Actress Jodie Foster Indirectly Comes Out of Closet But Some In Gay & Lesbian Community Disappointed.

Jodie Foster did indirectly come out of the closet at the Golden Globe awards but she never actually said the three magic words  “I am gay.” Foster did say she came out “thousands of years ago” in her rambling speech. Foster’s lesbianism is no secret nor is the fact her former lover is Cydney Bernard.

Foster has lived in the glass closet for many years and for a long time some members of the gay and lesbian community wished she had come out when she was a superstar. The reason is, if Foster had come out during her reign at the top of Hollywood her coming out might have a bigger social impact in advancing gay rights.

I understand the frustration though, that some gays and lesbians have about Foster’s reticence to declare she is a lesbian earlier in her career. Maybe, Foster worried that if she did come out as gay when she was making those hit movies such as Flightplan, Panic Room, that the good scripts would dry up?  There is a paucity of A list and extremely high profile gay and lesbian stars out of the closet. Jodie Foster is definitely a high profile star.

This speech is evidence that perhaps gays and lesbian people we expect too much from gay celebrities? After all, gay celebrities are also human beings we are all flawed and not perfect. However, there seems to be so much expectations that the gay community places on pop culture icons like Jodie Foster. In this speech, Foster appears to be saying yes she’s a lesbian but she’s not going to be like Ellen Degeneres and become a lesbian activist. Some gay celebrities such as Jodie Foster feel there is a separation between her public life as an actress and her private life.

This is an important point, just because a celebrity is gay or lesbian he or she is under no obligation to get involved in the gay rights movement.

In addition, Foster also stressed although she is a celebrity, she believes she is entitled to a private life. On the gay blog Towleroad, some of the comments are negative some gays believe Foster only chose to come out now because her career is secure and she’s a multi millionaire.