[JasonWatkins]

Originally Posted by Sadeyed

Homosexuality will not be deemed to be fully accepted until being gay does not prompt any reaction at all. Roll on that day.

To use a forum cliche .. ^^^ this. in big, 12 foot high letters

[incy wincy]

Originally Posted by Sadeyed

No and no, but imo it's not quite the same thing.

Utopia will be when being gay is treated exactly the same as being straight and no differentiation is made in any way, in any walk of life between the 2. The fact that people continually ask this question about innumerable celebs is a sign that it is still looked at as being "out of the ordinary". You don't see many threads asking "is so and so straight" do you?

Homosexuality will not be deemed to be fully accepted until being gay does not prompt any reaction at all. Roll on that day.

It's not because it's 'out of the ordinary'. It's just a fact, like whether they're single or servicing the entire Chelsea team or on twitter or friendly or bitchy or any number of things that this forum discusses about celebrities.

You don't see many threads asking if a person is straight because it is the majority orientation so most people are presumed straight until otherwise indicated. NOT for homophobic reasons, just because there are many more straight people than gay.

I find that most of the people asking are either straight but not homophobic, or they are gay. So there's no big reaction, just curiosity like there is curiosity for all sorts of other banal facts and gossip about celebrities.

[ItsTimmyTime]

From now on people should just make "_____ ______ straight?" threads, then people won't be hounding on about people focusing on sexuality. If the person is gay, someone will post "No, they're gay".

Seriously, people can be interested in someone's sexuality because it is an aspect of them. Humans are social creatures, we discuss people and their attributes. Unless someone is going "I won't like ____ _____ if it turns out they're gay!!" then people should be entitled to ask.

[Rotationbl]

Originally Posted by Sadeyed

No and no, but imo it's not quite the same thing.

Utopia will be when being gay is treated exactly the same as being straight and no differentiation is made in any way, in any walk of life between the 2. The fact that people continually ask this question about innumerable celebs is a sign that it is still looked at as being "out of the ordinary". You don't see many threads asking "is so and so straight" do you?

Homosexuality will not be deemed to be fully accepted until being gay does not prompt any reaction at all. Roll on that day.

All very noble, but the reality is that people in real life do care. It doesn't make someone homophobic if they want to know.

[soapmania]

Originally Posted by Casual

Probably not a good idea to read them then.

Your not wrong!!

[Croctacus]

Originally Posted by Rotationbl

All very noble, but the reality is that people in real life do care. It doesn't make someone homophobic if they want to know.

It just makes them nosey which we all are to a greater or lesser degree.

[lexi22]

Originally Posted by Sadeyed

No and no, but imo it's not quite the same thing.

Utopia will be when being gay is treated exactly the same as being straight and no differentiation is made in any way, in any walk of life between the 2. The fact that people continually ask this question about innumerable celebs is a sign that it is still looked at as being "out of the ordinary". You don't see many threads asking "is so and so straight" do you?

Homosexuality will not be deemed to be fully accepted until being gay does not prompt any reaction at all. Roll on that day.

Agree completely with this but:

As long as there are people hiding their sexuality, are they not contributing to this lack of acceptance? I'm not for one moment saying someone should publicly declare themselves to satisfy other people's curiousity, just making the point that if they treated it a bit more as the non-big deal it is, then it would become a more mundane reality, and people would stop being so fixated upon other people's sexuality.

it's like there's some vicious circle going on - people won't be open because of prejudice/discrimination/small-mindedness, but by not being open, they're perpetrating the idea that it's not something they want known, whereas if they were open about it, it would become the norm and we would arrive at the state you're advocating for - that of no reaction/indifference.

Sorry, not articulating this very well, I'm just trying to see how it not being an issue - which it shouldn't be - can be achieved unless more people become more open about it.

[Vodka_Drinka]

Originally Posted by DiamondDoll

No.
Pam is with Moira Stewart.

I believe that she is very close to Betty Boothroyd.

Is that actually true though? I thought it was an Urban Myth, not that I care either way really.

[Sadeyed]

Originally Posted by Rotationbl

All very noble, but the reality is that people in real life do care. It doesn't make someone homophobic if they want to know.

It was never my intention to infer asking the question makes someone homophobic... far from it.

However, personally, I would like to see a situation where someone being gay is a "non-event". Where when a gay couple have a child it doesn't prompt the " a child needs a mother and a father argument", where that child can go to school and not feel embarrassed in the slightest to tell their friends they live with 2 mummys or 2 daddys. Where gay people can announce they are getting married and people just say "congratulations" and teenagers no longer agonise about coming out to their parents. Tbh where no one is remotely interested as to whether you are gay or straight.

Whilst people still feel the urge to ask the question "is ??? gay I don't think we are there.

[skunkboy69]

Originally Posted by JasonWatkins

Exactly. Jessie J once made the point that you never hear "Straight Singer Beyonce" but you nearly always hear "Bisexual Singer Jessie J". Some people seem to need to assign labels I think.

Yeah,mostly on here.I'm just curious why people NEED to know and discuss it.Are their lives really that boring ?

[gmphmac]

This over-acceptance is starting to become a bit twee now. Being gay makes a person that extra bit interesting - admit it!

[KieranDS]

I thought she was deeply religious? Not that would stop her having feelings for the same sex though.

[intoxication]

I thought this was common knowledge? I read this on a forum AGES ago (although I was young back then so probably took it as gospel than gossip)

And to the people who bother to click onto the thread about who might be gay just to try to act superior by asking what does it matter/who cares etc: GTFO.

[JasonWatkins]

Originally Posted by intoxication

GTFO.

Ah, a new recruit for the forum police i see

I've never tried to act "superior". I had a genuine question.

[zx50]

Originally Posted by JasonWatkins

.. and why would you want to know ?

That thing called curiosity.

[RadioKnower]

Originally Posted by JasonWatkins

I just fail to see why it matters though ?. People claim they're not bothered and it doesn't matter but still want to know - so i think it must matter at least on some level.

DOES ANYTHING REALLY MATTER ON THIS FORUM?

No, I've yet to hear why sexuality is a no go area compared to any other part of a celebs personal life.

[DiamondDoll]

This could be an interesting thread but the posters who are fixated by being right all the time keep derailing it.

Anyone got any other gossip about lesbians..........closeted or otherwise?

[zx50]

Originally Posted by KieranDS

I thought she was deeply religious? Not that would stop her having feelings for the same sex though.

I'd imagine there's some deeply religious gay people out there.

[DiamondDoll]

Originally Posted by zx50

I'd imagine there's some deeply religious gay people out there.

Really?

Do you think that?

[JamieMacdonald]

Erm she was married to Richard.

[dorydaryl]

Gotta admit, I am that bit curious as to whether she is or isn't. On the other hand, she seems to have been very private about it so I also feel a bit bad if she is a lesbian and she wanted it to remain private. It will have been more difficult to be open about it for people of her generation. I'm trying to remember if it was still technically 'illegal' to be gay when she was a young woman (she was born in 1929, so that makes her about 83). Whatever the truth is, I hope she's happy with whoever she might be in a relationship with. I've found her thoroughly entertaining and have loved her as an actress. I miss seeing her as much on T.V. but am aware she's getting on a bit and might be settling for less work. Famous or not, lesbian or not, she deserves a decent retirement/ semi-retirement. Am off to google what she's up to with working these days......could be active in theatre, still.

Edit: Hmmm, most recent thing Wikipedia says is that as of July 2012 she has become a patron of the Beatrix Potter society. Also, 'The Stage' did an interview with her in 2011 because she was doing some readings of the King James Bible at the National Theatre. In addition, I'd forgotten that she had a rich singing voice (notwithstanding Hyacinth Bucket's appalling overtures, lol) and has history in musical theatre.

[SuperAPJ]

Originally Posted by shelleyj89

I have no idea if she's gay, but I did speak to her on the phone at work once.

You could've asked her then!

[tabithakitten]

Irrespective of any facts (or not) surrounding Ms Routledge, I admit that I find a person's sexuality (whatever it may be) an interesting piece of information.

No, we don't ask if someone is straight because that is far more usual and therefore treated (as I saw someone else put it) as the "default" setting - we assume it to be the case unless we hear otherwise. Asking whether someone is gay to my mind is no different (or at least it isn't for me) to asking whether someone is left handed, colour blind or partially deaf to name but three examples. It's merely a piece of information that doesn't really matter a damn in the big scheme of things but is interesting to know as it is different from what is usual. I'm not going to apologise for wondering if someone is gay or straight any more than I'd apologise for wondering if someone was seeing someone else. I find out, I think "That's quite interesting" then I move on and possibly start speculating about something else.

[gpk]

Originally Posted by JasonWatkins

Exactly. Jessie J once made the point that you never hear "Straight Singer Beyonce" but you nearly always hear "Bisexual Singer Jessie J". Some people seem to need to assign labels I think.

to be fair, jessie brought that on herself. she has discussed her bisexuality on several occasions. so she cant really blame the people for discussing what she said.

[Abriel]

Originally Posted by Vodka_Drinka

Is that actually true though? I thought it was an Urban Myth, not that I care either way really.

Pam ( know she's not Pat Butcher in real life)and Moira seems so unlikely, is it really true?