Ride, Sally Ride -- RIP

Instead of baseless speculation, someone actually - wait for it - reported on the lesbian thing. Good read.

http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/24/12933519-why-sally-ride-waited-until-her-death-to-tell-the-world-she-was-gay?lite

Also, she had a sister named Bear Ride. Wow.

 

YF, this is just disingenuous pap, this blanket "why is it noteworthy?" question you always come up with. It is noteworthy when a person of stature reveals this. It is noteworthy both because of world history and especially because of the current GOP climate that advocates hating gays.

The extra note in this case is that many people who would otherwise praise Sally Ride and thank for her service and inspiration are now apt to think she is not fit to serve or inspire.

 

It's quite literally, not "news".

This "interesting" information is 27-years-old. It was known to her friends and family.

Reporters either chose not to investigate it, or chose to ignore it.

Did Susan Okie fail her readers when she didn't address the issue?

Ride, and her family, chose to reveal this information. It was appropriate for the Times to mention in their obit, and they handled it well. It's one, small piece of information, in an extraordinary, and exemplary life.

To make this the lede in a story about Ride's life and death misses the bigger picture, and focuses on a tabloid headline and basically exploits her sexuality for "hits".

 

Your definition of news is very strange. Something that the vast majority of readers -- like 99 percent or more -- wouldn't know about definitely qualifies as news even if it is not happening right now.

I understand your need to couch everything on this issue in "concern troll" mode so as to downplay the obvious political differences it represents. And I also understand this in itself is pushing and maybe crossing over the politics line. But you can't just dismiss it away because you don't want your party to feel the way it does.

It's definitely a part of the story. And the fact that her sister spoke about it, in the later link, only accentuates that.

 

Is it the lede?

 

I think that's far more fascinating than her sexuality.

 

Of the obit? No. Of a topical story that is a specific follow-up to this part of it? Yes.

 

I don't think it was originally. But it moved up in the follow stories.

 

Why? Was there an immediate outcry from the public for more information?

Or, was it exploitative, and purely for "hits"?

Who made it the lede? Any reputable news orgs, or just content farms, and infotainment sites, and LGBT focused media?

 

I'll agree with LTL and YF. It's like Anderson Cooper all over again ... does sexual preference have an affect on what she did in life? She got to fly in space, and not a whole hell of a lot of us can say that.

 

It is already taking place on screech radio.

The predominant memes seem to be:

1) Ride never would have been picked if she had gone public

2) She (and all female astronauts, it is usually thrown into the call), was chosen as an affirmative-action selection, not by merit, and males should have been chosen instead

3) The "libburral media" kept her sexuality quiet to "advance their agenda"

4) And usually some generalized celebratory cackling over the fact that her partner will not receive survivors' benefits.

 

Do you have a link for this, or is this just voices you hear in your head?