Just a quick check-in on a few items around the site.

First, we're sorry if you've been having issues getting onto the site over the past day or two. We've actually had a one-two punch of a new, more robust search engine being installed in the back-end (no, that's not a euphemism) and our sister site AfterEllen.com's getting mad traffic on one of their recent articles, which has slowed things down a bit. Dammit, sis! We're so having a Jan Brady moment right now...

Second, we've got a great interview up on the main page with celebrated author Armistead Maupin, whose new book Michael Tolliver Lives tells the continuing story of Michael Tolliver from Tales of the City, one of the keystones of gay literature (and television). Do check it out, won't you?

Also, those of you in NYC who have more than a passing interest in gay media are welcome to swing by NewFest (New York City LGBT Film Festival) and see me mumble my way through a panel on gay blogging with some fellow journos from Queerty and Reverse Shot this Saturday. Now you can be bored and offended not just by my writing, but by my very person!

We now return you to your regularly-scheduled gay media extravaganza. Thank you.

As we told you in a recent post, CNN anchor and correspondent Thomas Roberts has moved on from the cable news network - we hope to greener pastures. A few weeks back we posted a story about AC360 where Anderson Cooper talked with Roberts and another man, Michael Goles, about the childhood sexual abuse they suffered at the hands of the same Catholic priest. The AC story discussed the damage inflicted on the men as well as their ongoing efforts to change laws on behalf of victims of sexual abuse.

In the original post (which I strongly encourage you to read), we asked why Roberts’ sexuality or his partner weren’t mentioned during the story, feeling it was an opportunity missed to demystify stereotypes about gay men and sexual abuse. We also tried to arrange an interview with him to ask about that, but were unable to do so.

Several weeks ago, AfterElton.com interviewed Roberts for a series concerning gay on-camera newsmen we are running starting next week. And during that interview, Roberts made it very clear that he felt our post about his appearance on AC360 was unfair. Like - big time.

As to why his sexuality and partner weren’t mentioned in the story, Roberts said “It is irrelevant. The story was about sexual abuse, and the person going back to fight for a child that was abused, and what they’re doing today to try and change laws to protect children. It’s not a profile on Thomas Roberts.”

And he took special issue with our headline “Did We Miss Something” which he found “biased” and sensational. He felt our take undermined the broader message of the story – shedding light on abuse, and highlighting efforts to stop it. (Obviously, we don’t agree.)

Roberts also explained why Goles sexuality was mentioned, while his own was not: “The reason why (Goles) was sent to Father Jeff was specifically part of the story, as was the reason I was sent to Father Jeff … . Michael being sent for being gay is Michael’s story. Me being sent for my parents divorce is my story. Setting up the pretense for why we were put in a predator’s hands.”

Ultimately the deal is Roberts doesn’t want the two issues conflated. “I don’t want to draw all these correlations between something that’s not an issue to me – being gay is not an issue to me, being sexually abused; that’s an issue. That’s a problem, that’s illegal. Sexual abuse: issue. Gay: not an issue.”

Here at AE we think the question and our post was fair. And so is Roberts’ response.

Glad we got that out of the way. Because when somebody has the gumption to come out – we’d much rather support them.