Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Anderson Cooper: "The Fact Is, I'm Gay."

Image courtesy of CNN

Last week, Entertainment Weekly ran a story on an emerging trend: gay people in public life who come out in a much more restrained and matter-of-fact way than in the past. In many ways, it's a great development: we're evolved enough not to be gob-smacked when we find out someone's gay. But it does matter nonetheless, it seems to me, that this is on the record. We still have pastors calling for the death of gay people, bullying incidents and suicides among gay kids, and one major political party dedicated to ending the basic civil right to marry the person you love. So these "non-events" are still also events of a kind; and they matter. The visibility of gay people is one of the core means for our equality.

All of which is a prelude to my saying that I've known Anderson Cooper as a friend for more than two decades. I asked him for his feedback on this subject, for reasons that are probably obvious to most. Here's his email in response which he has given me permission to post here:

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.

44 comments:

  1. He finally comes out! Good for him.

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    1. Matagal nang alam na gay si Anderson, sinabi na niya noon pa, his point is not coming out but a point of a gay journalist on doing his job...

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    2. Atleast cya umaamin!!! C papa p kc nakahiyaan nalang!!! Lol...

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  2. Amen to that. I've always liked Anderson Cooper and have known for a longtime that he is gay. I hope he serves as an example for people in the Philippine media (and showbiz na din), that one is not diminished (or uplifted) by their sexual orientation. You are who you chose to be and what's important is you fulfill your chosen profession with dignity and pride in what you do. Kahit di ka katalo, I still want you as my husband, Anderson!

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  3. Recently ko lang din ito naconfirm through a friend.
    It broke my heart at first!
    Then I picked myself up and finally had the courage to know who the partner is, he's one hot papa and a bar owner.

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  4. sigh* obvious naman eh. sayang, super crush ko pa naman siya.

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    1. bakit sayang? he is the same person who has achieved so much and has so much promise to do even more. "he loves and he is loved", isn't that everything we all want.

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    2. ok lang. pagbigyan mo na sa sinabi nya. girlalu kasi, hindi beki

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  5. Kahit obvious na, naging crush ko parin siya :(( Kaya kayong mga beckies: Kayo na!!! Sainyo na siya!!

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  6. Papa P and E.D. admit na rin kayo

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  7. huhuhu, i am devastated!

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  8. Si Papa P naman!

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  9. Such talent and passion! Love him!

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  10. News pa ba to? Di ba ang tagal na syang out? Hindi na nga open secret ito eh, open na talaga.

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  11. openly gay naman siya, i've seen pictures of him together with his lover/partner. yun nga lang he never discussed his sexual orientation publicly.

    it's none of our business.

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  12. Atom Araullo..:D

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  13. Love him! Have you noticed kung gaano sya kaganda magdala ng damit??? Especially his bright colored shirts in his show. Perfection siya!

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  14. I dont mind gay people but it displeases when they dress and act so inappropriately

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    1. As opposed to straight people dressing and acting inappropriately? Kahit gay o hinde, pag di tama ang suot at kilos, masagwa. Wala sa sexual orientation yun ate.

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    2. Winner ang post mo, Anon 2:52

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  15. In other news, the sky is blue.

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  16. Being gay doesn't really matter., fact is, he is still one of the most well respected journalist I know

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  17. So what? No big deal. Hindi yun kabawasan neng. In fact karagdagan pa yun kasi pasok ka na sa banga.. Nakakaloka ka. Welcome to the club!!! Manlibre ka!!!

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  18. You are one of the best in your field, Anderson Cooper. That's what matters most to me.

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  19. You are one of the best in your field, Anderson Cooper. That's what matters most to me.

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  20. I love Anderson Cooper. But this is really nothing new. He has been out to all his relatives, friends and colleagues for a long time now. I have lived in New York and it was never a secret. He just didn't want to make a big deal out of it. Piolo should take note.

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  21. YUNG MGA FEELING KO CLOSET QUEEN AT AYAW PANG UMAMIN NG TOTOONG SEXUAL ORIENTATION NILA ARE PAPA P., ER S., LU M., RI P, CH B., ENC, JE M.....DI AKO SURE KUNG KASAMA PATI SI SA M. SA LISTAHANG ITO. TAMA BA KO, GUYS??

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    1. Ikaw naman feeling mo lang yun at ang feeling ko meron kang tama jan at merong mali. Nadadala lang kasi minsan tau ng herd mentality pag me nagsabi ng isang bagay kahit di totoo paniwala agad tayo kahit walang ebidensya. Pasalin salin na lang ang chismis hanggang tumatak na sa isip ng lahat. Magpakalat at magpalawak ng chismis ay madaling gawin at kapag sayo nangyari yun sorry ka na lang. Dala mo na yun habang buhay.

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  22. Everybody Every guy who is everyone is coming out and claiming they are GAY! Ayos! Malapit ng magunaw ang mundo! Wooooohoooo!

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  23. Very well said Anderson Cooper~ clap! clap!

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  24. And that's why I've been stalking Anderson at the David Barton gym for years:) so love that guy

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  25. I love watching Anderson Cooper! from the very fist time na nakita ko siya na maghost nG CNN New Year's Eve with kathy Griffin! ( I'm a huuge Kathy griffin fan BTW )

    -IamRP

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  26. I'm shocked!!! Hindi rin.

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  27. it's his own choice of sharing it in public. the bottomline is only God will judge each one of us.

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  28. I wish Jeremy Renner won't be next, finger crossed.

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  29. mabuGAY Mr cooper........feel ko magtatambling sa saliw ng Puttin On The Ritz!!!! yeeeeeeeeeeebaaaaaaaaaaa

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  30. I love him and I find it cute whenever Kathy Griffin flirts with him. Anderson is so hot!

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  31. i think bicurious lang siya just like almelor. ayalin and henson are openly baklitas. oo, ako na ang nakaka-alam!

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  32. Sa mga nagpopost na dito na umamin na daw ang mga closet queens sa Pinas, I don't think kailangang pilitin at ipagtulakan natin silang umamin in public. Isipin nyo na lang na di pa rin kasing open minded ang Pilipinas sa mga nagladlad. Kung aamin sila, makakabuti nga sa mga LGBT members pero makakabuti ba ito sa career nila or sa family mismo nila? Dito sa Pinas, di lang ang taong kwestyonable ang sekswalidad ang apektado pag umamin kundi ang kanilang pamilya at ang ibang nakapaligid sa kanila. Baka sa pagpipilit natin sa kanila na umamin in public ang kanilang totoong sekswalidad baka mas mapasama pa ito sa kanila kesa nakabuti. Bigyan natin sila ng chance na sila na mismo umamin in their own time. Kung di man sila umamin in public pero tanggap naman ang kanilang totoong sexual preference, hayaan na lang natin at respetuhin ang desisyon nila.

    Kopikido

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  33. Love him more !!!

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  34. Biggest open secret to sa kanila di ba? Hindi naman niya ever tinago si Ben Maisani eh, kahit may mga paparazzi. Kaya dati pa love ko na si Anderson!

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