Clay Aiken (Finally) and Lindsay Lohan Come Out

Two celebrities have advised the media that they are gay: Clay Aiken and Lindsay Lohan. Hopefully as more successful celebrities and professionals come out the number of gays who feel compelled to live in the closet will diminish. I wish both Aiken and Lohan well and hope they find the liberation and self-acceptance I have found through being totally and apologetically "out."

*

First, the news on Aiken - my gaydar went off years ago when I saw Aiken filmed up close in a TV interview - Clay Aiken is admitting that he is gay in a story to be featured in People magazine. No doubt some of his fans will be bent out of shape, but that's their problem, not Aiken's. What is sad is that Aiken like so many other felt that he had to remain officially closeted in order to be accepted and/or marketable. Here are some highlights from Reuters:

*

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - After years of dodging questions, former "American Idol" singer Clay Aiken will acknowledge he is a gay man in an interview with People magazine set to run on its Web site Wednesday, according to media reports.

*

Celebrity site Perez Hilton.com on Tuesday published a photo of the cover of People magazine's upcoming issue on which Aiken cradles his new son, Parker Foster Aiken, in his arms. The caption reads "Yes, I'm Gay," and underneath is a quote from Aiken on his decision to come out of the closet that says: "I cannot raise a child to lie or to hide things."

*

For years, Aiken has dodged questions about whether he is homosexual despite persistent rumors on the subject. He has said, generally, that his sexuality was nobody's business but his own. In 2006, ABC television's Diane Sawyer asked Aiken and he shot back that it was a "really rude" question. He also dodged it in a previous interview with People magazine saying that readers "are going to believe what they want."

*

In the case of Lohan, the news is not necessarily a surprise based on recent rumors, but having it official will perhaps cause more people to rethink their prejudices. Here is what the Chicago Sun Times is reporting:

*

In other closet-opening news, many online outlets are reporting that Lindsay Lohan has "confirmed" a lesbian relationship with DJ Samantha Ronson. Lohan and Ronson rarely have been seen apart for several months, and they too have dodged direct questions about the nature of their relationship.

*

But Lohan called into the Los Angeles-based radio show "Loveline" last night to comment on the recent fatal plane crash that injured former Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and DJ AM. Host Ted Stryker asked Lohan how long she and Lohan had been "going out." "Like two years? One year? Five months, two months?" he asked. Lohan chuckled, then said, "A long, a very long time." Stryker ended the conversation by saying, "Well, I hope you stay together. You are a very lovely looking couple." Lohan thanked him.