Elena, NY Justice, Are You Straight or Are You Gay?

I think there is a very interesting crossroad between the stories about George “Rentboy” Rekers and Elena “I’m Straight, I swear” Kagan. The bigger picture is that both intersecting roads are essentially a reflection of just how insecure, and in many cases un/misinformed, this country is regarding sexuality.

The classical argument goes: well, this is a country founded by puritan pilgrims, so of course there will always be traces of such regressivism. Clearly, this is a cop out and a refusal to do any of the heavy lifting required to address a matter that continues to rear its ugly head throughout the newspapers and society in general.

Admittedly, we are not at all far removed from an era (quite a long one, at that) where most were considerably less tolerant of homosexuality and thus considerably more homosexuals were unwilling to come out of the closet (yes, I know it’s hard to believe that there aren’t just more gays now than before). This is where people like Rekers come in to play.

Given the stigma surrounding being gay (then and now), it is certainly understandable that closeted individuals would seek out a so-called, a) professional or b) holy person [or c) both] that could either, a) cure the gay, or b) pray said gay away. After all, would a gay man or woman be afforded a fair shake at a highly prestigious position like say, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court? Obviously we’re seeing how all that would play out now.

Therefore upon further consideration, the question at hand should not be is Elena Kagan gay or straight, the quandary is why does it remain so very important for some to cast so-called aspersions (given there is nothing inherently wrong with being gay) about those in question, or more accurately-people the slanderers are threatened by. This brings us back to Rekers.

Certainly not every single anti-gay zealot is gay himself (although it’s a lot more fun to watch when they’re outed!), but they certainly do feel threatened in some way or another by the affront that is homosexuality. These are likely the same brand of people that are so indignant over the prospect of a lesbian Supreme Court justice, or at least mildly uncomfortable. Change and progress is almost always uncomfortable, but it is likewise almost always necessary and as usual those who are comfortable and accustomed to the status quo are not likely to go quietly into the night, or out of the closet.

P.S. Much respect if you got the Belle & Sebastian reference in the title.