Gay Newsmen — A Clearer Picture: Part II

AfterElton.com invited CBS, Fox News, and CNN to provide via email similar statements of support for on-air talent who chose to be frank in outside press about being gay – support that would remain regardless of public response. Fox News' Executive Vice President John Moody came back with something less strong then Wallace or Schneider, expressing support for the “right to privacy of all our journalists,” and saying if gay employees “choose to disclose their sexual orientation, they can expect to be supported and treated the same as if they had not. That's the definition of a personal life.”

CBS' Mason responded with a statement that missed the point, and was far more watered down then the interesting interview she had given; merely expressing that CBS supported all their journalists “regardless of sexual orientation …”

CNN did not respond to this request. And while CNN was given weeks of extra time to work out an executive interview – they did not come through with one until after press time. They did offer a statement early in the process from Jim Walton, president of CNN Worldwide which supported both the value of a “diverse workforce” and CNN journalists “ in whatever decisions they make about sharing aspects of their personal lives.”

A lot more people than you think respect being honest

So would the audience reaction to "out" journalists be a negative one? Are any of the fears even real?

Many of those interviewed here had the same answer for that question: The work will speak for itself. Mason said if the journalist is a good one, viewers "would come to see that and rise above" any bias they might have.

Regional Network News anchor Paul Mueller agreed. As an out newsman, he's seen firsthand that what is judged is "Who did the better job of piecing together the story? Who's story was more compelling? Not who was gay, and who was straight."

And Mason thinks that kind of frankness can create benefits with the audience as well. "I think that by coming out, people realize how difficult that is. [Journalists] could gain the respect of the audience."

In fact, that is exactly what Boston anchor Randy Price said he has experienced. "It was the best thing that happened to me," explained Price about being out. "Because it gives you distinction as an individual. A lot more people than you think respect being honest."

You change the world one step at a time

But why does it matter? Why should anyone care if mainstream America thinks all the gay people are straight? Would presenting that clearer image of who gay people are actually have positive effects in gay people's lives? Might it in fact, even have positive effects on society beyond issues of gay acceptance?

Santa Barbara morning show anchor Randol White explained, "I wish I had a role model that could have kept me from all those years in the closet." Being out, he hopes he can be that for others. Roberts too, said he wished he'd seen positive, out gay people in the public, living successful lives. And he hopes his own visibility will "help shave a few years off someone else's stress."

Those kind of positive images not only change the ways in which gays see themselves, they change how straight America sees them as well. And in a country where national elections can tip on the public's perceptions of who gays are, could revealing a realistic image of gay people create substantive change in larger ways?

It's interesting that many of the gay reporters speaking here explained that realizing you are gay creates a host of other insights. Kofman said it creates a “questioning of assumptions.” San Francisco political reporter Hank Plante said it had made him more “sensitive when people are being discriminated against.” And Boston anchor Price said the unique perspective that gays gain is “one of the blessed experiences” of being gay.

If mainstream America, in a similar way, had to come to terms with who gay people really are, might they also have to question other assumptions? NBC's Wallace thinks so. "Small examples change [things]," she said. "And you change the world one step at a time. … And I think that's the great upside were someone to choose to come out."

Many of the gay reporters speaking for this series also identified as a racial minority, and connected that identification to seeing a responsibility to be out as gay men; in the spirit of the “unity” that CBS' Mason spoke about here. If more gays could embrace being out for those same reasons, and a clearer picture of who gay people are emerged – might that clearer picture do it's small part to tear down the entire concept of “the other”?

Santa Barbara anchor Randol White believes in just that premise: "I hope that someone who's sitting at home and typically watches me and realizes, oh he's gay, and that's not really what I thought of gay people. All of a sudden in their head, they see that one of their perceptions wasn't right, maybe some of their other perceptions aren't right too, and maybe they should start rethinking how they see everyone. I really hope that's the case."

If you are a lesbian on-camera television journalist and would be interested in participating in a similar article for AfterEllen.com, please contact editor@afterellen.com.