Fostering Invisibility?

So, for us in the LGBT community, seeing Jodie Foster and Anderson Cooper on the cover of Out Magazine is not big news. It’s like seeing Kate Moss on the cover of Vogue or Lindsay Lohan’s genitalia on the cover of Heat – it’s not shocking to see them there, it’s like they belong there. And yet, we should be surprised if we consider the magazine’s name because, and this is their point, Jodie Foster and Anderson Cooper are not actually Out. Huh? How does that work? I can’t comment on Anderson Cooper too much, because I’m not familiar with the press surrounding him, but, take Jodie Foster - everyone who cares knows that she’s gay, or at least bisexual. She’s been living with her female partner for many years and has had two children by artificial insemination. That’s common knowledge to us gays. And yet she has always refused to discuss, or acknowledge, her sexuality. So how do we define being ‘out’? Do you have to grace the cover of Time Magazine and declare “Yep, I’m Gay”, Ellen-style. Or could you do a Portia de Rossi and simply walk around with your hot girlfriend in public and let the paparazzi drool. Well, I would say that all you need to do is acknowledge your sexuality in public. And that is what Jodie Foster refuses to do. I, for one, think it’s about time she did.

I know many will disagree with me. In the responses to Sarah Warn’s post about this subject, there were many general expressions of disgruntled disappointment – it’s a breach of her privacy, it’s unfair to force people out of the closet etc. I agree with that to a certain extent, perhaps Jodie and Anderson should be left to come out by themselves. But that’s exactly the point, they clearly never intend to. And I, for one, think that’s a great shame. I like the analogy that Out Magazine use of the ‘glass closet’ – everyone can see they’re gay, but they still stubbornly refuse to come out. However, although in some ways the analogy is so true, it isn’t entirely accurate for Jodie Foster: I don’t believe her closet is so transparent. I said earlier that everyone who cares knows that Jodie bats for the home team, but there are still a huge number of people out there who may know who she is, but haven’t got a clue that she’s gay. I’m speaking as a UK citizen here, so maybe this is different in the US, but even my best friend who reads Heat magazine (our trashy gossip magazine) at the same rate I read Sarah Waters novels had no idea that Jodie is gay. My parents? Not the foggiest. So whilst Jodie’s closet may be transparent to everyone in the LGBT community, there are still many people who are blind to her sexuality. It is these people that I believe her coming out would affect the most. Can we all just contemplate for a moment how much of an impact her coming out would have? She would be the perfect person to dispel stereotypes and model the two-mom family. Not only is she an internationally famous, and highly respected, two-time oscar-winning actress but she also has a stable personal life and a wonderful family – which is more than most Hollywood stars can claim. Jodie could do so much for our community if she came out. Yes, Ellen and Melissa are great, but over here at least, no one really knows who they are. They don’t have the kind of global influence that Jodie could have. By no means do I believe that Jodie should parade her personal life across the media, it’s probably by keeping her private life private that she has such a great, stable family. But all she needs to do is be more open about her sexuality in interviews, or even simply say, ‘Yes I’m in love with a woman and I’m raising a family with her.’ Considering how much of an impact those few words could have for the LGBT community, is it really too much to ask?