This week, two prominent individuals came out: CNN anchor Don Lemon and Phoenix Suns president and chief executive Rick Welts.
For Lemon, who served as a weekend anchor in Philadelphia earlier in his career, the announcement came via his new book, “Transparent,” and TV appearances. Welts opted to come out in a New York Times story on Sunday.
Both men have had successful careers in their respective industries, both of which can be oppressive for LGBTs: Lemon is the first news anchor to come out while still on air; Welts is the highest-level sports executive to come out.
Certainly, neither man came to this decision easily.
For Lemon, his public acknowledgement comes after years of quiet speculation — after his announcement, some Philadelphians asked, “Wasn’t he out already?”
In Welts’ case, the New York Times reported that the sports executive had shared his sexual orientation with a few colleagues. For the most part, it seems the NBA operated under a “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” atmosphere.
In Lemon’s case, as a journalist, it’s still difficult to be openly gay in mainstream media outlets. As a journalist, one is supposed to be impartial and unbiased in reporting. The (flawed) argument goes, if a journalist comes out, she or he has a bias, and couldn’t cover gay issues without including that bias. For example, some newsrooms don’t allow LGBT people to cover gay-marriage debates. The trouble with this argument is this: Would you bar a black person from covering stories about racial integration or “Loving v. Virginia”? Absolutely not. Indeed, a black person is likely to have a more comprehensive understanding of the issues and their impact and better access to the community affected by these debates.
While some newsrooms have updated their policies and perspective, not all have.
Another challenge many journalists face is the concept of reporting on the news vs. making the news. As a journalist, one is supposed to report on what happens, not influence it or be involved in any way. While noble in theory, practical application is sometimes impossible. But it may explain why some journalists haven’t discussed their sexual orientation: It’s not germane to the stories they are telling.
In Welts’ case, men’s professional sports are often seen as one of the last closets. There are no current professional male athletes who are openly gay. There are openly lesbian players — Martina Navratilova and Cheryl Swoopes come to mind easily — and there are players who came out after retiring — Billy Bean, John Amaechi and Esera Tuaolo.
Likely, the courageous decisions of Lemon and Welts will have ripple effects and will hopefully inspire others to have the strength to join them.