they’re all men), including uber-handsome Miguel Marquez.

Speaking from Iraq, where he’s covering this seemingly endless war, Marquez says:

[Coming out] also comes down to a very personal decision. It’s hard for me to judge anyone else. I’m in a business that’s all about truth and honesty, and to some degree I’m responsible to be honest as well.

Jason Bellini echoed Marquez’s remarks and chided those who keep mum being a ‘mo:

Skirting that issue, saying it’s nobody’s business, I think that’s disingenuous. Because if people are interested in you outside of the parameters of your job itself, and you ignore [being gay], then you’re ignoring an important part of yourself. And that’s not honest.

Of course, some people may argue that revealing such a controversial detail may derail a story. A gay journalist trying to interview the pope, for example, may have a hellishly complicated experience. Passing as straight, though, one may get a heavenly reception. The real issue comes down to whether you’re more interested in spilling the ink or being not-so-straightforward. A sticky situation, but one worth a second look.

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