Defending Cynthia Nixon's ‘choose to be gay' comment
Sat. January 28, 2012 9:55 AM by GoPride.com News Staff
Actor Cynthia Nixon caused an uproar in the LGBT community this week when she told The New York Times that she had chosen to be gay.
"I gave a speech recently, an empowerment speech to a gay audience, and it included the line 'I've been straight and I've been gay, and gay is better.' And they tried to get me to change it, because they said it implies that homosexuality can be a choice. And for me, it is a choice. I understand that for many people it's not, but for me it's a choice, and you don't get to define my gayness for me. A certain section of our community is very concerned that it not be seen as a choice, because if it's a choice, then we could opt out. I say it doesn't matter if we flew here or we swam here, it matters that we are here and we are one group and let us stop trying to make a litmus test for who is considered gay and who is not," the out actress told the Times.
Nixon's comments have reopened the heated debate of nature-vs.-nurture.
In a column published on the Huffington Post, Windy City Times publisher and executive editor Tracy Baim defends the Sex in the City star and explains why "born this way" doesn't necessarily matter.
"I knew this issue was controversial in the community, but the anger was a little bit shocking," said Baim. "Some people haven't really thought out the historical precedence. People used to look at brain sizes to justify racism...I think the pursuit of science is great, but you have to be careful with the application. If it's genetic, they could ‘cure' us with a pill."
Baim said she "welcomes the diversity of opinion."
"We have a common enemy here, and it is not Cynthia Nixon, or those like her who come out as proud in their own unique identity."
Read Baim's full column on Huffington Post.
"I gave a speech recently, an empowerment speech to a gay audience, and it included the line 'I've been straight and I've been gay, and gay is better.' And they tried to get me to change it, because they said it implies that homosexuality can be a choice. And for me, it is a choice. I understand that for many people it's not, but for me it's a choice, and you don't get to define my gayness for me. A certain section of our community is very concerned that it not be seen as a choice, because if it's a choice, then we could opt out. I say it doesn't matter if we flew here or we swam here, it matters that we are here and we are one group and let us stop trying to make a litmus test for who is considered gay and who is not," the out actress told the Times.
Nixon's comments have reopened the heated debate of nature-vs.-nurture.
In a column published on the Huffington Post, Windy City Times publisher and executive editor Tracy Baim defends the Sex in the City star and explains why "born this way" doesn't necessarily matter.
"I knew this issue was controversial in the community, but the anger was a little bit shocking," said Baim. "Some people haven't really thought out the historical precedence. People used to look at brain sizes to justify racism...I think the pursuit of science is great, but you have to be careful with the application. If it's genetic, they could ‘cure' us with a pill."
Baim said she "welcomes the diversity of opinion."
"We have a common enemy here, and it is not Cynthia Nixon, or those like her who come out as proud in their own unique identity."
Read Baim's full column on Huffington Post.