Wanda Sykes: Out and proud
Here's Wanda Sykes, at a rally in Las Vegas on Saturday:
"You know, I don't really talk about my sexual orientation," the Emmy Award winner said. "I didn't feel like I had to. I was just living my life, not necessarily in the closet, but I was living my life,""Everybody that knows me personally they know I'm gay," she continued. "But that's the way people should be able to live their lives." [...]
Sykes said the ban (also known as California's Proposition 8) made her feel like she was "attacked."
"Now, I gotta get in their face," she said. "I'm proud to be a woman. I'm proud to be a black woman, and I'm proud to be gay."
Awesome.
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This made me really happy. A good start to a good day :)
This is as newsworthy as when Clay Aiken came out. Good for her if she wants to be a spokesperson though. I like that she chose to do so for herself, I don't think anyone is obligated.
Oh Wanda Sykes, can you get any more awesome?
LalaReina: Why wouldn't it be newsworthy? It always cracks me up when people are like, "Oh ... it doesn't matter if such and such comes out ... SO not newsowrthy!!! What a waste of time!"
Considering that Prop 8, Prop 102, the prop in Florida, and the prop banning single and gay couples from adopting ALL PASSED (along with a few other anti-gay props), it is important and it is newsworthy.
I think you should reread LalaReina's comment--she never said or alluded in anyway that she "didn't think this was newsworthy." In fact, I took the opposite meaning from her comment entirely.
I think you should read all comments before commenting yourself, and read what I said below in reply to others saying the same thing.
And LalaReina, let me quote Amanda from pandagon.net: "Having celebrities come out of the closet is a big boost, I think, because it allows people to quit thinking of “gay” as this amorphous threat and starts them on the road of thinking that “gay” describes actual human beings with feelings and lives, many of whom you already have a lot of regard for."
Saying, "Oh, it's not newsworthy..." is making it seem like it's no big thang when celebs -- especially celebs beloved by a wide variety of people, like Clay and Wanda, who both have a lot of straight fans -- when it really, really is important. That's not to say I think every celeb needs to come out even if they don't want to -- it's still a personal decision and I respect that -- but if and when they decide to make it public, it IS important to listen and say, dare I say it, "Thank you."
I suspect what she meant is that most people already thought Wanda Sykes was lesbian. I haven't been paying attention to her so I don't really know but I've seen a lot of comments to that effect already.
Wanda spoke at the Atlanta Pride Festival a year or two ago, and she sounded pretty out then, so I just assumed that she was already publicly "out." I imagine that's what Lala meant! But I'm down with it being in the news! Wanda Sykes = AWESOME
True, Terabithia, you're probably right (now that I've had COFFEE! I can see that lol!). I wasn't really surprised when I saw her speaking, honestly, though I never really even thought about what sexuality she was before. Though now that I think about it ... it's pretty obvious.
Go Wanda!
And you know what? It almost makes me love her more. She was out but it wasn't really a big deal. THIS IS THE WAY IT SHOULD BE!
I love Wanda Sykes. Her Sick & Tired show is one of my fave things ever. Detachable pussies!
I didn't know this, so it was news to me. I may be a bit behind the times on this one, so I'm more overjoyed (due to my surprise) at her rally appearance. She has expressed feminist sentiment before, which won my heart, but this is an even greater sweetness. And her characteristic way of telling it like it is and being proud of her perspective? So necessary. She's a great support to so many people.
Damn! I could've been there. Oh, well - I'm still happy for her.
Yeah, I was pleasantly surprised myself to hear that Wanda had come out. I actually had no idea, mostly because I'd seen stand up of hers where she talked about being married, so I just assumed (clearly incorrectly) that she was straight. So yeah, go Wanda!
I have to post this for EVERYONE to enjoy. She's absolutely hilarious!!
"Wanda Sykes on Gay Marriage"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IHdaJOZe7E
I have to post this for EVERYONE to enjoy. She's absolutely hilarious!!
"Wanda Sykes on Gay Marriage"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IHdaJOZe7E
I have to post this for EVERYONE to enjoy. She's absolutely hilarious!!
"Wanda Sykes on Gay Marriage"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IHdaJOZe7E
Yikes, I didn't realize that posted three times. Sorry about that!