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The easy answer is public relations — it's the reasoning of many stars who breathe the word gay or lesbian into a microphone at every opportunity. The famous pay far more attention to the words of Brendan Behan: “There is no such thing as bad publicity …” than the sense of Abraham Lincoln: "What kills a skunk is the publicity it gives itself."
But do Brad and Angelina need more PR? I don't think so, but anything's possible in a town where publicity is lifeblood.
Perhaps Brad is feeling inadequate next to Angie and her grand humanitarian efforts as goodwill ambassador for the U.N. Refugee Agency. Maybe he believes that he should voice support for the gay and lesbian community because the work he's doing in New Orleans is not enough for him to measure up in the minds of Angie's fans and, for that matter, his own gay following. Maybe he fears that if he marries Angie, the couple will lose the lesbian clout Angie affords them.
Or is the answer much simpler? Maybe the couple sincerely wants to help.
Only Brad and Angie know the motivation behind Brad's words, but let's assume that they truly want to show support for gay marriage and their frustration with those on Capital Hill. Aren't there more effective ways for people in their position to do that?
If Brad Pitt can fly a plane, he can certainly use a telephone to call the folks at HRC or GLAAD and ask, “What can I do to effectively support gay marriage?”
If Angelina Jolie can mesmerize CNN's Anderson Cooper with her thoughts on the world's refugees for two hours, she can get him to talk to her on air about gay marriage for ten minutes.
That said, it's time for a bit of perspective.
Jolie told Cooper that she donates one-third of her income to causes she believes in. She's putting her money where her mouth is. So, is it fair for me to criticize her and Brad for not doing enough publicly for my community when they are doing so much for the displaced people of the world, people much worse off than I am?
No. But remember, Brad provoked this conversation, I didn't. It was clear to me before his ridiculous declaration that he and Angie support the gay and lesbian community. Angie's personal resume alone is enough to grant Brad honorary-lesbian status. I don't need proof of their allegiance in the form of a talking point.
What I do need is for well-meaning actors, who say they support our community, to stop minimizing what it means to be a lesbian or a gay man by putting our important issues on their rather insignificant PR agenda.
Talk is cheap. Speaking requires breath, not performance, and certainly not conviction. It's past time some in Hollywood followed form with function.
One can argue effectively that I'm making much of nothing, and that as a lesbian I should be grateful that “gay” and “lesbian” are the buzzwords of the day, because there was a time when the words weren't dared uttered in Hollywood in public. But don't the actors that are clearly using us, as well as our issues, for their personal gain owe us a little appreciation? Some respect in the form of comprehension, at least?
Are the photo-op and sound-bite “gay”- and “lesbian”- wannabes and “supporters” so self-involved that they don't even know that by being denied the right to marry, real-life same-sex couples are denied access to the more than 1,100 federal rights, protections and responsibilities granted to married heterosexual couples, or is it that they just don't get how gross and unfair that is?
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