Vice president's lesbian daughter pregnantFunny, but I wasn't aware the Mary Cheney's sexual orientation was worthy of a leading-story headline on a global news site. I didn't think that the fact that she's gay qualified as news any more than the fact that I'm straight would have garnered me similar headlines when our kids were, um, conceived.
I'm tempted to draw parallels between this story and three recent issues of orientation and race:
- Michael Richards goes off on a racist rant
- Mel Gibson has a drunken anti-semitic outburst
- Neil Patrick Harris comes out of the closet
In the case of Mr. Harris, why on earth would we care who he's having sex with? When I was a kid and my cultural tastes were somewhat less baked, I liked him in Doogie Howser, M.D. I think he's grown into a versatile actor with good timing and a solid future. Beyond that, as long as he isn't holding up liquor stores and carjacking grandmas, I simply don't care what he does on his own time - and neither should anyone else.
Someday, we'll move past the point where the "who a person sleeps with" question matters to us as little as what he/she drinks for breakfast in the morning. In my case, it's orange juice, and I expect you care about that as little as you care about who I sleep with.
Your turn: Thoughts?
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29 comments:
I couldn't have said it all better myself...so ditto on everything you wrote here.
I caught the CNN blub a little while ago also and thought SO what? Somehow the media seems to think "we" are interested in this tabloid stuff, rather than give us NEWS.
I've always been a "live and let live" kind of person, so I find it very offensive when those that think they're holier than thou show their ignorance with racism, prejudice, etc. I'll never understand it. Great post, Carmi.
I think the public will always care. There will always be people who want to know what the "priveledged" are doing.
Well, I would think you were sleeping with your wife for one thing... but that puts me into the category of conservative and old-fashioned.
I did see part of an interesting interview with Eddie Murphy. I enjoyed a few of his movies but wouldn't have paid a dime to see his stand up comedy as it was quite vulgar. Someone asked him about the Richards incident and he said that it blew him away that anyone thought it was news. He said that he himself had gotten into banter with the audience that was in poor taste but it had never crossed his mind that his words would end up splashed across the headlines. He ended by saying that this would keep him from considering going back to doing stand-up.
I personally think that the "NEWS" media today have lost their way. They think sensationalism and celebrity are news.... they're not.
You drink orange juice? But, oranges DIE for juice to exist.
(Kidding, obviously.)
Seriously? I completely agree with everything you've said.
good post. The headline thing gets to me sometimes, specially AOL welcome pages comes up with some doozies.
I like the Doogie guy, he has read a few books on tape my family loves, like "Socks" by Beverly Cleary. I hope he does more book readings.
well said!
Jenny in Ca
TV news is starting to slide into the puddy puddle of tabloid journalism. I don't care who's gay, who's not wearing underwear, who's publicity-stunt marriage has imploded or just begun; if I did, there's Inside Edition and Entertainment Tonight to fill me in.
I'm tired of this stuff on the news, when news it certainly is not.
I miss real news that some talking head delivers without editorializing; I miss the balance of giving us both sides of an issue. Even the newspapers are becoming tabloid fodder. No wonder so many people are turning to comic shows like the Daily Show to get actual news, even if it is delivered with a tongue in cheek slant.
Yeah. Don't care either. Also think it's rather offensive to make a federal case of anyone's sexual orientation for no good reason.
You drink orange juice in the morning?! I am SO alerting the media. Right now.
"Do they not all qualify as examples of highlighting minorities for no beneficial purpose?"
AMEN!
And I assume you sleep with Morah Mommy, although I gave it no thought until you mentioned it...LOL
The problem is, that though they shouldn't, people do care who others are sleeping with. It doesn't matter that Harris came out of the closet. People don't care about him - it's not a surprise and he's a C-lister, but should Colin Farrell or George Clooney come out of the closet, it would matter to people so much it would almost certainly have a negative impact on their respective careers. Sad, but true.
Ooooh! Good point!
I like this. It's good for you to call this. It shouldn't be bug news. I agree.
In some quarters it is shocking news. With my mom I would imagine, there'd be a double-take then a suck a lemon face at her needing to think about how it's possibly for a lesbian to be pregnant which would make her think about the process far more than she would want to. The whole 3 person idea would shake the whole monogomy idea and the implications boggle the very foundations of polite-het-only society.
Did you catch Rick Mercer's blog entry on same sex vote today? http://rickmercer.blogspot.com/2006/12/same-sex-thursday.html
Hey Carmi, I left you and your wife a present on my blog, hope you have a great Christmas!!
Mary Cheney = best.story.ever.
Although I agree with you in principle that a person's sexual orientation is their own, I just WISH WITH ALL MY HEART I could have sat in on the spin sessions for that one. With the US administrations discriminatory stance regarding homosexuals, I think their heads probably exploded.
Hi Carmi, here by of Michele's today. She says hello.
I agree with your view, it doesn't matter to me who sleep with who as long as it is not my beloved.
The moral compass of the nation of Canada relies heavily on the righteous moral compass of the Christian Right in the U.S.
The question of sexual orientation is the hot button issue of the day because of where Canada is today. I don't understand why it is the presumption of some who fell that sexual orientation and who we choose to love should in any way affect the way heterosexuals live!!
I don't post tabloid items because there is so much fodder for the mill that to give it credence is to participate in the drama.
The world focuses on stupidity, sexual orientation, being politically correctness in speech so they can ignore the real NEEDS of the world be they war, hunger, famine and health care.
Gossiping is a fine art all over the world. I mean the world would come to a screeching halt to focus on humanity issues rather than sexual orientation, gossip and who is breaking up or sleeping with whom.
Just think how many magazines and reporters would be out of jobs if there weren't gossip to talk about and speculate on.
It would be too easy to do something good for a change, rather than roll around the mud pit with the other animals.
The state of the world is: SAD!!!
Cheerio
Jeremy
I totally agree with you, Carmi. What public persons do in their private bedrooms is none of my business. I couldn't care less and I don't want to be bothered with senseless headlines.
here via Michele's. I have OJ and coffee for breakfast, just in case you'd like to know, lol
Good for you, Carmi. Wish everyone felt the same way you do!
Michele sent me today!
I feel so sorry for her. How much would it suck to be known to the world as "Vice President Cheney's Openly Gay Daughter"?
Of course, I'd choose it over, "The guy Cheney shot in the fact"
If those were my only two choices.
ps - michele sends me today
I totally agree with you. I do wonder sometimes that the media seems to be perpetuating societal prejudices in the name of selling advertising space.
By the way - I have added you to my blogroll. I hope that is OK?
You're certainly right, Carmi, though being a lesbian adds a bit of punch to the being pregnant part.
Harris does have great comedic timing. I love to watch him. And speaking of comedic timing, Dick Cheney (what an apt first name) did a pretty good job when he shot that guy back in February. In a bizarre twist, Whittington apologized for getting in the way of Cheney's birdshot. Now is that funny, or what?
Anyway, Michele sent me over to kvetch.
Hello again! Here via Michele's this time.
Nothing much to add except I have a smoothie and a cereal bar for breakfast most days while we're sharing!
I have no interest in Mary Cheney's sexual orientation at all but it's the fact that a lesbian is pregnant that is the story and does being gay preclude you from parenthood? Certainly many people who have nothing against gays, me amongst them, would think that being gay does preclude you from parenthood and even more from being pregnant as I guess adoption comes into thios arguement as well. I assume that she has administered the donated sperm herself as a natural insertion if I can put it that way is I presume out of the question.
Another point is the fact that so many people seem to think that these days it is a person's right to have children rather than a privilege. 'I want one so I'm going to have one, the fact that I am gay is a minor inconvenience the fact the child will be missing one gender of parent, who cares as long as my wish is fullfilled etc etc!.'
Here from Michele this time.
How did your day go.... has the deep freeze blast hit there yet. The cold is due here tonight...no snow, but cold.
Since I've already given my opinion on this, I have a question for you. You've talked about letting your children have a pet... any plans for that in the near future, say before the end of the year?
Great post!
I'm with ya! Who cares!
BTW, Michelle says hello :)
Back again, via Michele this time. I am continually amazed at how many people DO care about things like this.
The comments on the Doogie Howser link are a little worrying. I've not idea why so many are interested in Gossip over photography.
*off to have breakfast*
(not sure what I'm having yet)
Someday, we'll move past the point where the "who a person sleeps with" question matters to us as little as what he/she drinks for breakfast in the morning. In my case, it's orange juice, and I expect you care about that as little as you care about who I sleep with."
Amen to that, Carmi!
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