Gay Rights Groups Applaud Jodie Foster for Golden Globes Speech
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Paul Drinkwater/NBC(NEW YORK) — Jodie Foster’s speech at the Golden Globe Awards on Sunday night has earned kudos from some gay rights groups.
As she accepted the Cecil B. de Mille award for lifetime achievement, Foster alluded to her sexuality, which she has kept private for decades.
Though she didn’t specifically describe herself as gay, the actress and director stated, “I hope that you’re not disappointed that there won’t be a big coming-out speech tonight because I already did my coming-out about a thousand years ago back in the Stone Age.”
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation applauded Foster’s speech on Monday. A statement from its president posted on the group’s website reads, “When one of the most critically-praised actresses speaks about her identity and relationships on one of the largest stages in the world, it shows just how much the tide has turned. Given Jodie Foster’s lifetime of achievements, this is a significant moment for LGBT visibility.”
A rep for the Human Rights Campaign, which also focuses on rights for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, says it took a lot of courage for Foster to discuss her sexuality in such a public forum.
The spokesperson tells E! News, “She merely wants to be known for the quality of her work and relationships in her life and not her sexuality and that is a lofty goal we are all working towards.”
However, others feel that Foster could have handled the situation better.
Michael Musto, a culture columnist for the Village Voice who is gay, writes to ABC News in an email, “A straightforward coming-out would have been preferable to the route she took — and by the way, I think she should have done it many years ago. But parts of her speech were very moving and now she is out, so I think we should just throw her a party.”
Diane Anderson-Minshall, executive editor of the gay and lesbian news magazine The Advocate, seems to agree: “She sounded a little passive-aggressive to a lot of LBGT activists. This woman who obviously has been afraid to come out in the public sphere has been out in her private life for decades.”
However, she adds, “Even though she danced around being a lesbian, at least it’s finally done.”
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