A PR Perspective of Public Sexuality Outings

(posted by Guest Blogger Megan Habermann, Assistant Director for Campus Activities -- on left in picture)

In another life I was/am/will be a Public Relations executive. So in some ways I agree and disagree with both Nick and Julie.

I agree with Julie in that coming out publicly is no longer the risk it used to be. If we put every “I’m Gay” cover on this blog, you would see that they all look alike, as if the template sits there for People’s quarterly outing. And I agree with Nick, that Americans are uniquely intrigued by these “outings,” however, in my humble hetero opinion, I think it has a lot more to do with our unnatural obsession with celebrity in general than who is gay and who’s not. Baby covers sell just as well, because we want to be in on the intensely private aspects of our favorite celebrity lives. So from a PR aspect, way to go Clay for getting a two for one cover, I don’t think either on its own would have sold as well.

Lindsay Lohan, for example, is a media darling. Many people can’t name a single movie she’s been in other than Mean Girls, but we all know who she’s dated, maybe dated, done drugs with, and rehabs she’s been too. If it weren’t her relationship with Samantha Ronson, it would be has she relapsed. Sadly, sexual orientation has become one more publicity arena, and staying non-public almost seems more a risk now because of the constant attention and pleas for outings from Advocate or Perez. Just leave Jodie Foster alone, she’s trying to raise a family without you all up in her business. Luckily for her, Lindsay is around to give us something else to talk about.

And for the record, Lindsay hasn’t come out. She admitted that she was in a relationship with Samantha, but without definition. But why do we need her to come out or not? Why in a world where we are constantly trying to redefine the definition of sexuality, and talk about how it’s on a continuum, not an either or, do we need celebrities to “pick a side.” Until everyone stops making sure that celebrities have defined sexualities, we can’t expect people to stop asking their friends to define their own.

So let’s talk about Lindsay, but let’s leave her to be young and experimental without judgment. Other than how she really can’t pull off blond hair. That I will judge.