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…and puts the decidely UN-openly gay Jodie Foster and Anderson Cooper on the cover of their “The 50 Most Powerful Gay Men And Women” in America issue. And makes Perez Hilton #17 and doesn’t include Lance Bass. Oh, the humanity!
When New York did a “Gay Life Now” issue in 2001, only seven of the forty prominent New York gays asked to pose for the cover were willing. Those big shots may have been gay, and they may have been out, but it just wouldn’t do for them to be gay and out on the cover of a magazine. “There was a time when the closet was a necessary safe haven,” our pal Maer Roshan, who edited the issue, wrote in an angry 2,000-word essay. “But now, it exists as an anachronistic monument to shame. It’s time for our public figures to stop hiding in there — and for journalists to stop helping them.” Six years and a month later, maybe at least that second part has come true.
Keep reading for the full list.
1. David Geffen
2. Anderson Cooper
3. Ellen DeGeneres
4. Tim Gill
5. Barney Frank
6. Rosie O’Donnell
7. The New York Times Gay Mafia: Richard Berke, Ben Brantley, Frank Bruni, Stuart Elliott, Adam Nagourney, Stefano Tonchi, and Eric Wilson
8. Marc Jacobs
9. Andrew Tobias
10. Brian Graden
11. Jann Wenner
12. Andrew Sullivan
13. Suze Orman
14. Joe Solmonese
15. Fred Hochberg
16. Christine Quinn
17. Perez Hilton
18. Scott Rudin
19. John Aravosis
20. Sheila Kuehl
21. James B. Stewart
22. Nick Denton
23. Tom Ford
24. Nate Berkus
25. Adam Moss
26. Jim Nelson
27. Lorri L. Jean
28. Adam Rose
29. Annie Leibovitz
30. Simon Halls and Stephen Huvane
31. Bryan Lourd
32. Bryan Singer
33. Jonathan Burnham
34. Brian Swardstrom
35. Robert Greenblatt
36. Chi Chi LaRue
37. Dan Mathews
38. Neil Meron and Craig Zadan
39. Ingrid Sischy
40. Marc Cherry
41. Carolyn Strauss
42. Irshad Manji
43. Jodie Foster
44. Christine Vachon
45. André Leon Talley
46. Hilary Rosen
47. Matthew Marks
48. Benny Medina
49. Mitchell Gold
50. David Kuhn
To clarify, the cover is of two models posing with Jodie and Anderson masks. I guess I should be happy for Perez. He’s a fellow blogger and made the top 20. But seriously, I’d rather make FHM’s Top 100 Sexiest Women list and I’m going to.
Rhondy | April 4, 2007 at 10:53 am
I disagree with outing anyone who wants to remain in the closet. People should be able to live however they want to live. Let rumors swirl and allow the public to gossip. That’s the price of being a public figure, but making it a crusade to out someone else just because you’re out of the closet and comfortable is wrong.
There could be a million reasons why some people don’t want to be outed. People are individuals. You can’t force someone out before they are ready. It reminds me of militant behavior.
mindy | April 4, 2007 at 11:17 am
anderson cooper is gay?
dammit!
ELH | April 4, 2007 at 11:20 am
I’m totally with you Rhondy. Maybe these people just want to be private about their sex lives and not shout it from the roof tops like some of the promiscuous so called celebs these days.
I’m straight but that doesnt mean I run around telling everyone I love d1ck. Some stuff you should just keep to yourself. its classier that way.
kitty | April 4, 2007 at 11:25 am
It used to be people were forced into the closet in order to “have a successful public” life and that was such a shame. Forcing people to come out though is wrong also.
Goodness – shoudn’t coming “out” be a choice
Leave em alone -
Bunny | April 4, 2007 at 11:32 am
Please! This is about journalism/blogging/trash talking. You’re famous then you have no secrets! I mean if people are okay reading about who just misscarried and who is desparately trying to save their marriage and whether Paris Hilton has herpes! then yes your sexuality is up for discussion to. How different is it that we speculate about who a straight person is dating every five minutes but we are all hush hush because someone is ___ fill in the blank about who they are. If you don’t like it..then deny deny deny. Fuck that! I am gay and before my ass went prancing around dating people I made sure that I told anyone I was absolutely afraid of knowing my secret. Handle your business people. It is not the job of the ENTIRE PUBLIC to keep your damn secret and Hello, if we know/suspect the there really is no secret!
Gobsmacked | April 4, 2007 at 11:38 am
Am I the only one SHOCKED that Perez ranks AHEAD of Annie Leibowitz?
Wow. Just…wow.
HOPE | April 4, 2007 at 11:59 am
I am a Lesbian living in a mans body! “OUTING” someone is wrong, end of story. If you cannot figure out if someone is gay by using your personal “GAY-DAR”, then you do not deserve to know the truth.
I have a gay brother and a gay brother-in-law and I do not LOVE them any less than the day before I found out they were gay.
It’s all about what is in a persons heart and soul, the rest is just so much “dressing”.
tellthetruth | April 4, 2007 at 1:40 pm
Many gays love to expose other people to make themselves feel better about who they are. The more famous people they can pull into their group, the more they can try to convince themselves and others that they are normal. Since you are so proud and happy with your own sexuality, why are you so concerned with everybody else?
mikEM | April 4, 2007 at 2:13 pm
IMHO, the only time it is okay to ‘out’ someone who wishes to remain in the closet is when the person in the closet defames or speaks hateful words about people who are out of the closet (and yes, there are many who do this..). Otherwise, live and let live is my faith.
Fab | April 4, 2007 at 2:16 pm
Mindy, Anderson Cooper is certainly not gay in my personal fantasy world. The tabloid stories tell me I’m wrong, but those big baby blues tell me I’m oh so right. Mmmmmm…sexy.
Aj | April 4, 2007 at 5:14 pm
Kitty hit the nail on the head.
Whatever happened to people having their own choice…?
Okay…yeah yeah…it’s the Britney Conundrum…you live a public life…you pay the price…
Candy Apple | April 4, 2007 at 6:02 pm
I’ve never had a problem with homosexuality, but in this day and age, I find myself thanking God I’m NOT gay, because I’d hate to be drug out of the closet before I’m ready by loud and proud gays who have their own agenda. WHAT THEY’RE DOING IS EMOTIONAL RAPE. There used to be a time when gay people feared torment by homophobes. Now gay people have to fear torment from other gays? That’s really sad and pathetic.
Alice | April 5, 2007 at 1:00 am
“There used to be a time when gay people feared torment by homophobes. Now gay people have to fear torment from other gays? That’s really sad and pathetic.”
AGREED!
Toby | April 5, 2007 at 11:30 am
Er, right, and if a celebrity hid the fact they were Jewish or Catholic just to advance their career you would support that, too? Get real. People don’t hide their sexuality for privacy (when did any straight person EVER do that); they hide it because of prejudiece. And that’s not a good enough reason.
Lee | April 5, 2007 at 12:06 pm
Sexuality is deeply personal. Because we are sexual beings, it’s at the core of who we are. Unfortunately, because of sexual abuse, it’s also a source of pain and anguish for heterosexuals and gays. I say leave it alone and stop sticking your nose where it does not belong.
Ryan | April 5, 2007 at 4:49 pm
Toby, it’s not so much a question of hiding. none of the people they’re talking about pretend to be straight. it’s just that some people prefer to keep private matters private. lots of straight people do it too. think of all the celebrities who are never caught in tawdry affairs, who don’t hook up with people in public, who you didn’t even know were married until they showed up at the oscars with their spouse. same idea. i don’t hide my sexuality. but i dont go around telling people i’m straight either. it’s not their business. why’s it all got to be about that? life can’t be reduced to what categories one is or is not a part of, no matter how hard the factionalists try.