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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 2013)
by Scott MacDonald VOICES | The Simple Truth Coming Out Famously Five celebrities — two athletes, a newsman, and a musician — who came out in 2012. 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. Anderson Cooper As we all know, coming out carries with it certain complications, which are often exacerbated by our environment. Celebrities are unique, however, because of their constant position in the public eye, and their ability to influence society and culture. For the celebrities below, listed in no particular order, their chosen career and passion is yet another complication they must face. Orlando Cruz Many sports are traditionally hyper-mas- culine displays of machismo, but perhaps none more so than boxing. Featherweight boxer Cruz, who was ranked second by the World Boxing Organization in November, is the first boxer to come out while still ac- tive in the sport. The 31-year-old Puerto Ri- can native came out in early October after several years of struggling with his sexu- ality. Cruz said in an interview with Der Spiegel that the act of hiding his sexuality consumed an incredible amount of energy — energy that he would rather put into his training. Before his official coming out, Cruz was taunted by spectators at the 2008 World Championship title bout in Puerto Rico where they called him a faggot and en- couraged his opponent to “pluck his feath- ers,” (a slur in the area is to call a gay man a duck). Backed by a close support system of friends and family, his manager and other boxers, Cruz’s coming out has largely been positive. Matt Bomer Actor Matt Bomer, best known for his role as sly and handsome con artist Neal Caf- frey in USA Network’s White Collar, took a different approach to coming out. Bomer avoided questions about his sexuality from 14 JustOut.com the press, neither confirming nor denying rumors. In a 2010 interview with Details, when asked if all the speculation about his sexuality bothered him, he simply replied, “I don’t care about that at all. I’m complete- ly happy and fulfilled in my personal life.” Bomer is also known for his charity work, and, while accepting an activism award for his work against HIV and AIDS at the Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards in February, chose that moment to affirm his sexuality. The actor closed his acceptance speech by thanking his partner and their three chil- dren, and went on to say, “Thank you for teaching me what unconditional love is. You will always be my proudest accom- plishment.” Megan Rapinoe Megan Rapinoe, while busy turning heads with her trademark bleach-blonde hair and exuberant personality and play style, felt obligated to come out as a lesbian. In an interview with OUT, she said, “I feel like sports in general are still homophobic, in the sense that not a lot of people are out. I feel everyone is really craving [for] people to come out. People want — they need — to see that there are people like me play- ing soccer for the good ol’ U.S. of A.” The 27-year-old midfielder currently plays for the Seattle Sounders Women, but also January 2013
