Outing is Back In

Rep. Ed Schrock of Virginia, ranked the second most conservative member of Congress by the National Journal, resigned late last month after a blogger uncovered tapes of Schrock soliciting gay sex. Schrock, of course, supported the Defense of Marriage Act and various other homophobic legislation. Now the sights are on Rep. David Drier of California, another right-winger who is apparently in the closet.

I used to be on the fence about outing, but this seems like good old fashioned karma.

Comments

[alkali]

On one hand, the practice of outing communicates to gay people -- particularly the young and still-closeted -- the terrorizing message, "Your Secrets Will Never Be Safe."

On the other hand, suggesting that outing is always and forever beyond the pale smacks of the self-loathing "No One Shall Speak Of Our Mutual Shame."

On balance, it seems to me that outing is counterproductive and unnecessary except in the most extreme cases. This case seems like a candidate for that category.

[Carpenter]

Agree when the out-ee is a major Enemy of the
People, like these two. But what if the
person is just regular folks?

[brooke]

Then there is no compelling need to out them - nothing to gain from it.

This however strays into the character-issue territory. Is a politician's private life ever fair game? I usually say no. But that's because the character issues (like Monica Lewinsky) do not really reflect ability to govern fairly. But being a closeted gay man who supports and even introduces anti-gay legislation actually does demonstrate a possible impact of a private life (and shame about it) on one's public service. These men are self-loathing gays, and that effects ME.

[Carpenter]

Actually, it affects you.

[brooke]

pardon me, grammar nazi.

[Carpenter]

You know I just did that to drive you crazy, right?

[brooke]

yes, but i still hate you.

[Don Myers]

Grammar aside, I have to agree with Brooke on this one. Outing only works for the greater good when it prevents the outee (is that a word? Well, it is now, I guess) from harming others, as is the case here.

[Charles]

Usually I am against outing, but there is a big "BUT" when it comes to politicians and other public figures who support anti-gay legislation and policy. You give up some of your privacy when you take on that role. If there's something about your private life that exposes you as a huge HYPOCRITE - when you publicly support these laws that hurt real people even though you do *the exact same things* then I say all bets are off and they deserve to be outed. What if the issue was making more stringent laws against pot possession, and someone discovered the politician was a regular smoker? Wouldn't that deserve to come to light?

[Sager]

Senator Lindsay Graham of South Carolina is often rumored to be gay, but this is the state that kept sending Strom back to DC so maybe people there don't care? And if not, is that progress?

I never figured Drier for a gay. Certainly
no Barney Fag, type. This guy was macho
looking dude, who looks fairly tough. He
looks like the cat from LA law. I don't get
why you want to out the dude, must you be so
monolithic?. Me I'd like to bang Michelle Malkin.