The news isn’t shocking, but the fact that he announced it kind of is: In an email to Daily Beast columnist Andrew Sullivan, CNN stalwart Anderson Cooper finally came out as gay, ending years of gossip and speculation.
Sullivan was ruminating on Entertainment Weekly‘s feature on out celebrities and asked Cooper for his feedback:
Andrew, as you know, the issue you raise is one that I’ve thought about for years. Even though my job puts me in the public eye, I have tried to maintain some level of privacy in my life. Part of that has been for purely personal reasons. I think most people want some privacy for themselves and the people they are close to.
But I’ve also wanted to retain some privacy for professional reasons. Since I started as a reporter in war zones 20 years ago, I’ve often found myself in some very dangerous places. For my safety and the safety of those I work with, I try to blend in as much as possible, and prefer to stick to my job of telling other people’s stories, and not my own. I have found that sometimes the less an interview subject knows about me, the better I can safely and effectively do my job as a journalist.
I’ve always believed that who a reporter votes for, what religion they are, who they love, should not be something they have to discuss publicly. As long as a journalist shows fairness and honesty in his or her work, their private life shouldn’t matter. I’ve stuck to those principles for my entire professional career, even when I’ve been directly asked “the gay question,” which happens occasionally. I did not address my sexual orientation in the memoir I wrote several years ago because it was a book focused on war, disasters, loss and survival. I didn’t set out to write about other aspects of my life.
Recently, however, I’ve begun to consider whether the unintended outcomes of maintaining my privacy outweigh personal and professional principle. It’s become clear to me that by remaining silent on certain aspects of my personal life for so long, I have given some the mistaken impression that I am trying to hide something—something that makes me uncomfortable, ashamed or even afraid. This is distressing because it is simply not true.
I’ve also been reminded recently that while as a society we are moving toward greater inclusion and equality for all people, the tide of history only advances when people make themselves fully visible. There continue to be far too many incidences of bullying of young people, as well as discrimination and violence against people of all ages, based on their sexual orientation, and I believe there is value in making clear where I stand.
The fact is, I’m gay, always have been, always will be, and I couldn’t be any more happy, comfortable with myself, and proud.
I have always been very open and honest about this part of my life with my friends, my family, and my colleagues. In a perfect world, I don’t think it’s anyone else’s business, but I do think there is value in standing up and being counted. I’m not an activist, but I am a human being and I don’t give that up by being a journalist.
Since my early days as a reporter, I have worked hard to accurately and fairly portray gay and lesbian people in the media – and to fairly and accurately portray those who for whatever reason disapprove of them. It is not part of my job to push an agenda, but rather to be relentlessly honest in everything I see, say and do. I’ve never wanted to be any kind of reporter other than a good one, and I do not desire to promote any cause other than the truth.
Being a journalist, traveling to remote places, trying to understand people from all walks of life, telling their stories, has been the greatest joy of my professional career, and I hope to continue doing it for a long time to come. But while I feel very blessed to have had so many opportunities as a journalist, I am also blessed far beyond having a great career.
I love, and I am loved.
In my opinion, the ability to love another person is one of God’s greatest gifts, and I thank God every day for enabling me to give and share love with the people in my life. I appreciate your asking me to weigh in on this, and I would be happy for you to share my thoughts with your readers. I still consider myself a reserved person and I hope this doesn’t mean an end to a small amount of personal space. But I do think visibility is important, more important than preserving my reporter’s shield of privacy.
Actually, this could help Coop maintain his privacy: Once the truth is out there, people don’t care as much. When’s the last time you heard anyone gossiping about who Lance Bass was seen with?
We commend Cooper for coming out, and remind everyone that though he may not have spoken about his private life, he has covered—and advocated for—the LGBT community countless times from the anchor seat.
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.
It’s worth noting that Cooper went public with his sexuality in an email to a colleague, not some big brassy CNN special, which could have helped the network’s flagging ratings. EW got it right: The era of the low-fi coming out is definitely here.
Frank (The Netherlands)
Great!
Spike
Good for Anderson!
Harlowe
Excellent, now with he and Matt Bomer, NPH, Jim Parsons such phenom out and proud roles models, we should focus on the issue of real bearding closet cases who actualy cause us harm! Is Queerty up to that challenge, not sure, time will tell if this site wants to be legit or not?
DouggSeven
In other news – Jimmy cracked corn, and I don’t care.
Charlie
Well done, Mr. Cooper!
Dennis
Thank you Anderson.
The Real Mike in Asheville
@DouggSeven: Well done, thanks for the hardy laugh!
Dax
Great. Now can people finally leave this man alone about it? Jeez. The venom some levied at him because he didn’t verbally confirm what he never tried to hide was ridiculous.
Adam
Proud of him.
Can we leave him alone now? Jesus Christ.
Robert in NYC
Wait for the right wing nutjobs demanding his ouster from CNN! Well done, Anderson, better late than never!
Paul
@DouggSeven: I sure do. Every time someone comes out publicy it’s an important step for society, as it may change a life, or change a homophobe’s perspective based on who the person is they admire (ya never know). Every single thing we do, causes a ripple effect and makes a difference to something or someone, whether it be coming out and giving that young person some hope, or giving a homeless person a donut on the street because you changed your mind and didn’t want it and he’s not going hungry for a bit.
Good for you, Anderson!
cam
@Dax: said…
”
Great. Now can people finally leave this man alone about it? Jeez. The venom some levied at him because he didn’t verbally confirm what he never tried to hide was ridiculous.”
____________
Oh just stop it. That “Venom” you speak of was the legitimate irritation at the continuation of the typical entertainment industries practices. AND that “Venom” was obviously a factor in him coming out, since he referred directly to the fact that y staying in he was giving the impression that he was ashamed of being gay. Something repeated on sites like this over and over. He is rich, successful, and gay. And good for him. Now maybe his obsessed fans can stop pretending that saying somebody is gay is an insult or an attack, or worst of all continually coming on here and claiming that he was already out…which his letter makes perfectly clear was not the case.
As for Anderson Cooper, congratulations! Thank you! and Welcome to the party! Every public figure that comes out is one more nail in the coffin of bigotry and again thank you Mr. Cooper!
Analog
Good for him and nicely done.
hf2hvit
@Adam: Jesus Christ is gay???
DTG
And in other news: we have confirmation that The Simpson’s are cartoons.
Callum
Many of you seem to forget that Brian Williams (NBC News) came out eons ago.
CPT_Doom
@Callum – Pete Williams is gay, not the NBC anchor Brian Williams, and he didn’t “come out,” he was outed when he took the job as spokesman for the DOD during Darth Cheney’s run as DOD Secretary back under Bush I. With the Pentagon firing gay and lesiban soldiers right and left, Williams became one of the first of Mike Signorile’s outing campaign, because of the double standard of having a gay man defend a practice firing people just like him.
As for Anderson Cooper – well done. And yes it does matter because, as Cooper noted, when you don’t acknowledge the truth, no matter how much you live it, you allow the haters to deny that truth. Now it’s time to get the rest of the media to realize that reporting on the love lives of people like Cooper, even when they have not officially come out, is not an insult or an outrage.
Larry
@cam: no, there was a lot of stupid venom directed toward anderson on this site even though he lived an open lifestyle in public eye…and now he has said it
LENGuin
Good for him. Its never easy to do and some people that come out gt some reports like ‘well we all knew it anyway…’ Completely irrelevant who knew or guessed. It is about the individual being open and honest
Jase
I’m just glad I wont have to read thousands of Queerty comments anymore constantly whining and complaining about him not telling millions of people he doesnt know that he’s gay.
James
He’s always been a stand up guy, and now the guy stands up. And I, for one, stand with him. In fact, it looks here like we all do.
LENGuin
@James:
Well said
Mike
Finally, good for him.
cam
@James:
Well said! I used to dissagree with him, and now congratulate him and support his decision whole heartedly!
Tylertime
Finally!! Next up….David Muir, Robin Roberts, Sam Champion and maybe once before I die someone that actually is a surprise to me.
Dave
In his own time and his own way. I count Anderson as one of ours, now and forever. Things are changing.
Bruce Majors
People do turn to CNN for breaking exclusives
MacDonald Bank
Anderson deserves praise and respect!
http://www.HolyFaux.com
MacDonald Bank
Being black, left-handed or being gay is just as natural. It is a sometimes rare occurrence to fall in Love and to hold that person in your heart and be loved in return … it is something that should be celebrated! If it’s between two guys or two girls — all the better. It takes even more courage to defend that LOVE!
The evil writings in Leviticus 18:22 … against gays – depict: “P” … “priestly rules” & expanded by the pope; homophobes and religious frauds … to attack the gay community and never meant to apply to the public — but to priests. Leviticus was written long after Moses — 600BC.
There is no scientific evidence to prove any of the cross related bogus elements of christianity and other religions. Our early human ancestors; on this earth … go back more than 6 million years … 5,996,000 years before the Greeks, Romans and the Jews. Christianity is basically a 2012 year old fictional cult.
In the year 300 AD when Emperor Constantine, who to some was the first pope; went on to fabricate & market Christianity!
It is written; so therefore it shall be? We are the chosen people? Such a wicked fantasy. To see the religious lunatics manipulate government and our lives is shameful.
Christianity is a fantasy; which turned out to be one of the most hateful & evil concoctions ever perpetrated on the world.
JT
Thank you, Mr. Cooper!
Women will cry, men will cheer, but it’s still YOUR life, and I’m glad you don’t have to cover it up or play with pronouns any more. Stay safe, all the same, in homophobic places!
Analog
I notice he said “I thank God every day for enabling me to give and share love with the people in my life”, not “give and receive love” – he’s a top!
Now, that is a surprise…
Making up stuff is fun!
@cam: And maybe then, when bigotry is finally dead, self-important blowhards like you will finally shut the fuck up.
Patrick
I admire Mr Coopers desire to keep his private life private. People in the “public eye” have to expect to lose an element of their private lives but society tends to demand a lot more than expected/required, in my opinion. Mr. Cooper acknowledging his sexuality is a positive move for the gay community as a whole.He will undoubtetly act as a role model/mentor for other young GLBT people who want to explore the option of investigative journalism!!!! Good on you 🙂
alan carrier
He had me until his final two paragraphs.
Bob
I’m happy for Anderson. Timing had to be right and it’s done.
Avenger
Meh. Gonna be difficult to take him seriously as a journalist now. Now he’s just a gay guy.
Kenton Forshee
We love you Anderson.
Chuck
Better late than never. After Rachel Maddow, Thomas Roberts, Don Lemon, and many others, the Coop finally keeping himself honest. Of course at this point, with CNN being a laughingstock for announcing the wrong SCOTUS ACA ruling, in addition to marked decline for the last several quarters, and an unremarkable daytime tv show, I think he saw that this could only help him. But whatever, welcome out, guuuurrrrlllll. Now your Kathy Griffin obsession comes full circle.
DouggSeven
@Paul: I disagree. Change happens when it’s within your families and how they preceive you as a human being – not some untouchable on a TV screen. Look at Dick Cheney. You think he’d be supporting gay marriage if his daughter wasn’t gay? I know he’s not exactly a gay advocate, but it’s obvious that what happened in his family has influenced him. It even outweighed his political affiliation. Elton John, Richard Simmons, and Freddy Mercury had nothing to do with that.
Kenton Forshee
@hf2hvit: Sure, why not. You can make a fictional character in a bad novel anything you want them to be.
Charli
Closets breed haters!!! Atta boy Coop!!!
LadyL
@cam: As usual, you said succinctly what I was thinking. Thank you for the important clarification.
And @ CPT_Doom: Kudos to you as well for clarifying the Pete Williams matter, and for your thoughtful comments about the importance of Anderson Cooper’s coming out as well.
*
I’m so happy about Anderson Cooper’s decision to come out, very happy for him that he’s finally taken this step, and only take issue with his framing his previous glass closet existence in terms of privacy. I hate the way that word has been used to justify keeping us silent and in the closet; nothing confounds me more than when LGBT people–especially those as privileged as Mr. Cooper–buy into that logic (does anyone anywhere think of heterosexuality as a “private” matter?). Otherwise–well done, Anderson! (Latifah? Tyler? Taking notes?)
Anthony
I’ll be the dissenter and say that I liked it better before he came out. The way so many in the gay community bitterly and self-righteously spewed their moral judgement on him because he wouldn’t “officially” come out — and acted like his being mum on the topic was killing gay kids everywhere — always rubbed me the wrong way; so much so that I wanted him to continue to not give in and humor them.
No one should be expected to be a foot soldier for “the cause.”
The bottom line is that Cooper is a journalist, and that’s how he should be seen…not as another player on team gay. Why do we need to know anything more about him than that? I hope that, despite his acknowledging this, he doesn’t feed the topic any more or people’s insatiable need to know his personal business. I hope he just continues to just do his job and doesn’t let become his subtext.
N
AHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE HIM!!! So AWESOME!
mike128
I’m glad he finally came out – but it’s going to take me a while to come around to liking Anderson, or the media that keeps this glass closet thing going…
LadyL
@Tylertime: Good one! 😀
joanne
Anderson is a class act..it couldn’t be said any better by anyone, his words make me proud that I came out!
EJC
Anderson Cooper has always presented himself as a intelligent and thoughtful individual, one from the old school. There was no reason for him to come out, it was one of those things that was known but not mentioned, give him great credit for handling that matter a true and sophisticated manner.
Now all those idiots who kept the speculation game going can go after someone else and leave the nice guys along. His E-mail to Andrew Sullivan was one tasteful piece of writing, with style and dignity, if there were only more people with that kind of elegance. Good luck to him and thanks for bringing dignity to a situation that we all, of a certain age, have gone through, it’s nice to know it can be handled well and with taste.
Dan Syska
Proud of u dude
n900mixalot
Still a total boor. If he felt the need to, good for him–especially at the risk of his career, which won’t last much longer now that he’s come out.
It still doesn’t make him a different or better person.
Chuck
These people saying “there was no reason for him to come out” are kidding themselves and should turn in their gay card at the door. The remarkable progress we’ve made in the last 10 years is almost entirely because of increased visibility. Once people saw that LGBT people were just people like everyone else, it became virtually impossible for conservatives or bigots to define us as a scary “other”. Plus, as we’ve been saying for a long time, it is important for struggling LGBT kids nationwide to have as many positive LGBT role models as they possibly can.
It is not particularly “brave” for an uber rich guy who lives in uber gay Manhattan to come out on a conservative web site after so long. Nor is Anderson any “classier” than Thomas Roberts, Don Lemon, or Rachel Maddow. I truly think that Anderson was beginning to feel like an outlier for NOT having come out. Matt Bomer, Neil Patrick Harris, Andy Cohen, Ryan Murphy and many others are definitely the “cool” gay people because they have come out. It probably stuck in Anderson’s craw that Thomas Roberts and his partner were justifiably getting better seats at HRC events than Anderson.
But whatever. It is a great thing that he has finally come out. He should not be condemned for doing so or for waiting so long. However, people falling all over themselves calling him “brave” and “classy” are being just as ridiculous and Anderson had been up until today.
Justin
@Anthony: Amen!!!!! While i think it’s great that he has decided to share that he is gay, I feel like I would have respected him just the same if he had stayed mum on the matter. He always lived his life openly and honestly with his friends, family and colleagues. I would never ask any more from anyone, be it a celebrity journalist, movie star or anyone else.
Philip
Nicely said Anthony, I stand with you.
bee
I never thought he would do it, but I’m happy to finally see it happen. I have always liked Anderson and thought he was a cool, smart and decent guy and it was frustrating to be on these websites where folks were saying awful things about him because he wasn’t out, haters are gonna hate regardless, but at least the “he’s a closeted coward” part of the hate has no validity any longer.
Chad
Up next, Tom Cruise.
EJC
Boy . . . .there is nothing like the sting of a bitchy Queen !
Making up stuff is fun!
@EJC: Unfortunately, these B’s don’t die after they sting.
TiredoftheBS
@Tylertime: What does David Muir look like, a top or a bottom?
Terrell
I’m a gay black male. I’m just myself daily. I like watching Anderson Cooper and this won’t change how I feel about him at all. I never thought he had to publically say anything. I just don’t understand peoples obsession with who is gay and who isn’t yet hate homosexuals at the same time.
Whatever the fight is for homosexuals/bisexuales and others won’t be fought or one by how many famous people come out. Being gay is only a small part of who we are yet people want to paste it to our forehead.
Gay Bacon
So totally has nothing to do with anything,but I always lived Andersons hair! It just went so well with the rest of the look. Lol
Gay Bacon
Loved*
Shannon1981
Glad he is out. Not news, of course, but thanks for finally saying it, Anderson.
Spike
@DouggSeven: Please share who criticized you when you came out to make you so angry and bitter? Also, given it’s all about you, when in your opinion do you think he should have come out, be specific.
mason
He waited too long til it became a bit of a joke…..yawn…..
Baba Booey
Congrats!
Kieran
How I wish there was a TV guy like Anderson Cooper who came out as gay when I was 13 or 14. It would have made a big difference for me. Good role models always do.
David Ehrenstein
This Just In– Water is Wet!
http://fablog.ehrensteinland.com/2012/07/02/this-just-in-water-is-wet/
Max R. A. Astudillo
The news is not a surprise and my opinion of him is maintained. He is a gentleman and one of the greatest journalist that CNN could afford to have. To his private life, coming from myself, another gay man, it should be kept as it is, his own private affair. Thank you Mr. Cooper for continuing been a role model to Society that is become so scarcely afforded.
cam
@Making up stuff is fun!: said…
”
@cam: And maybe then, when bigotry is finally dead, self-important blowhards like you will finally shut the fuck up.”
__________________
So lets see here, I congratulate Anderson Cooper and state that his coming out is a blow to bigotry, and you attack me for it.
If anybody here is self important it is you, who ignore the important story to just lash out at somebody who hasn’t said anything to you…unless of oourse you are one of those weridly obsessed Cooper fans who constnatly lied and claimed he was already out. Then I can understand why his official coming out, and basically calling you out as a liar would have uset you.
Carl 1
This is a very good way of publicly acknowledging his sexuality (different from coming out, as it appears he already IS out to those in his personal life: family, friends, partners etc. He just hasn’t been stood on a rooftop shouting about it). I also totally get his reasoning for keeping it out of the public eye due to the way it would impact his ability to conduct interviews in other countries and perform his job in war zones. It’s sad that this is the case, but it is. And so long as he was out in his personal life, his lack of public acknowledgment doesn’t bother me. But good on him for a very, very classy coming out.
cam
@Max R. A. Astudillo: said…
”
To his private life, coming from myself, another gay man, it should be kept as it is, his own private affair.”
___________________
I think it is dangerous to equate being gay with someody stating what sex acts they engage in in detail.
Should it be hidden that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have children? Should it be hidden that Reese Witherspoon has dated? That Adam Levine has a girlfriend? Is that something shameful? Of course not.
Bryan
Matthew Bomer, Jim Parsons and Anderson Cooper in on year. 2012- the year of well, duh!
LadyL
@Anthony: Respectfully, I could not disagree with you more. When you can be murdered, or ousted from your job or your home or your family, for merely being gay (whether you’ve told someone or whether it was gossiped or discovered about you), the personal inevitably becomes the political and vice versa. You ARE a foot soldier for the cause–the cause being the right to exist–whether you want to be or not. That’s true for all of us in our daily, non-celebrity lives. I see no reason why the famous should be exempt.
Perhaps you believe we place too much emphasis on the importance of celebrity in our culture. That may well be true (nothing else could explain the rise of the Kardashians) but there it is, neverthless, and that reality is not going away. Love them or hate them, celebrities matter to us–your coming to this site and contributing to the commentary about AC is evidence of that.
And as for Anderson Cooper– you’re right, his being a good journalist is what matters. In some ways it is precisely because he is a journalist, and one whose motto was “Keepin’ Em Honest,” that his closet coyness was so galling. It struck me as particularly problematic, because the idea that the rest of us shouldn’t talk about his being gay seemed to mirror the mainstream media’s poor job of reporting on LGBT issues generally, and the problem of closeted politicians and operatives, particularly. When closet case politicos make policies and campaign positions that constantly throw the the rest of us under the bus–even as they expect their “secret” to remain protected–it matters. Until today at least Mr. Cooper has hardly been in a position to keep THEM honest when he himself was not (and they knew it and he knew they knew it).
Go AC
This is a very, very positive thing for young people. Shame-free LGBT role models are extremely important. We need to be in a post-shame era.
Anderson Cooper is widely liked and respected, all around the world. His coming out will help counter anti-gay hate and violence, which is much worse in certain other parts of the world than it is in the U.S.
And of course I hope this just adds to Cooper’s life satisfaction. I would imagine it will be a significant relief to stop having to be guarded in every single public moment about a major, and harmless, personal characteristic that straight people *never* have to feel guarded about.
I imagine his boyfriend, mother, Larry King, Erica Hill, Kathy Griffin, etc. are all very proud of him now (and relieved – no more conspiracy of silence).
I wish him the best.
Michael
@DouggSeven: Hilarious!
Kim
Well he better avoid Iraq they just hung 2.more gays
Nina
@DouggSeven: Not so. I have a friend from Romania, Rho, who is a lesbian. Her mother all but disowned her, and they hadn’t spoken for several years when her mom stumbled on some reruns of American Idol and promptly fell in love with Adam Lambert. I don’t think I’ll ever forget Rho’s Skype to me, absolutely sobbing, after she and her mom had a screaming match of the “why can you accept he’s gay but not accept that I’m gay?” “Because he’s not gay!” variety and I provided a link to the interview where Adam came out: “Nina, she watched it.” ” . . . . yes?” “She just called me.” “What did she say?” “‘Rho, I’m so sorry.’ We’re going to lunch on Thursday to talk.” That was two years ago. Today they’re closer than ever.
Maybe somewhere out there is a mom who can’t stand that her son is gay, but has always admired Anderson Cooper. Maybe this is the thing that will open her mind and reunite them (and for those who might say “who cares, screw your hypothetical mother,” don’t we need all the changed minds we can get?). I can say from experience: It’s happened before.
Caleb
Fox News reports this as, “Talk Show Host Anderson Cooper: I’m Gay.” What a bunch of ass clowns. He comes out and they want to strip him of his journalistic credentials. By calling him a talk show host, they are putting him in the same category as Ellen, Rachel Ray, and Springer.
1equalityUSA
Right on Cooper, now I can name a pet after you. I got four text messages today, so the news is circulating S.F. I’m happy for you and for our community to have someone like you to represent us to the 1,000 hormonal moms who are in a stir.
Elizabeth F.
Well, I say good for him. Don’t be afraid to embrace your life as you want to live it.
Larry
@mason: just when would have been the right time for you mason??? I suspect you would find fault no matter
Good News
I just got into an argument with someone the other day about him being gay. She swears he’s straight.
Time to throw the news in her face and be catty about it. 🙂
Kikasscdn
10/10!!! Atta boy! Though it does not need our approval or explanation, the above candor is truthful, heartfelt and true to who Anderson is!!! Proud of you
Fernando
I am proud of you i known that meaning to ” came out>>>” I am not a celebret, but some people like you stand up and speak out i can feel the freedom for you because i alredy expecience i was one of the best moves i did in my life, i guess THE BEST!!! CONGRATS MR. Anderson.
So What?
Why are gays so fascinated by this old man? He’s boring, not hot, and a mediocre “journalist”.
Making up stuff is fun!
@So What?: Somehow I don’t think you’re more interesting, better-looking, and more accomplished in your field than Anderson Cooper.
1equalityUSA
Hearing this news and that a huge mass o’ M or o=mo ns quit the cult –google news it made my day
Hephaestion
Bravo to Anderson Cooper! I’m very happy for him to have it all out on the table now.
zuluaskono
Good for you,Anderson, and thanks. You knew that we knew and we knew that you knew we knew. Coming out is more complicated for some than others. My son has come out to me, my husband(not his dad), his grandmother, and a few friends as transgendered and everybody has been loving and supportive but he has a way to go. I’ve been pushing the ” rip the bandaid off” approach, just get on out there baby! But he worries about how it will affect his career as a musician in the public eye. My position is that the family will come around quickly, and any friends he looses weren’t true friends anyway. That being said, any time a respected public figure comes out, it just paves the way for the thousands of every day folks to feel a little bit more emboldened to have that conversation with their loved ones.
zuluaskono
@Paul: I so agree. See my comment below.
MikeB
Awesome for him. Didn’t expect to see this on QueerTea today.
Gary C.
Your life has just began. Welcome to my world Anderson. Love is a beautiful thing and being open about the one you love will mean the world to you both. Congradulations on having the strength to pubically come out and announce it to the world, yourself, and eachother. Much love to you both.
Making up stuff is fun!
@Gary C.: Whoa. What a patronizing post.
hal2010
Anderson is 100% spot on. His email is brilliant. The more highly visible people make themselves visible as LGBT people, the more we can break down the walls of ignorance, prejudice and fear bit by bit. Anderson did himself a favor by coming out publicly as well as helping the cause for equality. Well regarded people add (shall we say) credibility to a fight for equal status when the question of credibility ought not even factor into the equation. Regardless, it does factor in. The more public figures that come out as Gay & Proud, the quicker stereotypes will fall by the wayside. The Far Right tells the most horrendous lies about us. Anderson’s wise and humane decision to come out publicly is the kind of ammunition that helps in our fight. With gratitude,I say: “More power to you, Anderson”.
Tor Appelbergst
What’s new we all knew that already.
Rockery
@Callum:
Really?? I did not know that Brian Williams is gay, isn’t that other guy? Who was molested by the priests??
Rockery
Re: Anderson
whatever, what’s new?
DouggSeven
@Nina: Not to argue with you – but that scenario is down right sad. A mother can only come to terms with her daughter’s sexuality because of something she saw on TV – over her own flesh and blood? What if she wasn’t a watcher of American Idol then? They’d still be at odds? There’s a deeper problem with her mother’s view of the world if she bases her judgements over pictures on a TV screen.
@Spike: Who said my coming out experience was bitter? It went smoothly, actually. I believe it’s one’s choice to come out – when they are ready. If they never do, that’s their choice to meke, not anyone elses. In Anderson’s case, he was bullied into coming out. Every gay blog in the world constantly made wise cracks at his expense about it – not to mention what the tabloid Out magazine did to further the fire. If he is not a lawmaker or a judge – what business is it of anyone’s who he sleeps with? He reads a teleprompter on TV for god’s sake.
Lane
If you watched Anderson on Kathy Griffin last week, he might as well have come out the. There was a moment I thought he was going to come out…
NoHoInTO
None of this would have come to fruition if he was a Scientologist. Glad he’s openly “out”, makes one soooo much happier.
Red Meat
Now Fox News needs to find a gay republican for their channel and the Gay trifecta of news will be complete. With Rachael over at MSNBC. I would watch Fox News for that.
shannon
GOOD FOR HIM!!!! >>>THIS<<< IS THE REACTION THE DUMMY DON LEMON WAS HOPING TO GET ABOUT HIM! HE WAS HOPING PEOPLE GAVE A DAMN………LOLOLOL
UsualPlayers
As always its great to see someone come out.
Also as always, there is always this crazy contingent lately that pretends he was always out.
Denial is not just a river in Egypt.
Making up stuff is fun!
@UsualPlayers: “Denial is not just a river in Egypt.”
It doesn’t work in writing.
UsualPlayers
@Making up stuff is fun!: I suppose if you are terminally stupid and lack imagination that’s probably true. For the rest, I expect if they see a popular saying they have enough imagination to imagine hearing it.
UsualPlayers
By the way, what’s really strange about the exchanges above is that Cooper himself says its important to come out.
He admits what others here deny: That there is a public closet as well as a private one. That until someone says “I’m gay,” no matter how well known the fact is, the public will think there is something wrong with being gay.
This is something Cooper admits to in his letter.
“I have always been very open and honest about this part of my life with my friends, my family, and my colleagues. In a perfect world, I don’t think it’s anyone else’s business, but I do think there is value in standing up and being counted. I’m not an activist, but I am a human being and I don’t give that up by being a journalist…
But I do think visibility is important, more important than preserving my reporter’s shield of privacy.”
That kind of honesty is to be praised. He discusses his views on why its important. Namely, that there are still people being killed and abused out there due to their sexual orientation. That’s also to be lauded.
UsualPlayers
If people are looking for a nuanced statement about how to come out, and why its important, even if there are privacy issues, he gave it.
Alexi3
@So What?: What a ridiculous and idiot comment. Are you really this shallow a human being?
Alexi3
Way to go Anderson. I couldn’t be prouder of you. I always thought you were a great and courageous journalist from your earliest career as a field reporter for CNN when you first came to my attention. I also appreciated that you sought out a meaningful career for yourself and went to work trying to illuminate the world often in situations that put you within the reach of bodily harm and even death. Some coming from such an extremely privileged background just sit back and enjoy their wealth. Congratulations on all fronts.
Nina
@DouggSeven: Not exactly, Doug. Being gay in Romania is way worse than being gay in America–in addition to the culture being heavily Eastern Orthodox Catholic and everyone who’s roughly 30+ years old having grown up as part of the Soviet Communist Bloc, they have a big sense of “family honour.” Coming out essentially shames your whole family. Think it’s bad that you can be fired here for being gay? Rho’s mom doesn’t dare put a picture of Rho + girlfriend on her desk because she could be fired for “condoning sin.” In the US, police may give lackluster security to a Pride parade–in Romania, they will attack the Pride parade, if they choose to. I’m not saying that makes it okay for her to disown her daughter–I’m just saying when you step back and look at it that way, it’s more understandable where her mindset comes from.
Now look at it from the view of Rho’s mom: here is this boy she thinks is very charming, very sweet, very talented–but she has no connection to him, really. He could paint himself bright blue and run naked through the street singing “Like a Virgin” while throwing daisies at people, and it wouldn’t affect her at all. There are no stakes to Adam being gay, because they’re not related–they’re not even from the same country. When she was able to accept it in someone she admired, but was distanced from, it let her take a less emotional look at what it means to be gay, and accept it in her daughter.
I actually think this is why it’s important for gay celebs to come out–because we may admire, lust after, be devoted to, or become completely obsessed with (okay I think that’s mostly Justin Bieber fans) them, but unless you’re very mentally ill, you’re also aware that there is a distance where they inspire you, and probably care about you in the sense that most artists have a kind of detached affection for their audience, but they don’t actually know you, personally, exist. That distance can be enough to step back from all the emotional tumult and assorted BS and look at what being gay actually “means” (answer: It means you like people of the same sex. Period. It does not make you a child molester, shiftless, automatically Godless, etc. you know all the arguments and can fill them in here for yourself).
rpm
Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah! for you AC – Team Anderson all the way …”you did it your way, and you did it on your terms” Way to go AC!!
Mrs. Patrick Campbell
Who cares about that annoying nelly old queen – is she about to lose her ‘job’ with CNN and thus needs some free publicity?
Matt
Simpering little twit, cowering in the closet while others were brave and proud.
Take your shame back to your nelly firehouse. We don’t want you.
Kim
@Mrs. Patrick Campbell: Apparently you care since you are commenting
Tonya
Good for you, AC! What really MATTERS to me, is that you are a GREAT reporter/Journalist. What matters, is that you care about people all over the world, in all kinds of conditions. ….that you love animals and that your smile lights up our television, nightly. Thanks for taking all the risks, to enlihten my family about the world 🙂
Chris
Yawn.
I’m glad for him, but I’m also bored. He should have come out years ago. I don’t think anyone would have attacked him during Katrina because he was gay.
I’d still do him though.
darkorient
Yippeee! Congratulations, Mr. Cooper! It’s about time! So proud of you.
Aquarelle
Who did this tired queen think she was fooling? Everyone knew little miss Andrea had her little French gay-for-pay pool boy, but she thought she was too good to tell the world she got on her knees to suck c0ck. I got some breaking news for *you*, hon: You’re not better than the rest of us. You’re just a regular old homo, like all of us here.
cray-cray
@Aquarelle: Benjamin/Antoine is not a gay-for-pay…he is always been queer, out and about. Get your facts straight, cough cough BOTTOM QUEEN.
Aquarelle
@cray-cray: Mnnnn, the crazy-ass Andrea-wannabes are out in full force. Dream all you want, child; Gloria ain’t never gonna call you “son.”
Ben S.
Bout time Anderson. Being a “high profile openly out gay man” makes it safer for the rest of us. Out since 1994, and damn proud of it!!!!
Vincent
The moral of the story is… you have to establish yourself FIRST before you come out.
Had he done this 10 years ago, it would have hurt his career.