Hollywood actors who came out. Coming out - what is it? Definition, meaning, translation. Famous people who have come out

Coming out in show business is a common thing, albeit a brave one. For a long time now, no one has been embarrassed to admit homosexuality or bisexuality, since modern society treats sexual minorities condescendingly, so that God forbid it is not accused of oppressing their rights. Confessing a non-traditional sexual orientation will not destroy a career, will not take away fans, will not reduce fees and contracts.

So why hide your love preferences and rape yourself in public, pretending to be straight? Today we will talk about celebrities who were not afraid to come out and are living well with their “diagnosis.”

Cara Delevingne

The top model with sable eyebrows is such a rebel! There are countless crazy antics in Delevingne's arsenal, both on the catwalk and beyond. In June 2014, Kara admitted her bisexuality, discouraging the public (however, many attributed this to a desire to attract attention and stir up interest in herself). The first woman (at least that we know about) for Kara was actress Michelle Rodriguez. The girls started dating in early 2014, did not hide their tender feelings for each other and did not hide from the paparazzi (the Internet is full of photographs of Cara and Michelle hugging and passionately kissing). However, the idyll soon ended - tired of the active Kara’s lifestyle, Rodriguez invited the model to break up, but remain friends.

Delevingne was not sad for long and found solace in the arms of singer Annie Clark - they began dating at the end of 2014, and broke up in 2016. So far, Kara is in no hurry to plunge into the next relationship, enjoying freedom and partying.

Jodie Foster

Hannibal Lecter's "beloved woman" was raised by a lesbian mother who became one after a painful separation from her husband, so it is not surprising that Jodie chose the "wrong" orientation. In 2013, during her speech at the 70th Golden Globe Awards, Foster made an official coming out, although six years earlier the actress had already announced that she had been living with her partner, producer Sydney Bernard, for 14 years. Six months after this confession, the couple broke up. Among the actress's other passions were screenwriter and producer Cindy Mort, actress and singer Sophie B. Hawkins. In 2014, Jodie officially registered a same-sex marriage with photographer Alexandra Hedison. The couple is raising two Foster sons, Charles and Christopher, but the public has not yet been able to find out the name of the children’s father.

Kristen Stewart

The Twilight star was in relationships with men: she dated her Speak co-star Michael Angarano for five years, with Robert Pattinson for three years, and also had a short-lived affair with Rupert Sanders. Apparently, Kristen was tired of explaining to men what she really wanted, and the actress decided that only a girl could understand her. In 2016, in an interview, Stewart confirmed rumors about her sexual orientation, saying that she was dating a certain Alicia Cargile and their relationship had been going on for quite some time. There are also rumors that Kristen is having an affair with model Stella Maxwell. Whether Kristen's passion will develop into something big and serious or it's just a whim of the stars and a desire to experiment with sex, time will tell. Let's hope that it wasn't her movie mom Jodie Foster who instilled a love for the opposite sex in Stewart (they played mother and daughter in the thriller Panic Room).

Cynthia Nixon

The spectacular tall red-haired actress, who played Miranda Hobbs in the beloved Sex and the City, lived for 15 years in a civil marriage with English professor Danny Moses. She even gave birth to two children from him - daughter Samantha and son Charles. Having fulfilled the main female mission (which, as many people think, is childbearing), Cynthia decided to live for herself, left the professor and switched to the female half of the population of planet Earth. Since 2004, the actress has been in a relationship with education activist Christine Marinoni.

The women met during one of the protests, in which they participated as parents of public school students. In 2009, Christine and Cynthia announced their engagement, in 2011 they had a son, Max, and in 2012, the women legalized their relationship.

Colton Haynes

So charming, attractive and sexy - after the release of the series “Teen Wolf” for the first two seasons, the attention of girls was focused on him (and on Dylan O’Brien, of course). But bad luck, Colton is gay. He is absolutely not interested in girls, so fans can relax and not try to win this handsome guy. The actor came out in May 2016. Nothing is known for certain about his relationships with guys, but racy photographs appear on the Internet every now and then, where Haynes hugs and kisses people of the same sex. Let’s hope that the guy comes to his senses and breaks the “rear-wheel drive” system, giving preference to girls, especially since, according to insiders, he had them - Lauren Conrad, Lucy Hale and Holland Roden fell into his love network at different times. True, Colton completely denies these relationships, saying that he is connected with these girls (as well as with many others) solely by friendship.

Wentworth Miller

It was he who played the brutally handsome Michael Scofield in the TV series “Prison Break” and shocked fans and the public with his confession of his homosexuality, which he made in 2013... For a long time, Wentworth did not dare to admit his special sexual preferences and said that he wanted to get married and have children , but due to his busy schedule he cannot start relationships with girls. Well, it turns out, not because of a busy schedule, but because of homosexual inclinations. According to Wentworth, he knew about his homosexuality in his youth and, due to forced silence, tried to take his own life. Interestingly, the actor refused to participate in the St. Petersburg International Film Festival due to the Russian law banning the promotion of homosexuality.

Ian McKellen

A master of the Shakespearean repertoire, a real knight, a wonderful actor and... gay. Yes, yes, Gandalf from the film adaptations of Tolkien’s novels prefers men. Ian actively fights for the rights of sexual minorities, and does not lose hope of reaching out to the Russian government in order to repeal the law banning gay propaganda (in 2014, he even wrote an open letter to Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin with this request). Sir McKellen came out in 1988 during an interview with the BBC radio station. The actor prefers not to talk about his personal life, but he managed to get some information: for eight years Ian dated a teacher named Brian Taylor, then for 10 years he was in a love relationship with a little-known actor Sean Mathias. McKellen is currently single; However, maybe we don’t know about something...

Coming out is the voluntary disclosure of information about sexual orientation or gender identity. WITH On the one hand, a person communicates intimate information about himself, which, in theory, no one should care about; on the other hand, The very process of reporting in the context of homophobic legislation can be perceived as a political act, although it rarely is. Is it worth coming out, and how to do it correctly, explain the director of the Family Therapy Center, Inna Khamitova, and the psychologist of the LGBTQIA Resource Moscow center, Natalya Safonova.

- Why such fear of coming out?

- Public opinion presents heterosexuality as a social norm, thereby excluding people whose sexual orientation or gender identity differs from the generally accepted one. Therefore, many LGBT people say that they are afraid of upsetting their loved ones with their confession or simply want to protect themselves from the emotions of people for whom homo-/bisexuality is not the norm.

- Why come out at all? After all, sex life and preferences are everyone’s personal matter.

- In order to feel comfortable, it is important to be in harmonious contact with yourself and other people. If a person hides what is important to him, this forces him to constantly lie and get out. Coming out or not is a choice between peace of mind and “life on a volcano.” Self-disclosure can bring relief, but you should take into account the possible consequences and take care of your safety in advance, because coming out often causes psychological and physical violence.

Sometimes LGBT organizations They state that coming out is a prerequisite for the normal life of the community as a whole, and this largely influences a person’s choice. In most cases, in response to the question: “Why do you want to come out?” - psychologists hear: “In order to get closer to your relatives, friends, to get support.” Others say that they simply want to get rid of their parents' constant attempts to arrange their personal lives. But, of course, whether to come out or not is everyone’s personal choice.

- Where to start if I have made the final decision to come out?

- You must be aware that the reaction of those to whom you want to open up may not be what you expect. Answer yourself the question: “What resources do I have to survive a possible crisis?” If you live with your parents and are aware that they may not understand you, think about where you can go to spend the night. If the person you are about to open up to is aggressive, consider whether you can protect yourself. Main - Don’t be left alone with possible pressure. If you understand that you do not have enough resources to cope with the crisis right now, perhaps you should wait.

- I have enough strength to survive possible negativity. What to do next?

- Next step - forming a network of people who will definitely support you. First, trust someone you don't doubt so you don't end up alone. It's not always your parents, sometimes it's someone in the community, maybe a psychologist, a person on an LGBT forum, or your best friend. It is important to create a “safety cushion”.

- What is the likelihood that the reaction of the people I plan to tell about my homosexuality will be negative?

- There are too many factors influencing this. Let's divide this question into several blocks:

- What to expect from parents?

- Psychologist Ekaterina Petrova, in her study “Motives, obstacles and consequences of coming out in the relationships of adult homo-/bisexuals with their parents,” analyzed the behavior of 80 parents who were faced with the non-heterosexuality of their children, came to the conclusion that their reaction is influenced by the following reasons:

- personal: openness, willingness to perceive the child as an individual. Remember how they behaved in situations where you made an independent choice;

- socio-demographic characteristics of the family: social and professional status of parents, religiosity, origin.

Some perceive the information more or less calmly, others take teenage children or already quite adult and accomplished people to a psychologist or psychiatrist and repeat that homosexuality - this is a mental disorder.

Parental shock - normal reaction. Therefore, if you hope to receive parental support immediately after confession, difficulties may arise. In this situation, the parents themselves need support; they need time to get used to the new, rather difficult information for them, because their life, previously built according to a heteronormative scenario, has been turned upside down. In this situation, it is important not to put pressure on parents, but to give them time. After this, you can, for example, invite them to go to a support group for parents who could exchange experiences and support each other.

- How to tell friends and colleagues?

- Sometimes this is a psychologically safer conversation than talking to your parents. Also try to predict your friends' reactions by analyzing their ability to perceive your right to choose or their attitude towards the LGBT community in general. At work, you can also inform some limited circle. If a company positions itself as loyal in principle, there is less risk of facing a negative reaction.

In any case, it is impossible to predict everyone's reaction. It is likely that there will be someone who will devalue your recognition with statements like: “It will pass with age, you will have fun and calm down.” - or will chalk it all up to “fashion and the desire to stand out.” Such devaluation is usually explained by internal denial.

- How will life change after coming out?

- Some people, after coming out, begin to feel more comfortable and accept their identity. However, in the case of a negative reaction to coming out, the consequences can be dire and even dangerous.If you are facing pressure after coming out and need support, please contactCenter for socio-psychological and cultural projects. The center's psychologists conduct face-to-face support groups and free consultations. In St. Petersburg, you can turn to the initiative group “Exit” for help. The Russian LGBT Network provides online counseling in the regions.

Thank you for reading to the end!

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The phrase coming out is still new and unusual for Russian residents. But in the circles of Western stars it became quite popular. Today, on the Internet, you can easily find out what it means to “come out” in simple words.

Where did the expression come from?

Coming out is a situation in which a person admits to homosexuality (love for a member of the same sex).

The name of this phenomenon comes from the phrase coming out of the shadows. The literal translation is “come out of the shadows.”

The expression appeared in the United States in the mid-20th century. American psychotherapist Evelyn Hooker added the expression coming out to the list of official scientific terms.

Coming out is a popular topic for research in psychology and sexology.

Recently, the expression “coming out” has begun to be used not only in relation to non-traditionally oriented people, but also to any person who has publicly declared their unusual personal views, preferences or habits.

The loudest coming outs in history

Just recently, the coming out of popular personalities was quite a rare occurrence, but now it is quite natural.

Ian McKellen participated in a boycott over the fact that no openly gay person had ever won an Oscar.

The actor was one of the first to come out, back in 1988. During a conversation on a radio station, Ian announced that he was gay. This loud statement was made in response to a government decree banning the promotion of homosexuality. Since that moment, Ian McKellen has been an ardent defender of the rights of sexual minorities.

Cynthia Nixon's own daughter is also an extraordinary person; she recently changed her gender and turned from Samantha to Samuel

Actress Cynthia Nixon is best known for her role as Miranda Hobbes in the TV series Sex and the City. The celebrity cohabited with teacher and researcher Danny Moses for a long time. During their 15 years of marriage, the couple had two children. However, in December 2004, the popular actress openly admitted that she prefers women. Her soulmate was Christine Marinoni. 7 years after they met, she gave birth to a son, whom she is raising with Kristen to this day.

Michelle Rodriguez and Cara Delevingne have an impressive age difference of 14 years

The actress starred in the films Night Gardens, Battle in Seattle and Resident Evil. In October 2013, Michelle told a representative of a famous video blog that she was dating model and actress Cara Delevingne.

The news received wide publicity and created a real sensation on the Internet.

After this loud statement, the actress starred for a spread in a magazine for the LGBT community.

Kevin Spacey never agreed with Anthony Rapp's accusations

More recently, due to circumstances, the American actor, film director and screenwriter Kevin Spacey was forced to confess his love for members of his own sex. His colleague Anthony Rapp gave an interview and talked about how Spacey tried to seduce him as a child. As a result, the actor was charged with pedophilia and harassment. Kevin apologized, but did not deny anything. The actor admitted that in his life there were connections with representatives of both sexes. Now he openly declares his gay orientation.

The recognition influenced the celebrity's career. Because of the charges, he lost the American television Emmy award, and the film company Netflix stopped filming the new season of the series about an ambitious congressman, in which Spacey played the main character.

Kristen Stewart also dated French singer Soko The star of the Twilight film series began dating her co-star Robert Pattinson after filming. All the fans of the couple were delighted. However, after a high-profile breakup in 2013, Kristen first began dating director Rupert Sanders, and then her former assistant Alisha Cargile. The paparazzi tried their best to catch the star couple together, but they didn’t even think about hiding. The actress herself did not comment on this situation and in one of her interviews stated that she is a defender of the rights of the LGBT community. Relatives and friends support the actress, and her mother even met her daughter’s new lover.

Kristen Stewart is currently dating Stella Maxwell, a New Zealand top model and Victoria's Secret angel. Her love for women has not affected the actress’s career in any way; she still acts in films, participates in fashion shows, and even became the face of the Gabrielle Chanel women’s fragrance.

Jim Parsons and Todd Spivak officially married after 14 years of dating

Jim Parsons is an actor who played the brilliant but very eccentric physicist Sheldon Cooper in the television series The Big Bang Theory. In 2012, the artist openly stated that he had been dating producer and graphic designer Todd Spivak for more than 10 years. In 2017, the couple officially registered their relationship.

One Byron claims that his co-star Ivan Okhlobystin is a real homophobe and has repeatedly made harsh jokes about the young actor

The 30-year-old actor, who played in the Russian TV series Interns, only recently made a shocking statement about his sexual orientation.

“I've always been honest. They ask me the question: “How do you like girls from Russia?” - I say that they are all beautiful. When they ask if I have a favorite, I honestly answer that I don’t,” says the actor.

The recognition of Odin Byron did not in any way affect his life in Russia. He starred in the final season of the series about doctors, and now works at the Gogol Center, a theater created by Kirill Serebrennikov.

The lives of stars are constantly monitored by paparazzi and their every step is recorded on camera. Therefore, the details of their personal lives often become known to ordinary people and contribute to voluntary coming out. Some celebrities' same-sex love was even revealed against their will.

Not every person dares to loudly and publicly declare their non-traditional sexual orientation. The story of Kevin Spacey's coming out received great resonance even in the United States, where homosexuality has long been accepted adequately. In Kazakhstan, one of the large cinema chains used this story for advertising, offering an annual subscription to Kazakh actors who dare to follow Spacey’s example and come out. True, no one has confessed yet. And the actors can understand: coming out is a serious and important step for an LGBT representative..

No. 1. What is coming out?

Coming out . - English)literally means "opening", "exit". This expression goes back to the phrase “Coming out of the closet,” that is, “to come out of the closet.” From the same metaphorical closet in which LGBT people often sit, fearing public opinion.

The birth of coming out as a phenomenon is associated with the activities of fighters for the rights of sexual minorities in the mid-19th century and the beginning and middle of the 20th century.

The idea of ​​coming out dates back to the work of Karl Heinrich Ulrichs, a German lawyer, journalist and inspiration for the LGBT rights movement. At one time, Ulrichs was dismissed from the district court in Hildesheim due to homosexuality.

He wrote a series of books " A Study of the Mystery of Love Between Men,” in which he proposed a somewhat naive, romantic theory about “uranus,” people who are neither men nor women, but a kind of third gender. Ulrichs considered the love between them more sublime than the usual connection between a man and a woman Despite the fact that in his work Ulrichs mixed the concepts of gender identity and homosexuality, LGBT representatives appreciate his contribution to the development of the idea of ​​coming out, the North American psychologist Evelyn Hooker, who studied the problems of sexual minorities, made the scientific term.

The official coming out day is October 11th. It was on this day in 1987 that 500 thousand demonstrators marched through the streets of Washington in support of LGBT rights.

Of course, coming out is usually associated with the LGBT community. But sometimes this concept is used in other contexts. For example, “coming out of an alcoholic,” “coming out of an atheist,” and even “coming out of a vampire.”

No. 2. The loudest coming outs

Not only Kevin Spacey, but also many other celebrities and even politicians have publicly acknowledged their LGBT identity. In 1988, British actor Ian McKellen (many know him as Gandolf from The Lord of the Rings) admitted his homosexuality on a radio station. In 2016, Twilight star Kristen Stewart came out as bisexual.

In 2014, Apple CEO Tim Cook wrote in a Bloomberg Businessweek column: "While I have never denied my sexuality, I have never publicly acknowledged it until now. So let me be clear: I am proud to be gay, and I consider homosexuality one of the greatest gifts God has given me."

Actress Judy Foster, singer Elton John and even the famous Angela Davis have come out over the years. On November 6, 2014, Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevich wrote on his Twitter: “Proud to be gay.”

No. 3. What is the meaning of coming out?

Anti-coming out or homophobic people usually say something like: “Do it quietly in the basement, why tell everyone about your preferences.” Why is it so important for representatives of the LGBT movement to come out of the shadows? Human rights activists say that coming out is necessary for a gay, lesbian, bisexual or person with a non-traditional gender identity to express themselves.

Visibility is a step towards legitimacy and acceptance. Thus, the person who has revealed himself emphasizes that he is a full-fledged representative of society, and draws attention to the problems of people with the same orientation as his. When someone famous declares their membership in the LGBT community, it has a particularly strong effect. Although in this case one cannot exclude the element of PR and attracting attention.

LGBT-friendly psychologists emphasize the importance of coming out to combat stigma. This allows the one who comes out of the shadows to get rid of frustration and constant tension due to the need to hide. Also, coming out allows a person to feel more comfortable and accept himself as he is.

No. 4. Outing or forced coming out

Outing is when information about a person's sexual orientation becomes public against his will. That is, someone deliberately informs those around an LGBT person about his orientation. This may be done to discredit a person if they are in a homophobic environment. Outing can also be unintentional, for example, someone close to you saw the corresponding entries in a person’s personal diary or an open messenger.

No. 5. How to come out correctly

Before coming out, make sure that you are sure that it is really necessary at this stage of your life. Don't forget about personal safety and weigh how this could change your life. Remember the importance of coming out, because you do it primarily for yourself, plus thereby express your civic position.

If you are going to come out in the family, for example, in front of your parents, then take into account their attitude towards the topic of homosexuality. If it is negative, then you should not declare your orientation suddenly and sharply. To move smoothly into this topic, you may want to first prepare the context and try to change your loved one's negative attitudes. Let the parent read popular science literature about homosexuality or gender identity, watch a film together on this topic. Anyone who is about to come out of the closet would also do well to familiarize themselves with specialized literature in order to be able to answer questions if they arise.

Of course, the reaction of loved ones can be unpredictable, so if you, for example, are a minor, it is better to think in advance about where you can go to spend the night in the worst case scenario.

If you intend to come out to your colleagues, then also weigh the pros and cons. It may be worth starting with a limited circle of people with whom you have a good relationship, rather than making an announcement over loudspeaker.

It is recommended that you refrain from coming out at work if it could pose a serious risk to you, such as the prospect of losing your job, or if it could have a serious impact on your professional life.

Coming out should be done with a sober memory and sound mind, remaining cool and firm, ready for any reaction to your statement.

No. 6. Criticism of coming out

The idea of ​​coming out is usually criticized by homophobic communities and anti-gay activists. For example, the Christian organization Exodus International, which even established “National Coming Out Day” in defiance of “National Coming Out Day.” In 2013, the organization ceased its activities. And its former leader made an official apology to representatives of the LGBT community, admitting that it is impossible to change sexual orientation.

The feminist community has an ambiguous attitude towards coming out. In particular, queer feminist Judith Butler, in her article “Imitation and Gender Insubordination,” argues that the very gesture of revealing a secret is, as it were, a recognition of one’s otherness and exclusion from society. Thus, the person who comes out, according to Butler, seems to support the fact that we live in a society where only heterosexual relationships are normal.

No. 7. Symbolism of coming out

American artist Keith Haring created the official coming out emblem. This is a picture of a door and a man coming out of it. The unspoken anthem of coming out is Diana Ross's song "I'm Coming Out."

What does coming out mean? A concept that has recently become a popular topic of discussion in society. In Western countries, mainly in the USA, the history of the issue goes back more than one hundred and fifty years. For Russia it is relatively new and unusual. Let's try to find out what coming out means and how true the usual ideas about it are.

What does coming out mean?

The popular figure of speech, coming out, originates from the phrase “coming out of the closet,” which literally translates from English as “come out of the closet.” The generally accepted meaning of this phrase is “to open up.” In the mid-twentieth century, psychologist Evelyn Hooker added it to the list of scientific terms; the concept became a popular topic of research for psychologists and sexologists. Initially, it was used in relation to people with non-traditional sexual orientation - lesbians, gays, bi- and transsexuals. Over time, the word began to be used in a broader sense: any public statement by a person about his personal properties or preferences that go against generally accepted norms.

Attention! Coming out should not be confused with the concept of “outing,” which implies the same disclosure of personal information, but without the consent of the person himself.

What does it mean to come out?

The reason why people come out is not the only one. Usually, a sincere announcement to others about one’s “unconventionality” is only the end of a long and difficult inner journey. Once, having realized his own inclinations, attractions, hidden and openly condemned by society, such a person experiences many crisis moments until he finally decides to confess. Usually, the path of recognition begins with a conversation with the closest people - friends or close relatives. Then, this circle can be expanded. Often a person has to come out many times, coming into contact with new circumstances and people throughout life.