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rosebeePosting things just because I'm really curious to see what people think. I'm a bit worried that this isn't quite appropriate, and I don't always have the best sense of that kind of thing, so someone feel free to slap some sense into me if I've accidentally crossed some sort of line.
With that said! On with the show!
Interviewer: Can you tellme whether any of your "handlers" are gay?
Justin: I respect the privacy of people in my life because I know what it's like to have your privacy violated. Suffice it to say that I have amazing people around me and some of them are gay
Interviewer: Without outing anyone, do you know of popular young gay musicians who are afraid to come out?
Justin: I don't know that I've encountered anyone who's afraid to come out as much as they've chosen not to at this point in their lives.
Interviewer: Have you discussed this with them? What do you think about how hard or easy it might be to come out?
Justin: As far as America is concerned--as opposed to Europe, where there's a vast difference in how gays are perceived--the need to stay in the closet seems to stem more from childhood and less from pressures of any specific industry. It also has a lot to do with the times and culture. For people in my generation, it's been easier to talk about being gay than in yours.
[I skipped several questions in between here]
Interviewer: What did you think when you first had contact with a gay person?
Justin: I've been in the business since I was 11 years old, so I had the chance to be exposed to the world outside Millington from an early point in life. I didn't think anything different about gay people from any other people I met. When you know who you are, there's no need to feel weird or threatened or fearful of people who aren't exactly like you. People who are different can be more fun to be around because you're learning new things and becoming smarter about the world. Beyond that, one of my best friends from when I was 14 was gay.
Interviewer: What did you think when you found out?
Justin: I always knew. It just took him a while to get the courage up to tell me. When he did, I told him that it didn't matter. It didn't change the fact that he was my friend. I wasn't thinking that he wanted to be more than my friend, and he wasn't.
It's funny, men are taught my TV and other types of media to exploit women--to look at them as sex objects. Men are taught to see anything on the opposite side of themselves as something sexual, and I guess that includes gay men. It's crazy. But I think that's why there's sometimes tension between straight and gay men. We've been taught to be predators, and straight men don't always know what to do with the idea of another man as something to be pursued or exploited sexually.
Ok, now I want to know what the fandom collective thinks now.
It's poll time!
ETA: IIRC, *NSYNC came into being when Justin was 14. *g*
[Poll #779879]
With that said! On with the show!
Interviewer: Can you tellme whether any of your "handlers" are gay?
Justin: I respect the privacy of people in my life because I know what it's like to have your privacy violated. Suffice it to say that I have amazing people around me and some of them are gay
Interviewer: Without outing anyone, do you know of popular young gay musicians who are afraid to come out?
Justin: I don't know that I've encountered anyone who's afraid to come out as much as they've chosen not to at this point in their lives.
Interviewer: Have you discussed this with them? What do you think about how hard or easy it might be to come out?
Justin: As far as America is concerned--as opposed to Europe, where there's a vast difference in how gays are perceived--the need to stay in the closet seems to stem more from childhood and less from pressures of any specific industry. It also has a lot to do with the times and culture. For people in my generation, it's been easier to talk about being gay than in yours.
[I skipped several questions in between here]
Interviewer: What did you think when you first had contact with a gay person?
Justin: I've been in the business since I was 11 years old, so I had the chance to be exposed to the world outside Millington from an early point in life. I didn't think anything different about gay people from any other people I met. When you know who you are, there's no need to feel weird or threatened or fearful of people who aren't exactly like you. People who are different can be more fun to be around because you're learning new things and becoming smarter about the world. Beyond that, one of my best friends from when I was 14 was gay.
Interviewer: What did you think when you found out?
Justin: I always knew. It just took him a while to get the courage up to tell me. When he did, I told him that it didn't matter. It didn't change the fact that he was my friend. I wasn't thinking that he wanted to be more than my friend, and he wasn't.
It's funny, men are taught my TV and other types of media to exploit women--to look at them as sex objects. Men are taught to see anything on the opposite side of themselves as something sexual, and I guess that includes gay men. It's crazy. But I think that's why there's sometimes tension between straight and gay men. We've been taught to be predators, and straight men don't always know what to do with the idea of another man as something to be pursued or exploited sexually.
Ok, now I want to know what the fandom collective thinks now.
It's poll time!
ETA: IIRC, *NSYNC came into being when Justin was 14. *g*
[Poll #779879]
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no subject
Date: 2006-07-28 01:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-07-28 01:58 pm (UTC)But yes! I'd forgotten about Justin's little beauty pageant bit. I think it's possible that Justin's referring to Lance in the above article, but it's also possible that it's about someone else entirely.
Do wonder though how many non-straight people he'd be best friends with from the time he was 14? (though one can also read his quote to be he was best friends with that person *when* he was 14, but not any more).
no subject
Date: 2006-07-28 02:57 pm (UTC)Justin doesn't blurt out much in front of reporters. It'd be just like him to pave the way for his friends while still protecting them.
no subject
Date: 2006-07-28 03:25 pm (UTC)I really like your interpretation, and it makes a lot of sense. :)
I hope to see you around, I like your style/input.