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- Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1992 13:12:20 +0100
- Sender: Forum for the Discussion of Politics <POLITICS@UCF1VM.BITNET>
- From: BADERTINOVS%NEWS@ADMINB.RFERL.ORG
- Subject: Re: gay cabinet appointments
- Comments: To: POLITICS@ucf1vm.cc.ucf.edu
- Lines: 36
-
- Jonathan:
-
- >It could be that there aren't any or maybe very few openly gay
- >people who are qualified for cabinet positions.
-
- Unfortunately many gays are closeted because of the negative
- popular attitude towards homosexuality. But still, there are
- enough openly gay public figures who could have been chosen.
- Barney Frank and Jerry Studds come to mind as most prominent
- openly gay politicians. Surely, there are many openly gay
- professionals in other fields as well that I am not aware of.
- Surely, many of them are not less qualified than Clinton's
- recent appointees. The problem is that the choice of appoin-
- tees is a very complex process in which not only qualifications
- are taken into consideration. Because of the popular attitude,
- it would be very difficult for Clinton to appoint a super-
- qualified but openly gay person to the cabinet. Such a choice
- would be very controversial.
-
- The fact that Clinton started to slowly backtrack from his
- promise to allow uncloseted gays to serve in the army shows
- how strong the negative stereotypes still are.
-
- The most depressing thing is that the appointment of an openly
- gay person to a highly visible position would most likely have
- saved some human lives. How?--you might ask. I'll try to explain.
-
- As you probably know, many teenagers who happened to be gay
- commit suicides (percetage-wise they constitute a disproportionate
- part of all teenage suiciders). The reason is that the society
- tells them constantly that there is something wrong with them,
- that they are sick,etc. Gay teenagers need a role model who would
- (by mere visibility in public life) tell them that its perfectly
- normal to be gay.
-
- Sam.
-