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Celeb News: Ebony: Stop saying Jussie Smolett "came out"
Member Since: 12/15/2011
Posts: 9,940
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Ebony: Stop saying Jussie Smolett "came out"
Quote:
The headlines surrounding the Empire star's big Ellen interview are misleading
There’s a difference between making a declarative statement and dancing around one.
So while I totally respect Jussie Smollett’s choice to offer the former during a recent interview with Ellen DeGeneres, I find the narrative surrounding it a bit misleading. Every headline I’ve read speaks to Smollett 'coming out' as gay, but to come out as gay is to explicitly say so. Smollett did no such thing, and if anything, stayed true to his previous promise of keeping his private life just that.
Yes, during their conversation, which carried over backstage and was subsequently released to the world online, Smollett had this to say any suggestion that he was closeted: “There’s never been a closet. That I’ve been in. I don’t own a closet, I got a dresser, but I don’t have a closet, but I have a home and that is my responsibility to protect that home.”
I live in a studio apartment in Harlem, but that has nothing to do with whether or not I’m more sexually attracted to Beyoncé, Frank Ocean, or somewhere in between.
Now, when Ellen offered, “You’ve never pretended to be anything that you aren’t,” Smollett did add, “Ever, ever. So lets not read into it the wrong when I say that I don’t talk about my personal life, I’m saying that. But it is in no way to hide or deny who God made me. Ya know?”
In other words, I’m not ashamed of who I am (whatever that is), but I don’t want you people in my damn business either. Fair enough, but again, is that coming out or just expressing a desire not to be categorized incorrectly one way or the other?
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I don’t find it unfair to ask Jussie Smollett about his sexuality. Though prejudices remain, it’s finally beginning to feel like such an inquiry isn’t tied to some attempt to soil one’s character, and subsequently, damage their career. Given that Jamal Lyons is such a groundbreaking character, there is a natural curiosity to find out how close to home the role may or may not be for the actor at the helm of it. His mama and God may know, but Ellen and the rest of us essentially got a wink and a nod to the elephant in the room.
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My aim is to not play the role of sourpuss nor is it to take away from his moment. However, “coming out” is a very specific thing that shouldn’t be lumped into any sort of gray area. Coming out is: I am _____. It is still very powerful to hear the actual words. Smollett answered in a way that was best for him, but for those of us who have actually come out, we understand there’s a bit more to those two words than many of these headlines and stories have suggested.
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let's wait for usual crowd to say the writer is pressed, jealous, wants to claim jussie as his own or some other stupid reactionary response 
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 41,181
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Of course he didn't come out, which is stupid given he's already been outed by two of his co-stars. He's annoying. 
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Member Since: 6/30/2010
Posts: 22,080
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Essays over something that isn't that important. I get what the writer is saying but honestly is it that big a deal?
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Member Since: 3/21/2012
Posts: 55,134
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Thank you .!! He was already out
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Member Since: 3/25/2012
Posts: 10,673
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If that's the case then Frank Ocean never came out either.
People don't have to say "I'm gay/bi/lesbian" in order to confirm whether or not they're attracted to the same sex. And they shouldn't even be expected to. I honestly don't see what all this fuss is about. Let Jussie live his life the way he wants to. If he wants to keep his sex life ambiguous then let him. We all know he likes dick so why are we still talking about it? It's none of our business to begin with and he only did that Ellen interview because we were all talking about it already.
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Member Since: 8/18/2013
Posts: 21,558
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Why is this magazine always telling people what they should and shouldn't do
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Member Since: 8/29/2011
Posts: 3,420
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 4,199
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with a name like "Jussie" and a face like that, you don't really need to "come out."
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 3,677
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Does he need to spell it out for y'all  If you watch the interview it's obvious that's what he was saying
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Member Since: 12/16/2008
Posts: 59,380
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Who cares, King is flawless and can get it anytime and anywhere...
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Member Since: 4/23/2011
Posts: 16,377
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No, he didn't actually come out, but we should be empathetic because we're not in the same position as him. Telling the people you're close to you that you're gay and telling the whole world isn't the same thing. Also, despite all his PC statements in interviews about how homophobia is an issue for every community, being a gay black man and gay non-black man is not the same thing, especially for an actor whose mainstream career is just starting. It's probably just easier to keep it ambiguous and implicit right now. It's liberating to say "I'm gay" openly to everyone and not care what anyone thinks, but it's not that easy.
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Member Since: 5/6/2010
Posts: 35,158
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Member Since: 11/18/2008
Posts: 60,607
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wtf is this website in just two days they've "dragged" Iggy, Stacey and Kanye and now this(which isnt a drag but still).
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Member Since: 3/25/2012
Posts: 10,673
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I think an important question is why does it bother some people so much when a gay/bi man doesn't specifically say "I'm gay/bi"? If someone doesn't want their sex life all out in the open then it makes perfect sense for them to not want to be labeled. And there's nothing wrong with not wanting people to label you. Labels are confining and they might not feel like they fit into the label you want to stick them in. It's not your place to claim whether someone is "ashamed of their sexuality" simply because they didn't use the words you like to hear in a coming out story.
You don't know someone else's position. Maybe they're gay, maybe they're bi, maybe they're pansexual, maybe they're actually trans. The point is, they don't owe us any explanation. They told us they enjoy the same sex (and possibly the opposite sex in some cases). If you HAVE to label them then they can only be one of a few things and you should have enough context to draw your own conclusion from what they said. It's not their job to keep us up to date on who was in their bed last night.
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Member Since: 1/3/2014
Posts: 15,909
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Ebony is on a roll with these messy ass articles.
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Member Since: 8/17/2009
Posts: 6,121
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He was never in to begin with *tilts head*
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 3,677
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Quote:
Originally posted by UnusualBoy
Who cares, King is flawless and can get it anytime and anywhere...
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This tbh 
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Member Since: 4/7/2009
Posts: 34,961
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Why are people annoyed with Jussie? He hasn't done a damn thing, it's everyone else trying to figure out his sexuality when it's CLEAR AS DAY, all it took was a google and even better a youtube search. He's the one that should be annoyed. 
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Member Since: 1/28/2009
Posts: 20,640
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Quote:
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I’m not ashamed of who I am (whatever that is), but I don’t want you people in my damn business either.
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 29,531
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He didn't come out, but everyone already knows he's gay.
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