Michelangelo Signorile: Out Them ALL

Activist and SiriusXM host Michelangelo Signorile says that it's time that the gay community stops cloaking anti-gay politicians that are known to us to be gay themselves. Writing for the Advocate, Signorile uses the recent example of California state Sen. Roy Ashburn, who was outed by West Sacramento's openly gay mayor on Facebook, although few took notice.

West Sacramento’s Mayor Cabaldon notes that unnamed gay and lesbian lobbyists and other prominent LGBT people knew Ashburn was gay and protected him. He told me that several of these individuals angrily complained to him after his Facebook update and after he criticized Ashburn in the media following the state senator’s arrest. Those who protected Ashburn were selling out the community. In that sense, they’re just as guilty as Ashburn. Every gay person who knows the truth about closeted antigay politicans has a responsibility to speak up, as Mike Rogers does so fearlessly. This is no longer an issue that is debatable. No one’s privacy deserves respect when that person is working against our rights, and none of us should be complicit in keeping the secrets of these detestable individuals. The message has to be sent loud and clear: You are either with us or you are against us.

To paraphrase NYC's MTA, if you see something, motherfucking SAY something!