Jodie Foster

Because while you may not think it important, many people hold deep prejudices against gay and lesbian people. The more gay people come out in the open, the more those holding these prejudices may rethink their position. I know that Ellen's coming out changed the thinking for some people I know. Suddenly, lesbians weren't strangers - they could be someone that you was funny and likable and whose work you'd enjoyed for many years.

 

Exactly. That was a big theme in the movie "Milk." I'm sure it was true in real life, too. In the movie, Harvey Milk was very aggressive in encouraging people to come out. I always thought the next frontier will be encouraging rape victims to identify themselves as such.

Drip's comment seems to come from this notion that people never change their minds about anything and can't be persuaded. We saw it a lot on some of the gun control threads here. But people do change their minds about things. And people like Foster are frequently the impetus. There are a lot of studies about how people change their minds about gay marriage when they know a gay person.

 

Because homosexuals are routinely discriminated against? Is this a trick question?

PS: neither "preference" nor "lifestyle" are altogether correct when discussing someone's sexuality.

 

I understand all too well that many gay people had to live their lives in silence. I also understand that many many didn't. If being gay is your twist, more power to you. Live your life as you see fit. I just don't feel that it's necessary to use a forum like an awards show or a press conference to announce it. I just think its ridiculous to do so.

 

Why?

 

It's an awards show. I just didn't think it was the right venue for it. But again, that's just my opinion.

 

Why not?

 

Wow, a white woman dancing near a black man. A double twist, at least back in the day.

Anyhoo, it was a night for Jodie Foster, one of the greatest and most intelligent actors ever, to be honored, and it was her right to talk about and thank whomever she wanted. She managed to make a "no kidding" moment very touching.

 

That'll show him!

 

I never thought that Chubby Checker was "chubby"

 

Now, tell us why your little screeds are so important. Go ahead, we'll wait.