Elision

Gay Community Still Divided Over 'Outing'

This article is fascinating in its own right, in that it almost directly answers a critique I wrote for a journalism class last term of the fact that the media ignores the topic of outing. But it's also interesting to see an article talk about David Dreier for three paragraphs without ever saying his name:

Not all outing campaigns gain traction. A cadre of activist bloggers and alternative-media journalists have been contending for more than a year that another Republican congressman is gay and yet has often voted against gay-rights legislation. Thus far, the mainstream media — both national outlets and those in the congressman's home region — have declined to report on the campaign, although the effort is common knowledge among political reporters and on Capitol Hill.

Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., who in 1987 became the first member of Congress to voluntarily make his homosexuality public, said he does not know if the targeted congressman is gay or not. However, Frank contended that the perception that the congressman might be gay had damaged his standing with some fellow Republicans in the House — and Frank said this issue of bias should be aired publicly.

"I think he's wrong to be silent about this," Frank said of the congressman. "You should not cover up this act of prejudice."

I'll say it damaged his standing! He went from interim majority leader to also-ran in the length of time it takes James Dobson to dial Dennis Hastert.