It would never have happened. More than anything else, Cooper’s public declaration shows how far the country has come in accepting gays and lesbians (though the LGBT movement would say, rightly, that there is much work to be done)..........dallasmorningviewsblog.dallasnews.
I have never met Cooper but I have known for years that he was gay. His was an open secret in media circles, even as he himself stayed in the closet. Openly-gay journalists were particularly critical of the prominent anchor’s refusal to declare his sexuality.
In his statement today to Andrew Sullivan at the Daily Beast, Cooper offers a journalistic reason for his silence. It’s an explanation that will ring true to those in the news, or at least those among us who don’t like to be at the center of the stories they are reporting.
Here’s what he said: 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.
For someone who has spent time reporting in places where homosexuality is a crime, this rationale certainly makes sense. The problem for Cooper is that his sexual orientation is its own powerful statement, if not for himself then certainly for a movement whose very mission is about acceptance and tolerance.
Outing gays is an offensive practice, and Cooper in particular has been a target for years. When he wrote a memoir, the one criticism you heard in media circles (but not in any mainstream review) was that he passed up on the chance to deal with his sexuality on his own terms.
But a person of his prominence can only maintain this part of his life private for so long. Even if those who were in on his “secret” numbered in the thousands, that’s not the same as publicly declaring yourself gay to the world (not to mention to an audience whose viewing habits is measured).
In his comments to Sullivan, Cooper hints that he felt he had no choice. People were interpreting his silence for something else, and his privacy yielded so he could set the record straight:
“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.”
But he also offers another reason–and this is the one gay activists will rightly promote. Anderson fully accepts that he now has another prominent role to play–that of the openly gay man who can serve as role model.
To his great credit, he embraces that responsibility:
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.
Think of the many teenagers who are struggling with their sexual identity, particularly those who live in places that will be hostile to their orientation. For these souls, Cooper’s words offer immediate solace and promise.
