Rachel Maddow to Other News Anchors: ‘If You’re Gay You Have a Responsibility to Come Out’
- Posted on April 25, 2011 at 9:31pm by
Emily Esfahani Smith
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MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow is one of a few openly gay anchors on television—and in an interview with the British Guardian, she said that if there are any other gay anchors out there, they have a responsibility to come out of the closet (via HuffPo).
The Guardian:
Maddow is one of the very few gay news anchors in America – well, one of the very few openly gay news anchors. Does she feel frustration towards an equally well-known news presenter who is widely assumed to be gay but has never come out? For the first time, Maddow pauses: “I‘m sure other people in the business have considered reasons why they’re doing what they’re doing, but I do think that if you’re gay you have a responsibility to come out,” she says carefully.
Though some have speculated whether she was referring to Anderson Cooper here, Maddow put that rumor to rest in a blog post that appeared on her website (via Mediaite).
Regarding The Guardian interview that’s getting a lot of pickup today: in that interview, I wasn’t asked about Anderson Cooper, I didn’t say anything about him, he literally was never discussed during the interview at all — even implicitly.
…
Media-about-media today notwithstanding, I did not in my interview with The Guardian say anything about or to Mr. Cooper, nor would I. Although criticism of Mr. Cooper was intimated by The Guardian and picked up everywhere — I did not make that criticism in the interview, nor did I imply it, nor is it what I believe.
She also explained her “ethics of coming out”:
I’ve long held three basic beliefs about the ethics of coming out:
Gay people — generally speaking — have a responsibility to our own community and to future generations of gay people to come out, if and when we feel that we can.
We should all get to decide for ourselves the “if and when we feel that we can” part of that.
Closeted people should reasonably expect to be outed by other gay people if (and only if) they prey on the gay community in public, but are secretly gay themselves.
I also believe that coming out makes for a happier life, but that’s not a matter of ethics, that’s just corny advice.
Read her blog post here. And read her full Guardian interview here.
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Comments (241)
caprica
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 9:50pmis she a man or woman or what?
Report Post »parmajohn
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 9:58pmA What
Report Post »sophiepuggle
Posted on April 26, 2011 at 2:27pmshe’s more man than the other idiots on that channel
Report Post »caprica
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 9:50pmrachel maddow did any one ever told you that this is none of your business and you can not dictate to anyone what they have to do …..you are barainwashed communsit out of communsit college and you think that you have any right to other people lives …you don’t …you have a arrogance and you are a same as any small minded dictator ………learn this IT IS NON OF YOUR BUSINESS – other people affairs are not your business and if you want to make your business that someone should slap you real good until you get it ..you aare like a donkey ! until you get kick in your bonny ass you can’t get it !
Report Post »parmajohn
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 9:49pmS-He gives all gays a bad name definetly not your typical stereotype…I never felt “THE LOVE” Not that theres anything wrong with that
Report Post »rightplanet
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 9:49pmThe result of an overpopulated world.
Report Post »HemiOwner
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 9:49pmWhat a fine looking young man.
Report Post »frodis
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 9:49pmSo I’m gonna run around tomorrow and say “I’m straight everyone! I love women”! Wouldn’t people find that a bit tacky? Like Madcow is tacky? Be gay I don’t care but is announcing your bedroom preference necessary?
Report Post »flyoverbob
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 9:48pmShe has no ethics in regards to the truth when talking about anything,or anybody
Report Post »Mil-Dot
Posted on April 26, 2011 at 2:15amAny chick that is afraid of, or does not know how to handle man meat is a freak of nature. A biological error. Not a real woman. A wierdo.
Report Post »Now this is Art
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 9:48pmwe need to form a group…like soros did, and boycott the advertisers of her pathetic little show
Report Post »GeorgieJo
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 10:26pmChrissyTinglesMatthews has HALL’s and ROUND UP as advertisers
I’m buying other brands from now on Chrissy is just mean and stupid
He was talking today about Haley Barbour and I nearly shot my tv
Tingles think all southerners are racist rednecks
I could care less what Maddow says or does
Report Post »glennrocks
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 9:46pmWho cares? Vote for Sarah Palin 2012, The media is brainwashing everyone into thinking Palin has been destroyed. Mitt Romney can’t win etc. If Donald Trump is on the liberal news 24/7 they want him to run.
Report Post »NickDeringer
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 9:46pmRemember, gang, today‘s mental disorder is tomorrow’s Constitutional right.
Report Post »jeffyfreezone
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 11:27pmSad but oh so true.
Report Post »40 Ford Ragtop
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 9:45pmMadd Cow is irrelevant and has the MSM position as a show pony.
Report Post »The Elitist arrogance once again ********** as “what everybody else ought to do.”
So
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 9:45pmHow about a responsibility for telling the unbiased truth?
How about words like credibility and journalistic integrity? You got nothing, Maddow.
But you are happy.
Report Post »Now this is Art
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 9:45pm….and IF your are….why not tell the “moderate” muslims to come out against hate, and murder, and suppression of womens rights, and terrorism.
Report Post »Large Eagle
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 9:44pmYeah! How about lighting hitting the White House
Report Post »speedbrake
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 9:43pmThats one ugly shim.Reminds me of that Saturday Night live skit Pat.Is it a he or a she?
Report Post »crackerone
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 9:43pmI didn’t realize he was gay!
Report Post »not-a-lib
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 9:57pmOk, I haven’t laughed like that in a while… thanks.
Report Post »miles from nowhere
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 9:43pmAre we going to be exposed to a freak show with drag queens in make-up.
Report Post »starman70
Posted on April 26, 2011 at 10:18amHow about Keith Olberman who gets tingles up his legs when he seel Obama.
Report Post »Whitey4West
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 9:42pmMaddow is gay?? I always thought he liked girls….
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 9:42pmNO they have a responsibility to present the news. If they want to make social statements then either go on a talk show or start one. Ellen Degeneris (sp) would be a good start. If you are presenting the NEWS then you state the facts and DO NOT color them with your opinions. If you want to be an opinion maker here is one for you: copy Glenn Beck! Do not mock other personalities in the media….. this degrades both you and your message.
TWIT !
Report Post »Ba Ba Booey
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 9:50pmnot very Stoic. i think she meant personalities of her own ilk…opinion people like her, beck, olbermann, etc. I don’t think she meant news people.
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 10:23pmBA BA BOOEY
OH I thought she was like Brian Williams on the airwaves national news. I do not have television service….just the ‘net’ , radio, and air wave TV.
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 10:27pmhey wait!! the article says she IS a news anchor. I retract my apology.
Report Post »Moises
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 9:42pmwas referring to Shepard Smith
Report Post »spirited
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 9:41pm“Coming out”
>More sex talk; WHO cares?
Report Post »Omikronian
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 9:40pmSounds strangely likely the Masquerade between vampires. Do gay liberals get to kill gay conservatives when they “prey on the gay community” or just “out” them?
Report Post »swampbuck
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 9:38pmyeah you other anchors should listen to Richard..
Report Post »dallastexan
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 9:38pmI really couldn’t care less if she was gay or not…I still see her as an idiot…….
I have no issues with gay people…unless they are socialists..
Report Post »Ba Ba Booey
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 9:47pmyou have opted out of Medicare and Social Security, huh?
Report Post »MODEL82A1
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 9:55pmWe are not given the Option to opt out. To attempt to do so is to break the law. With a name like Ba Ba Boey, it has to be ignorant.
Report Post »Robert-CA
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 10:17pmI‘m just asking not that there’s anything wrong with that .
Report Post »My Sacred Honor
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 10:20pmTell me, baabaa, how exactly DOES one “opt out” of SSI? Although, as a low income worker i have seen no increase to my Federal taxes, I have seen my SSI jump around 200%. Don’t believe me? Take a look at your tax forms and look at the vast disparagency between your “taxes” and your SSI.
Report Post »I would LOVE to “opt out” of that, but you can’t, because, as Glenn explains in “Broke”, every president for the last 20 years has used Social Security as a budget slush-fund, easily accessable to pay for ANYTHING but social security.
That is why the taxes stay relitively similar, but your ssi (non-refundable come April 15th) have skyrocketted.
My Sacred Honor
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 10:22pmMODEL82A1
Report Post »“ba ba” is how sheeple talk.
I took a course in the language but failed hard.
Made us read “1984′ over and over again, and actually tried to get me to believe “2+2=5″
I was a “troublesome student”
Robert-CA
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 11:01pmWas she talking about Cenk Uygur ?
Report Post »OFFmyMEDS
Posted on April 26, 2011 at 1:06amExactly, thankyou Dallastexan for rising above the vitriol.
Report Post »SlimnRanger
Posted on April 26, 2011 at 9:37amI totally agree Dallas, I think all the MSNBC host are wicked and most likley the majority of them are straight,either way i will not listen to their garbage
Report Post »zman61
Posted on April 26, 2011 at 2:09pmif he is paying into those programs, forced by government, then he should not opt out of it. You can NOT believe in socialism and still take part in the program because you are forced to participate in paying for said program. I am sure he could have invested his money better that the government has.
Report Post »BQI
Posted on April 26, 2011 at 3:23pm@ROBERT-CA
That’s pretty funny. I’m a Seinfeld fan also. Just the show not the person :-)
http://www.blackquillandink.com
Report Post »Revere1
Posted on April 25, 2011 at 9:38pmSounds like Maddow’s more concerned with promoting gay rights than journalistic integrity. If you’re going to criticize another liberal anchor, how about their left-wing bias? http://www.battlefield315.com/2011/04/gay-marriage-explained.html
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