Notes from the Chair

by Ken Allan, EEGO Co-Chair

Is She or Isn’t She, or, Here We Go Again.

In late April, President Obama nominated the US Solicitor General, Elena Kagan, to the US Supreme Court. As will happen with any Supreme Court nominee, the news media went into a frenzy to find out, at best, everything they could about her, and at worst, everything about her.

As news about her life, present and past, started to flood out, did the focus become her stellar academic background or her accomplished career? In some news circles, yes, and then the debate started as to whether her lack of judicial experience would hurt her. A healthy debate is fine, but then the “other” debate started. Certain media circles then started to focus on a 50-something year old woman, never married, who enjoys bowling and softball. Needless to say, the entire “is she, or isn’t she” debate ensued.

As we continue the fight for marriage equality, it is sometimes easy to overlook all of the progress we have made in the post Stonewall years, and frankly, most people in America could care less whether Ms. Kagan is part of our community or not. Is there a solution to this? Yes, and that is: closets are no place to be in 2010.

Without speculating on Elena at all, if you are gay or lesbian today, stop the un-needed speculation and just come out already. You will save yourself plenty of emotional distress, you’ll force certain television shows to find something else to talk about, and you can get on with the day to day business of your life. Need some role models? Look towards Melissa Etheridge and Elton John. Melissa came out as her career was becoming red hot and things continued to percolate for her long after pronouncing “Yes I Am” on the cover of her best selling CD. Elton John came out as his career was on a tremendous uptick that continues to this day.

Needless to say, there are plenty of role models out there, including many of us in the EEGO family. Day to day life is challenging enough. Come out, already, and have one challenge met.