Perhaps Gilles Marini’s appearance as Samantha’s equally-liberated neighbor in the best first Sex and the City film inspired his progressive attitude, or maybe it’s just a liberal viewpoint that comes with being French-born, but the heartthrob doesn’t understand why any gay people would stay in the closet today.
While appearing on Bethenny, former Real Housewives star Bethenny Frankel’s new chat show, Marini was asked if he’d ever help a famous friend hide his sexual orientation from the public.
“We’re in 2013!” he answered in disbelief at the question. “I think it’s very uncool to be in the closet nowadays. I never was a witness in any wedding in my life, and the first time I was a witness in a wedding in my life was for my dear friends Philippe and David — same-sex couple — and I think it was fantastic. Don’t stay in the closet. You’ll only hurt your heart and, down the line, probably your family. They need to know the truth about what you like and what you want in life.”
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
H/t: BoyCulture
Niall
I understand his sentiments and he comes from a good place, but that’s a very naive, bordering on stupid comment to make. Yes it’s 2013 and it’s easier to be gay now than say in the 1970s, but there are still loads of things going against gay people, not even only in the Western world, but outside it.
2eo
@Niall: “not even only in the Western world, but outside it.”
I would argue an equally stupid and naive statement. Look at the treatment of us in Russia, Jamaica, Zimbabwe and all of the other theocratic shitholes. Getting yelled at and even attacked leaving a club isn’t the same as organised slaughter and butchering in the street with a hatchet.
sportsguy1983
There is much that is more annoying than someone (especially a straight person) telling gay people they should come out and they have no reason to be in the closet. Coming out is a personal journey and no one should be criticizing them for when (and if) they come out.
RSun
@sportsguy1983: True, but I agree with him that it hurts the heart to be closeted. If you can safely come out…do it!
ho
In this country there are hundreds of thousands of men, perhaps millions
who married and had children because they thought they “should” only to realize
later in life the river they were sent down. Nonetheless as loving dads they
come out when they feel their children are best able to handle the truth. Sad
but true. To have an egotist make such a decree is insulting.
B Damion
Everyone makes a good point. First of all it will never ever be easy to be gay. Sometimes I wish I were str8. It just gets so weary having to defend my sexuality all the time.
I think Marini means well and his intentions are commendable but,he can never truly understand the sensativity of coming out.
keep it real
There are going to be a lot of guys not able to come out or want to come out no matter what year it is….
jmmartin
@Niall: Yep. Each person decides for the individual when and where and if….
Tackle
This is an example of someone who is well meaning and his heart on this issue is in the right place, But his advice is wrong, destructive and potentially dangerous. The last thing that GLBTQ kid, teen, young or older adult need, who is struggling or comming to grips with their sexuality is for some straight actor to tell them is, to
( just come out). You don’t want people to think or convey a message that because they are still in the closet, (and many have been told their whole life by a western religious society, that they are sinners,perverted,immoral and going to hell) that they are chicken, cowards, weak and just not doing the right thing. Despite what he says about going to his gay friends wedding it sounds like he dosen’t have any close gay friends or had any deep meaning coversations with any GLBTQ
persons about coming out. If he did, he would know and realize that coming is not one big step. Many times it’s a process and it’s an individual case by case, person by person,personal journey, process and act. Often times determined by financial stability. Job stability. Shelter and personal and mental safety.
CaptainFabulous
If he had said being gay was horrible and we should stay in the closet you would vilify him. When he says there’s nothing wrong with being gay, you should be proud and leave the closet you vilify him. So no matter what he said you would have vilified him.
WTF is wrong with some of you? Are you all just miserable self-loathing individuals that absolutely can never say anything positive about anyone? We don’t need people like Putin oppressing us. We do a great job of doing it to ourselves. Bravo.
Jayson
He should come out. I’m sorry, I mean let that monster out of his zipper.
balehead
He should talk…come out already yourself…..
Niall
@2eo: I’m confused, since your comment basically seems to be agreeing with what I was saying?
LadyL
Look, I don’t think he’s so stupid as to be totally unaware that it isn’t realistically possible for everyone to come out. But I take his comments as warmly supportive of LGBT people generally and his gay friends in particular; I think what Marini means is wherever you can safely come out of the closet, you absolutely should.
We all know about certain kinds of closet cases, people for whom coming out is not life-threatening or career-ending but who lie and hide anyway and expect everyone around them to go along with the charade. (He may even be echoing the sentiments of some of his gay friends who staunchly believe everyone should come out.)
CaptainFabulous has a point. Let’s not be so quick to hyper-criticize when people speak out on this issue. So what if he isn’t gay? I think his being straight and so staunchly supportive of gay liberation is a point in his favor!
Tackle
People need to get a dictionary and look up the meaning of the word vilify. I don’t see any poster vilifying Gilles. In fact, more then one has said how well meaning he is and how he’s coming from a good place. I don’t think any of the above posters would see him as an enemy of GLBTQ people. There are no personal attacks against Gilles, no name calling. What posters are attacking are his SENTIMENTS/BELIEFS that every gay person should just “come out”. And it really doesn’t really matter what Gilles meant to say. Or what a poster thinks he meant to say. What matters is how a young gay kid, teen or young adult who is struggling with their sexuality, interprets what he said. Which I think is loud and clear, but very wrong. Coming from a nice well meaning guy.