CNN's Don Lemon Comes Out: 'I Guess This Makes Be A Double Minority Now'
Posted on May 16, 2011 @ 07:30AM
A CNN anchor has come out -- no, not THAT one -- rather, Don Lemon told the world that he "was born gay."
Lemon told the New York Times on Sunday that while his colleagues in the news business have been aware of his sexuality for years, cultural implications kept him from revealing his sexuality on a grand scale.
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“It’s quite different for an African-American male,” Lemon told the paper. “It’s about the worst thing you can be in black culture. You’re taught you have to be a man; you have to be masculine. In the black community, they think you can pray the gay away.
“I guess this makes me a double minority now.”
Lemon said in a statement he later released to the media that despite feeling relief after coming out to his mother, he "still chose to keep those secrets hidden from the world.
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"I, like most gay people, lived a life of fear," Lemon said. "Fear that if some employers, co-workers, friends, neighbors and family members learned of my sexuality, I would be shunned, mocked and ostracized.
“It is a burden that millions of people carry with them every single day."
Lemon, 45, said he dedicated his new book, Transparent, "to the memory of Rutgers University student Tyler Clementi, who jumped to his death from a bridge after his dorm mates streamed his private business over the Internet for the world to see.
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"Tyler might still be with us today if more gay men and women had chosen to live proudly and openly," Lemon said of the September 2010 tragedy.
The newsman, who's been with CNN since September 2006, took to Twitter after his revelation.
"I'm overwhelmed by all your tweets and support! Hoping this prevents more tragedies like tyler clementi's suicide. Don Lemon"
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Transparent hits stores June 16.
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The Daily Juice
I say disregard all the negative comments people gonna say about u, and live your life to the fullest.
Posted Tue, 05/17/2011 - 7:15pm
Could have fooled me... yawn.
Posted Mon, 05/16/2011 - 2:25pm
adam and eve. enough said.
Posted Mon, 05/16/2011 - 2:09pm
Why must we know this?
Posted Mon, 05/16/2011 - 1:22pm
folks say, it's no one's business who i sleep with but then they tell all their private business. make up your f*cking mind.
Posted Mon, 05/16/2011 - 9:51am
WHY, WHY, WHY do I need to know who this man has sex with? Who gives a crap? Keep your mouth shut like the rest of us and keep it to the bedroom. Sheesh!
Posted Mon, 05/16/2011 - 9:46am
Anderson Cooper Vanderbilt, Don Lemon. CNN only hires gays. How about a token straight guy?
Posted Mon, 05/16/2011 - 8:12am