CNN anchor Anrson Cooper on when he realized he was gay

Contents:

• ANRSON COOPER SHAR WHEN HE REALIZED HE WAS GAY: 'ONE OF THE GREAT BLSGS OF MY LIFE'
• HIGHLIGHT THE ONGOG RELATNSHIP BETWEEN ABC'S GAY JOURNALIST DAVID MUIR & G BENEZ
• GAY NEWSMEN – A CLEARER {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}TVBY KARMAN KREGLOEMAY 13, 2007/7:07 PMBY KARMAN KREGLOEMAY 13, 2007 / 7:07 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"GAY NEWSMEN – A CLEARER PICTURE","DATEPUBLISHED":"2007-05-13T23:07:47.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2007-05-13T23:07:47.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"KARMAN KREGLOE","KEYWORDS":"THE BACKLOT","ARTICLESECTN":"TV"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JOURNALISM IS GROUND ZERO FOR TTH A EE SOCIETY. SO IF THE JOURNALIST IS GAY DO THIS OBLIGATN TO TTH CREATE A GREATER RPONSIBILY TO BE “OUT”? IN A CULTURE WHERE THE ACPLISHMENTS OF GAY PEOPLE OFTEN REMA VISIBLE, IS ANSWERG THE SIMPLE QUTN ON SEXUAL ORIENTATN PART OF A MMENT TO REVEAL THE WORLD AS IS – OR IS IRRELEVANT A PROFSN WHERE “YOU ARE NOT THE STORY”?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN A TWO-PART SERI, EXPLOR THE REERS AND CHOIC OF GAY TELEVISN JOURNALISTS. FIRST, WE HIGHLIGHT THE WORK AND EXPERIENC OF NE OF THE MOST HIGH-PROFILE GAY ON-MERA NEWSMEN THE UNTRY – WH MORE JOURNALISTS FEATURED THROUGHOUT THE WEEK ON THE AE BLOG. PART II, WHICH WILL BE PUBLISHED ON ON MAY 21, VTIGAT THE ISSU SURROUNDG BEG OUT WH NEWS ANIZATNS AND PUBLIC, AND LOOKS AT THE IMPACT OF THOSE CHOIC ON THE DIVIDUAL AND SOCIETY. THAT DISCSN CLUS ALL THE NEWSMEN AS WELL AS WORK NEWS EXECUTIV – BOTH STRAIGHT AND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}OVER THE PAST SEVEN MONTHS AFTERELTON NDUCTED EXTENSIVE TERVIEWS ON AND OFF THE RERD FOR THIS SERI. HERE, WE SPOKE WH FIVE NATNAL NEWS RRPONNTS AND FOUR ANCHORS ABOUT THEIR WORK AND THEIR CHOICE TO BE OUT — SOME OF THE JOURNALISTS DISCSG THIS PUBLICLY FOR THE FIRST TIME. THEY HAVE REPORTED ON WASHGTON POLICS, NATURAL DISASTERS AND OM THE IRAQ WAR ZONE, MANY RISKG THEIR LIV TO BRG FACTS ABOUT OUR WORLD TO THE AMERIN PEOPLE. BY SPEAKG OPENLY ABOUT THEIR REERS, THE REPORTERS CREATE A FULLER PICTURE OF WHO GAY PEOPLE ARE, AND A CLEARER IMAGE OF THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}MIGUEL MARQUEZ: IT'S A WEIRDLY TIMATE BS. {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}DURG HIS MANY TRIPS TO IRAQ SCE JOG ABC OM CNN OVER TWO YEARS AGO, MARQUEZ HAS TERVIEWED AMERIN ARY OFFICERS, IRANIAN DIPLOMATS AND SECRETARY OF STATE CONDOLEEZZA RICE. HE HAS ALSO REPORTED ON THE ATHS OF TOO MANY AMERIN SOLDIERS AND IRAQI CIZENS A PLACE THAT HE SAYS HAS GOTTEN MORE AND MORE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}MARQUEZ SAID MANY OF THE TENSE SUATNS THAT RRPONNTS REPORT OM — WAR ZON, HURRIN, CALIFORNIA WILDFIR — MAKE NEWS "A WEIRDLY TIMATE BS." IN SOME OF THOSE SUATNS, MARQUEZ BELIEV, BEG ANK WH LLEAGU ABOUT SEXUAL ORIENTATN N BE PART OF WHAT ALLOWS YOU THE FORT LEVEL YOU {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"IT MAK A BIG DIFFERENCE," SAID MARQUEZ. "YOU'RE TRAVELG WH PRODUCERS AND PEOPLE RS, AND YOU'VE BEEN WH THEM FOR TWO OR THREE DAYS, YOU ALL STK, AND YOU'RE LLG LOVED ON ON THE PHONE, TRYG TO WHISPER 'I LOVE YOU' AND HAVG VERY TIMATE NVERSATNS. … THE MORE FORTABLE YOU ARE PERSONALLY, I THK THE BETTER THE EXPERIENCE."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AND MARQUEZ'S EXPERIENCE IS THAT UNIVERSALLY WH THE NEWS AGENCI, PEOPLE ARE OPEN AND ACCEPTG. IT'S THE NEXT LEVEL — BEG OPEN WH OUTSI PRS AND THEREBY THE PUBLIC — THAT SOME OF HIS LLEAGU WON'T {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"IT ALSO DOWN TO A VERY PERSONAL CISN," SAID MARQUEZ OF THE CISN TO BE OUT. "IT'S HARD FOR ME TO JUDGE ANYONE ELSE." BUT HIS OWN CISN ON THE ISSUE DOWN TO THIS: "I'M A BS THAT'S ALL ABOUT TTH AND HONTY, AND TO SOME GREE I'M RPONSIBLE TO BE HONT AS WELL."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JOHN YANG: WHY SHOULD I PASS AS BEG STRAIGHT? {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN THIS, THE FIRST PROFILE WHERE HE MENTNS HIS SEXUALY, YANG SAID THAT TAKG ON THE VETED JOB OF JESALEM RRPONNT FOR ABC 2003 "WAS THE FIRST TIME I FELT LIKE AN ADULT." THIS SPE THE FACT YANG HAD REPORTED FOR YEARS OM THE WHE HOE AND CONGRS, AS WELL AS THE IRAQ WAR {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}REGARDG THE JESALEM APPOTMENT, YANG ADMTED, "I WAS EXTREMELY FLATTERED BEE AT ABC NEWS, PETER JENNGS HAD VETO POWER OVER FOREIGN RRPONNTS. AND THIS WAS AN AREA THAT PETER RED EPLY ABOUT. AND ACTUALLY PETER GOT ON THE PHONE … AND SAID 'I'D REALLY LOVE FOR YOU TO DO THIS.'"{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AND BEG GAY MAY HAVE GIVEN YANG AN EDGE LANDG THE POST. "IT'S ACTUALLY SOMETHG THAT PETER SAID TO ME," YANG RELLED. "IT'S THAT HE THOUGHT THAT — AND LOOKG BACK, YOU N TAKE WHAT HE SAID A UPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS, WHETHER HE MEANT [ME] BEG ASIAN OR BEG GAY — BUT THAT HE THOUGHT THAT WHAT I WOULD BRG TO THAT REPORTG WAS AN UNRSTANDG OR AN SIGHT TO … PEOPLE WHO ARE MARGALIZED."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}YANG HAS FOUND THAT AMONG THE POLILLY POWERFUL WASHGTON, BEG GAY IS ALSO ACCEPTED, SPE PUBLIC RHETORIC THAT MIGHT SUGGT OTHERWISE. IN A FOLLOW-UP EMAIL TO , YANG RELLED A 1992 PHONE LL OM A NSERVATIVE REPUBLIN SENATOR AFTER A WASHGTONIAN MAGAZE PIECE ON YANG'S EMPLOYER AT THE TIME, THE WASHGTON POST, ALLUD TO HIS SEXUAL {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"JOHN, I SAW THAT THG ABOUT YOU THE MAGAZE," THE SENATOR TOLD YANG. "I JT WANT TO TELL YOU DON'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE TO ME. YOU'RE STILL THE BT DAMNED REPORTER I'VE EVER ALT WH." YANG THANKED THE LEGISLATOR, WHO AFTER A PSE ASKED, "I HAVEN'T SAID ANYTHG WRONG, HAVE I?" YANG ASSURED HIM: "NO, SENATOR. YOU SAID JT THE RIGHT THG."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AND WHY IS YANG ONE OF THE FEW NATNAL TELEVISN JOURNALISTS CHOOSG TO BE NDID ABOUT SEXUAL ORIENTATN? HE NNECTS PART TO HIS EXPERIENCE OF BEG PERCEIVED AS A RACIAL MORY. "THERE ARE CERTA THGS ABOUT MYSELF THAT ARE IMMUTABLE, AND SOME OF THEM ARE OBV," YANG SAID. "I'M ASIAN. I MEAN, ANYONE WHO SE ME ON THE AIR OR HEARS MY LAST NAME KNOWS THAT. … AND A WAY, I FELT THAT I N'T PASS AS NOT BEG ASIAN, SO WHY SHOULD I PASS AS BEG STRAIGHT?"{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}MANUEL GALLEG: IT HASN'T BEEN ANY ISSUE AT ALL. {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“YOU ALWAYS THK ABOUT THAT. ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE A PUBLIC PERSON, YOU'RE ON-AIR TALENT. I THK EVERYBODY'S NCERNED WH THEIR OWN IMAGE.” BUT GALLEG SAID AS HE BEME MORE NFINT AND SATISFIED AT HIS JOB, MET OTHER GAY PEOPLE AT CBS, AND FOUND THE ENVIRONMENT WAS AN ACCEPTG ONE, “I REALIZED THAT I HAD NOTHG TO WORRY ABOUT. AND HASN'T BEEN ANY ISSUE AT ALL.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}GALLEG HAS HAD AN CREDIBLY DIVERSE REPORTG REER, TERVIEWG PEARL HARBOR SURVIVORS AND ACTOR AND ACTIVIST LEONARDO DICAPR THE WEEK BEFORE THIS TERVIEW. HE HAS ALSO REPORTED OM THE 1999 COLUMBE SCHOOL SHOOTG, AND THE SCENE OF TWO OF THE MOST VASTATG NATURAL DISASTERS RECENT US HISTORY: THE 1989 SAN FRANCIS EARTHQUAKE AND NEW ORLEANS DURG HURRINE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}GALLEG, WHO HAS MEXIN ANCTRY, IS GREETED ON THE STREET BY ENTHIASTIC LATO YOUTH WH “HEY BROWN MAN! IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU ON TELEVISN!” AND GALLEG THKS BEG VISIBLE AS A SUCCSFUL GAY MAN IS IMPORTANT A SIAR WAY. BUT ULTIMATELY, GALLEG SAID HE CHOSE TO ANSWER THE QUTN ON SEXUAL ORIENTATN HERE BEE AS A JOURNALIST HE HIMSELF PENDS ON DIFFICULT ANSWERS; SOMETIM OM PEOPLE THE MOST TIMATE AND TRAGIC CIRCUMSTANC. “HOW HYPOCRIL IS FOR A JOURNALIST TO NOT WANT TO TALK, TO NOT GIVE AN TERVIEW?”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JEFEY KOFMAN: I N BE HONT. {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}LIKE GALLEG, KOFMAN LKS HIS CISN TO BE OUT WH HIS MISSN AS JOURNALIST. "I DO BELIEVE THAT WE SPEND A LOT OF OUR TIME ASKG PEOPLE TO BE HONT AND STRAIGHTFORWARD WH . … WHILE I DON'T THK A REPORTER'S PUBLIC LIFE SHOULD BE THE CENTER OF HIS OR HER WORK, I THK AT SOME POT YOU N'T DODGE THE REALY OF YOUR LIFE AND PRETEND YOU'RE BEG HONT."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN 2003, KOFMAN'S HONTY CREATED SOMETHG OF A MOR NATNAL CINT THE U.S. AFTER HIS WORLD NEWS TONIGHT REPORT OM IRAQ ON TROOP MORALE — WHICH CLUD ONE SOLDIER LLG FOR THE RIGNATN OF DONALD RUMSFELD — MATT DDGE BRIEFLY PRTED THE HEADLE, "ABC NEWS REPORTER WHO FILED TROOPS COMPLAT STORY — OPENLY GAY CANADIAN," LKED TO AN TERVIEW KOFMAN DID WH NATNAL GAY MAGAZE THE ADVOTE. DDGE LATER CLAIMED THE STORY WAS SLIPPED TO HIM BY AN OVEREAGER WHE HOE STAFFER, PRUMABLY A MISGUID ATTEMPT TO DISCRED {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT KOFMAN N HANDLE A TSLE WH THE WHE HOE. HIS RUME READS LIKE A FN OF MACHISMO JOURNALISM. HE HAS REPORTED OM COLOMBIAN JUNGL, DONE FOUR TOURS IRAQ AND VERED THE AFGHAN WAR OM AN AIRCRAFT RRIER. IN HAI , KOFMAN WAS CHASED BY MOBS AND THREATENED AT GUNPOT BY GUERILLAS, AND WAS THE FIRST JOURNALIST TO REPORT OM THE SCENE OF THE 2004 OVERTHROW OF THEN-PRINT JEAN-BERTRAND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}KOFMAN, WHO SPENT HIS LAST VATN TREKKG THE ANS WH HIS PARTNER, SAID HIS "OUTSI THE BOX" REER ALIGNS WELL WH HOW HE WANTS TO LIVE HIS LIFE. BUT 25 YEARS AGO HE WASN'T SURE HE'D BE HIS DREAM JOB TODAY AS A WORLD-TRAVELG WORK RRPONNT. "I THK THAT BEG GAY, MY OWN MD, MA ME WONR WHETHER WAS POSSIBLE," HE SAID. BUT NOW, "WHEN I LOOK BACK ON THE CISN I MA ABOUT BEG OPEN, I'M VERY HAPPY. I DON'T HAVE TO MAKE UP STORI; I N BE HONT. AND THAT'S THE WAY I WANT TO LIVE MY LIFE. THAT'S THE WAY I WANT TO DO MY WORK."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JASON BELLI: THAT'S NOT HONT. {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"WE WERE G TECHNOLOGY THAT WAS STILL UNPROVEN," BELLI RELLED. THAT CREATED SOME SURREAL MOMENTS BROADSTG ON CNN. "I REMEMBER BEG THE SAND DUN WHEN THERE WAS A SMALL BATTLE GOG ON. AND WE GOT OUR SATELLE UP, AND I WAS BROADSTG AND THKG TO MYSELF, THIS IS REALLY WEIRD. WE'RE GOG LIVE OM THE MIDDLE OF THE SERT, AND THERE'S NOTHG AROUND FOR HUNDREDS OF ."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BELLI CREATED HIS REER NEWS OUT OF SHEER DARG. IN 1999, WHEN THE KOSOVO WAR BROKE OUT AND THE U.S. BOMBG MPAIGN BEGAN, BELLI QU HIS JOB AND TRAVELED TO THE WAR ZONE ON HIS OWN, HOPG TO SEND BACK STORI ON SPEC THAT HE SHOT ON HIS DIGAL MERA AND EDED ON A LAPTOP. WHILE THERE, HE GOT TO THE SYSTEM AT CNN AND MA HIMSELF DISPENSABLE, QUICKLY WORKG HIS WAY UP TO CNN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BELLI'S EARLY CISN TO BE OUT REFLECTS A SIAR BOLDNS. WHILE OTHER ON-MERA PEOPLE STILL HOLD ONTO A NTROLLG ATTU ABOUT THEIR IMAGE, FOR BELLI THE CHOICE WAS CLEAR-CUT: "SKIRTG THAT ISSUE, SAYG 'S NOBODY'S BS, I THK THAT'S DISGENUO. BEE IF PEOPLE ARE TERTED YOU OUTSI OF THE PARAMETERS OF YOUR JOB SELF, AND YOU IGNORE [BEG GAY], THEN YOU'RE IGNORG AN IMPORTANT PART OF YOURSELF. AND THAT'S NOT HONT."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}RANDY PRICE: A LTLE B OF LLN. {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}PRICE EXPERIENCED THAT LLN FIRSTHAND THE '80S, WHEN HE WAS A YOUNG ANCHOR WHO HAD ALREADY BEEN LIVG WH HIS PARTNER FOR ALMOST A . IN NEWSPAPER PROFIL OF HIMSELF OM THAT TIME, REARS ULD SEE HIM AT HOME WH HIS DOG, "ALL THE THGS ABOUT MY LIFE. AND NEVER ONE — NOT ONE MENTN — OF DO I LIVE WH ANYBODY, WHAT'S THE STORY OF MY PERSONAL SUATN. … THEY DIDN'T ASK ANY OF THOSE QUTNS BEE THEY KNEW THE ANSWERS." AND PRICE NFSED, "I PROBABLY DIDN'T PH THE POT."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}NOW, 10 YEARS SCE PRICE BEGAN ANSWERG THOSE QUTNS, HE IS AMED THAT SOME STILL SEE THOSE ANSWERS AS IRRELEVANT. "PEOPLE ASK THAT QUTN," PRICE SAID. "LIKE, 'WELL, YOU KNOW, IS REALLY NECSARY FOR YOU TO DISCS YOUR SEXUAL LIFE WH EVERYBODY?' AND I GO, 'WELL, YOU KNOW, I NEVER REALLY THOUGHT I WAS DISCSG MY SEX LIFE. … I SAID I'M A GAY PERSON, I LIVE WH ANOTHER GUY, AND I HAVE A LONG-TERM RELATNSHIP. IF I DON'T TELL YOU THAT, THEN THERE'S REALLY NO FOUNDATN FOR HAVG AN EXCHANGE ABOUT WHO WE ALL ARE."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HANK PLANTE: BEG GAY HAS MA ME A BETTER REPORTER. {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}COVERG AIDS AS AN OPENLY GAY MAN HOTON THE EARLY '80S, THE HOSTILE FEEDBACK PLANTE RECEIVED WASN'T SOLELY OM VIEWERS. "THE GENERAL MANGER AT THE STATN AT THE TIME DIDN'T LIKE OUR VERAGE, DIDN'T LIKE THE FACT THAT I WAS GAY," HE RELLED. "AND I IGNORED HIM." COVERG AIDS SAN FRANCIS SOON AFTERWARD, PLANTE TOOK EVEN MORE FIRE — SOME OF OM UNLIKELY SOURC. "PEOPLE THE GAY MUNY SAID, 'YOU'RE MAKG LOOK BAD … THEY'LL THK WE'RE ALL AIDS RRIERS.'"{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}PLANTE WON TWO EMMYS AND A PEABODY FOR HIS SAN FRANCIS AIDS VERAGE, AND 2005 WAS PRENTED WH A GLAAD PNEER AWARD. PLANTE SE HIS SEXUAL ORIENTATN AS BOTH IRRELEVANT TO HIS JOB AND SOMETHG THAT RMS . "BEG GAY HAS MA ME A BETTER REPORTER, JT AS 'S MA ME A BETTER PERSON," HE SAID. "I DON'T JT SEE THE OUTSI. I KNOW THERE IS A WHOLE LIFE THERE THAT I NEED TO BE OPEN TO."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT SPE HIS OWN GROUNDBREAKG CHOIC, PLANTE PARTS WH SOME OF THE REPORTERS TERVIEWED HERE, NOT SEEG A NNECTN BETWEEN HIS MISSN AS JOURNALIST AND THE CHOICE TO BE OUT. HOWEVER, HE HAS FOUND HIS OWN OPENNS EARNS HIM RPECT TERTG {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"I'LL TELL YOU WHERE HELPS ME, THIS TRANSPARENCY," EXPLAED PLANTE, REVEALG THAT FOR A BIG TERVIEW — SUCH AS CALIFORNIA ERNOR ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER OR A U.S. SENATOR — HE ROUTELY OUT TO HIS SUBJECT BEFORE THE TERVIEW BEGS. "I JT KD OF SLIP . 'OH, YOU KNOW, I WAS TALKG TO MY DOMTIC PARTNER LAST NIGHT, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.' … AND YOU KNOW WHAT I FD IS? IT RELAX THEM. IT CREAT A VERY HONT SPACE, AND THEY'RE MORE OPEN TO ME. … I N'T EXPLA . SOMETHG MAGIL HAPPENS."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}CRAIG STEVENS: I JT NEVER LET BE THAT BIG OF A {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}STEVENS THKS THE POSIVE REACTN HE HAS RECEIVED AS AN OUT ANCHOR PART OM HIS OWN ATTU. "IF 'S THIS BIG HAND-WRGG, SORT OF TORTURED CISN, I THK PEOPLE FEED OFF YOUR ENERGY," HE SAID. "I JT NEVER LET BE THAT BIG OF A AL." BUT STEVENS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE'S A LOT OF ANXIETY OUT THERE: "I HAVE IENDS WH THE DTRY WHO, REALLY, THERE'S THIS ANGUISH, THIS FEAR OF WHAT HAPPENS" IF THEY E {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}RANDOL WHE: I ULD JT FEEL MY BLOOD N LD. {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT THE WORLD DIDN'T VE . AND SLOWLY WHE VENTURED OUT MORE, ALLOWG HIMSELF TO BE REGNIZED GAY BARS MILWKEE, THEN SI MADISON. EVENTUALLY WHE WAS OUT TO HIS EMPLOYERS, -WORKERS AND HIS DIENCE, SUALLY MENTNG IENDS AND EVENTS DURG MORNG-SHOW CHAT THAT INTIFIED HIM AS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AND WHE SAID HE EXPERIENCED NO NEGATIVE REACTN. BEG AN "OUT NEWSSTER," HE SAID, "HAS BEEN 100 PERCENT POSIVE." NOW AN ANCHOR ON THE MORNG SHOW AND THE NOON NEWSST FOR CBS AFFILIATE KCOY SANTA BARBARA, CALIF., WHE NNECTS HIS CHOICE TO BE OUT TO SOMETHG HE HEARD OPENLY GAY WISNS REPRENTATIVE TAMMY BALDW SAY: "IF YOU WANT TO LIVE A WORLD WHERE YOU N HOLD YOUR BOYIEND'S HAND WALKG DOWN THE STREET, THEN HOLD YOUR BOYIEND'S HAND WALKG DOWN THE STREET."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHE SAID: "I THK THAT'S SUCH A POWERFUL STATEMENT. BEE YOU HAVE TO DO , FOR TO EVER BE ACCEPTED."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;} NTU PROFILG THE OUT JOURNALISTS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK ON THE BLOG, HIGHLIGHTG FORMER CNN RRPONNT THOMAS ROBERTS ON TUDAY, REGNAL NEWS NETWORK ANCHOR PL MUELLER ON WEDNDAY, AND MORE OM MIGUEL MARQUEZ IRAQ ON THURSDAY. PART 2 OF THIS ARTICLE, A LIVELY DISCSN WH THE JOURNALISTS AND WORK NEWS EXECUTIV, WILL BE PUBLISHED ON MAY 21. IT CLUS A G-OUT TERVIEW WH ONE OF THOSE EXECUTIV. {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS
• JAGS' MAXEN IS FIRST MALE AMERIN PRO SPORTS ACH TO E OUT AS GAY
• KEV MAXEN BE FIRST MALE ACH A US MEN’S PROFSNAL SPORTS LEAGUE TO PUBLICLY E OUT AS GAY
• MSNBC HIR ANOTHER GAY ANCHOR (WHO JT CAME OUT 2 YEARS AGO)
• OPEN MENUVIOSHOPWELLNSFOODCULTUREFAYLIVGSTYLETRAVELNEWSBOOK CLUBGMA3: WYNTKNEWSLETTERPRIVACY POLICY — YOUR US STATE PRIVACY RIGHTS — CHILDREN'S ONLE PRIVACY POLICY — INTERT-BASED ADS — TERMS OF USE — DO NOT SELL MY INFO — CONTACT USCOPYRIGHT © 2023 ABC NEWS INTER VENTUR. ALL RIGHTS RERVED.SEARCHMI STRONG: CHARI TO SUPPORT WILDFIRE RELIEF EFFORTSLIVGOCTOBER 7, 2020ABC NEWS' ALEX PEREZ ON G OUT: IT 'ALLOWED ME TO FD AND MARRY THE LOVE OF MY LIFE'8:43LEFT URTY ALEX PEREZ | LEFT ABC NEWSTHE STORY OF THE PRI PARABY ALEX PEREZVIO BY CHRIS CIRILLO, TONY MORRISONSHARE —SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTERS TO GET GMA LIVERED TO YOUR BOX EVERY MORNG!OCT. 11 IS NATNAL COMG OUT DAY. FOR MANY LGBTQ+ PEOPLE, G OUT VOLV SHARG THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATN AND/OR GENR INTY FOR THE FIRST TIME. YOUNG PEOPLE SEARCH OF SUPPORT THEIR INTI N NTACT THE TREVOR PROJECT'S TREVORLIFELE 24/7 AT 1-866-488-7386 OR BY TEXTG START TO 678678.MY MEMORY OF THE DAY IS CRYSTAL CLEAR.I WAS FIFTH GRA, ENJOYG MY FAVORE PART OF THE SCHOOL DAY -- RECS! MONKEY BARS, EEZE TAG, DODGE BALL -- BASILLY ANYTHG THAT WOULD DISTRACT ME OM WHAT I THOUGHT AT THE TIME WAS BORG: STG AT MY SK.BUT THAT WAS THE FIRST YEAR I N REMEMBER FEELG A LTLE DIFFERENT. VIEW THIS POST ON INSTAGRAM ON THIS DAY 37 YEARS AGO I MA MY BUT ON THIS ?. MAYBE THE 'O OM AG 7-10 SHOULD MAKE A EBACK? A POST SHARED BY ALEX PEREZ (@PEREZREPORTS) ON MAR 27, 2017 AT 6:38AM PDT MY IENDS, WHO I'D KNOWN SCE KRGARTEN, AND I PRETTY MUCH AGREED ON EVERYTHG.WE ALL GOT NTENDO AT THE SAME TIME, DRSED SIARLY AND FOUND THE SAME THGS UNTERTG; WAS THE GLUE THAT HELD TOGETHER.THAT DAY, SEEMED LIKE I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO WANTED TO GET THIS GAME OF DODGEBALL STARTED.THE GUYS -- MY IENDS AND FELLOW FIFTH GRARS -- WERE ALL HUDDLED UP.SO I JOED THE CIRCLE, TRYG TO FIGURE OUT WHAT EVERYONE WAS WHISPERG ABOUT. VIEW THIS POST ON INSTAGRAM A POST SHARED BY ALEX PEREZ (@PEREZREPORTS) ON MAY 16, 2013 AT 8:35AM PDT TURNS OUT, THEY WERE ALL ENAMORED WH A NEW FEMALE CLASSMATE WHO HAD TRANSFERRED TO OUR CLASS. HEARG THE OTHER BOYS, I KNEW IMMEDIATELY THERE WAS SOME SORT OF DISNNECT THAT I HAD NEVER TECTED BEFORE.THE ATTRACTN AND FEELGS THEY WERE SCRIBG WERE FOREIGN TO ME.BUT I KEPT MY MOUTH SHUT, MOSTLY FOR FEAR I'D OPEN MYSELF UP TO RIDICULE.EDOR'S PICKS1ABC NEWS’ G BENEZ WR LETTER TO HIS YOUNGER SELF FOR NATNAL COMG OUT DAY: 'IT WILL ALL BE OK'OCTOBER 11, 20222ABC NEWS' BECKY WORLEY TO PARENTS ON NATNAL COMG OUT DAY: 'THIS DAY IS FOR YOU TOO'OCTOBER 11, 20223ABC NEWS' JAM LONGMAN ON G OUT: 'I ULD NEVER IMAGE THEN THE LIFE I HAVE NOW'OCTOBER 11, 2022I HAD BEEN LLED SISSY EARLIER THAT YEAR -- AND STUNG.BADLY.NOT BEG MYSELF THAT ONE RANDOM DAY FIFTH GRA WOULD BEE THE SHAKY FOUNDATN I WOULD LIVE NEARLY TWO S OF MY LIFE -- PRETENDG TO BE SOMETHG I WASN'T.I FEARED BEG THE BUTT OF JOK.I FEARED MY TRADNALLY CUBAN, MACHISTA FAY WOULD ABANDON ME.I FEARED REJECTN. VIEW THIS POST ON INSTAGRAM A POST SHARED BY ALEX PEREZ (@PEREZREPORTS) ON MAY 2, 2013 AT 10:17AM PDT THE WERE TOUGH THGS TO UNRSTAND AS A YOUNG ADULT, SO I DIDN'T EVEN TRY!I SIMPLY BSHED THAT TERNAL "WHO AM I?" NVERSATN UNR THE RPET FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.ALONG THE WAY, AS I TRIED TO MAKE SENSE OF MY EMOTNS, I DATED AND GOT TO LOVE SOME TLY AMAZG WOMEN THAT TGHT ME SO MUCH ABOUT CHARACTER AND BEG TE TO ONELF.BY THE TIME I TURNED 24, THE TOLL OF PRETENDG TO BE SOMETHG I WASN'T HAD TURNED TO PURE AGONY.I ULD BARELY MTER THE FORCED S OR FAKE, CHEERY NVERSATNS.WHAT I THOUGHT WAS SOMETHG I ULD IGNORE FOR THE RT OF MY LIFE, LED ME TO A EP PRSN. I EVEN NSIRED THE UNTHKABLE.WHY WOULD I WANT TO GO ON LIVG A LIFE WHERE I ULD NEVER BE MYSELF?THE QUTN, FOR ONE VERY DARK PERD OF MY LIFE, WAS STUCK ON REPEAT MY MD.BUT THANKFULLY, I WAS ABLE TO HARNS THOSE DARK THOUGHTS.INSTEAD OF BEATG MYSELF UP, I MA THE NSC CISN TO TAKE STOCK OF ALL THE MANY THGS I HAD ACPLISHED.I HAD FIED THE ODDS GROWG UP A BLACK KID A RELATIVELY POOR, VLENT NEIGHBORHOOD, BEG THE FIRST ONE MY FAY TO ATTEND LLEGE AND PURSUE A REER -- NOT JT A JOB.IF I ULD CELEBRATE THE BS AND PIEC OF ME, WHY ULDN'T I CELEBRATE ALL OF ME?THAT WAS THE QUTN THAT WAS NOW STUCK ON REPEAT. VIEW THIS POST ON INSTAGRAM TBT || CIR 2002: LIVHOT AT NEW MEXI STATE UNIVERSY'S AGGIE STADIUM. AT THIS POT MY REER I HAD DONE FEWER THAN 10 LIVHOTS, AND HAD A LUMP MY THROAT BEFORE EACH ONE. JT BEFORE THE LIVHOT, I WOULD SPRAY LOGNE ON MYSELF AND POP A BREATHE MT MY MOUTH. AS IF THE VIEWERS ULD SMELL ME! I STILL DO THE MT THG, BTW. #THROWBACKTHURSDAY A POST SHARED BY ALEX PEREZ (@PEREZREPORTS) ON MAR 13, 2014 AT 9:44AM PDT SO, I WENT OUT ON A LIMB AND TOLD MY MOM FIRST."THOSE PEOPLE YOU SOMETIM TALK ABOUT MOM, WELL I'M ONE OF THEM," I SAID.BAFFLED, SCE I PROVID ZERO NTEXT, SHE REPLIED, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN? WHAT ARE YOU TALKG ABOUT? ARE YOU TROUBLE?"I PSED.SUDNLY THERE WAS A LUMP MY THROAT AND SEEMED MY VOICE HAD VANISHED.AFTER ABOUT 30 SENDS, AND MENTALLY JUMPG OFF OF MOUNT EVERT, I SQUEALED AS IF SOMEONE HAD H THE FAST-FORWARD BUTTON ON MY VOICE."I'M GAY, ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE. I'M A GAY MAN AND I N'T HOLD ANY MORE. I HAVE TO TELL YOU, MOM."SHE PSED AND STARTED TO TAKE EP BREATHS FOR ABOUT 10 SENDS -- WHICH FELT LIKE 10 YEARS -- AND THEN SHE SAID, "THAT DON'T CHANGE ANYTHG! YOU'RE MY SON.""I LOVE YOU AND WILL NEVER STOP LOVG YOU AND I'M HERE NO MATTER WHAT."SUDNLY EVERY SGLE SECURE, HORRIFYG, UNFORTABLE MOMENT I HAD UNTIL THAT POT FLASHED BEFORE ME. BUT THOSE MOMENTS SOMEHOW, STANTLY, DIDN'T MATTER ANYMORE.TEARS STREAMED DOWN MY FACE.MY SHOULRS SUDNLY FELT LIGHT.MY SPE SEEMED TO LENGTHEN.AND I SOMEHOW KNEW THAT MOMENT THAT EVEN IF NO ONE ELSE WERE EVER TO ACCEPT ME FOR WHO I AM, I HAD THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE PERSON THAT MATTERED MOST MY LIFE. VIEW THIS POST ON INSTAGRAM FOLLOWG LOTS OF VELOPG STORI OVERNIGHT, CLUDG THE TRAGIC PLANE CRASH OVER THE FRENCH ALPS-- @REENANAN AND I HAVE WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ON @ABCWNN #WORLDNEWSNOW A POST SHARED BY ALEX PEREZ (@PEREZREPORTS) ON MAR 24, 2015 AT 11:51PM PDT AS I STARTED TO PEEL AWAY THE THICK ON I HAD BUILT AROUND MY LIFE, MY MDSET CHANGED.WHAT I ONCE THOUGHT WAS MY "PROBLEM" I NOW REALIZED WASN'T A PROBLEM AT ALL.'EVEN IF NO ONE ELSE WERE EVER TO ACCEPT ME FOR WHO I AM, I HAD THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE PERSON THAT MATTERED MOST MY LIFE.'WOULD I STILL BE REJECTED? Y.WOULD THERE STILL BE PEOPLE WHO WOULDN'T ACCEPT THE TE ME? Y. VIEW THIS POST ON INSTAGRAM A POST SHARED BY ALEX PEREZ (@PEREZREPORTS) ON DEC 14, 2019 AT 4:58PM PST BUT MY LIVELIHOOD AND SELF-RPECT WAS NO LONGER ATTACHED TO WHAT THOSE PEOPLE BELIEVED OR DIDN'T BELIEVE ABOUT ME.MAKG THE CISN TO E OUT PROFOUNDLY CHANGED MY LIFE.IT EPENED MY RELATNSHIPS WH THE PEOPLE THAT MATTERED.IT REMOVED A BLDFOLD ALLOWG ME TO SEE THOSE MY LIFE WHO DIDN'T MATTER.COMG OUT ALLOWED ME TO FD AND MARRY THE LOVE OF MY LIFE. VIEW THIS POST ON INSTAGRAM A POST SHARED BY ALEX PEREZ (@PEREZREPORTS) ON APR 12, 2018 AT 8:14AM PDT IT GAVE ME THE URAGE I NEED TO PURSUE A PETIVE REER AFTER SO MANY TOLD ME I WOULD FAIL.COMG OUT STRENGTHENED MY BOND WH MY MOTHER.AND G OUT ALSO HELPED ME NNECT WH WHAT I NOW LL MY "CHOSEN FAY" OF IENDS AND LOVED ON WHO HELP ME LIVE LIFE AND SE WAYS I NEVER THOUGHT WOULD BE POSSIBLE. VIEW THIS POST ON INSTAGRAM GRATEFUL FOR THIS CRAZY FUNNY LADY MOTHER OF ME, TODAY AND EVERYDAY #THANKSGIVG #GRATU #MOM #MIMA A POST SHARED BY ALEX PEREZ (@PEREZREPORTS) ON NOV 28, 2019 AT 3:58PM PST COMG OUT IS A PROCS THAT HAPPENS ON YOUR TIMETABLE, NOT ANYONE ELSE'S.AND WHILE SOMETIM 'S EASY TO FOC ON THE DARK DAYS, YOU N'T STOP BELIEVG THAT THERE ARE BETTER DAYS AHEAD -- TST ME, THERE WILL BE BETTER DAYS.FOR A LONG TIME, I KICKED MYSELF FOR NOT BEG BRAVE ENOUGH TO BE TE TO ME WHEN I WAS WH THAT GROUP OF IENDS DURG RECS BACK FIFTH GRA.I FELT ALONE, LIKE AN ALIEN.NOW, I HOLD ON TO HOPE THAT AS MORE OF SHARE OUR STORI, A DAY WILL E WHEN NO ONE WILL EVER HAVE TO FEEL THAT WAY AGA. VIEW THIS POST ON INSTAGRAM THAT CUR, TALKATIVE, KID WHO ALWAYS HAD A LN QUTNS, WOULD GROW UP AND MAKE A LIVG OUT OF ASKG QUTNS. #OUTSIABC #THEFIELD #JOURNALIST • • • THANKS FOR THE ? @JEFFEARGLE A POST SHARED BY ALEX PEREZ (@PEREZREPORTS) ON SEP 26, 2020 AT 1:50PM PDT SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTERS TO GET GMA LIVERED TO YOUR BOX EVERY MORNG!UP NEXT LIVG'10 MILLN NAM': LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF ENSLAVED PEOPLE OF AIN SCENT, EEDOM LONI
• GAY BBC PRENTER ‘WAS TOLD TO PLAY DOWN HIS SEXUALY’ BY TV PROFSNALS
• ON AMERI’S FIRST OPENLY GAY REPORTER AT A MAJOR NEWSPAPER
• THOMAS ROBERTS, OTHER GAY ANCHORS, OPEN UP TO ‘THE ADVOTE’
• IN DISCRIMATN COMPLAT, GAY BLACK CBS NEWS REPORTER SAYS NETWORK EXECS TOLD HIM TO ‘BUTCH IT UP’ AND STOP ‘QUEENG OUT’

ANRSON COOPER SHAR WHEN HE REALIZED HE WAS GAY: 'ONE OF THE GREAT BLSGS OF MY LIFE'

Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgenr and Queer televisn newssters have a proment profile many untri around the world. Amerin Charl Perez of ABC News is one to particularly note - he published his book 'Confsns of a Gay News Anchorman' (2011) after his oral of beg fired om a posn Florida when he was intified as beg gay. For example, France, there is L'associatn s journalist LGBT, and Ameri there is the Natnal Lbian & Gay Journalists Associatn.

HIGHLIGHT THE ONGOG RELATNSHIP BETWEEN ABC'S GAY JOURNALIST DAVID MUIR & G BENEZ

Frank BniColumnist, The New York Tim@FrankBniFormerly the chief rtrant cric for The New York Tim, Bni ma history 2011 by beg the Grey Lady's first out gay lumnist. The Emerson College assistant profsor is also a producer of the upg film Michael, based on his Tim Magaze piece about his "ex-gay" iend.

GAY NEWSMEN – A CLEARER {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}TVBY KARMAN KREGLOEMAY 13, 2007/7:07 PMBY KARMAN KREGLOEMAY 13, 2007 / 7:07 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"GAY NEWSMEN – A CLEARER PICTURE","DATEPUBLISHED":"2007-05-13T23:07:47.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2007-05-13T23:07:47.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"KARMAN KREGLOE","KEYWORDS":"THE BACKLOT","ARTICLESECTN":"TV"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JOURNALISM IS GROUND ZERO FOR TTH A EE SOCIETY. SO IF THE JOURNALIST IS GAY DO THIS OBLIGATN TO TTH CREATE A GREATER RPONSIBILY TO BE “OUT”? IN A CULTURE WHERE THE ACPLISHMENTS OF GAY PEOPLE OFTEN REMA VISIBLE, IS ANSWERG THE SIMPLE QUTN ON SEXUAL ORIENTATN PART OF A MMENT TO REVEAL THE WORLD AS IS – OR IS IRRELEVANT A PROFSN WHERE “YOU ARE NOT THE STORY”?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN A TWO-PART SERI, EXPLOR THE REERS AND CHOIC OF GAY TELEVISN JOURNALISTS. FIRST, WE HIGHLIGHT THE WORK AND EXPERIENC OF NE OF THE MOST HIGH-PROFILE GAY ON-MERA NEWSMEN THE UNTRY – WH MORE JOURNALISTS FEATURED THROUGHOUT THE WEEK ON THE AE BLOG. PART II, WHICH WILL BE PUBLISHED ON ON MAY 21, VTIGAT THE ISSU SURROUNDG BEG OUT WH NEWS ANIZATNS AND PUBLIC, AND LOOKS AT THE IMPACT OF THOSE CHOIC ON THE DIVIDUAL AND SOCIETY. THAT DISCSN CLUS ALL THE NEWSMEN AS WELL AS WORK NEWS EXECUTIV – BOTH STRAIGHT AND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}OVER THE PAST SEVEN MONTHS AFTERELTON NDUCTED EXTENSIVE TERVIEWS ON AND OFF THE RERD FOR THIS SERI. HERE, WE SPOKE WH FIVE NATNAL NEWS RRPONNTS AND FOUR ANCHORS ABOUT THEIR WORK AND THEIR CHOICE TO BE OUT — SOME OF THE JOURNALISTS DISCSG THIS PUBLICLY FOR THE FIRST TIME. THEY HAVE REPORTED ON WASHGTON POLICS, NATURAL DISASTERS AND OM THE IRAQ WAR ZONE, MANY RISKG THEIR LIV TO BRG FACTS ABOUT OUR WORLD TO THE AMERIN PEOPLE. BY SPEAKG OPENLY ABOUT THEIR REERS, THE REPORTERS CREATE A FULLER PICTURE OF WHO GAY PEOPLE ARE, AND A CLEARER IMAGE OF THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}MIGUEL MARQUEZ: IT'S A WEIRDLY TIMATE BS. {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}DURG HIS MANY TRIPS TO IRAQ SCE JOG ABC OM CNN OVER TWO YEARS AGO, MARQUEZ HAS TERVIEWED AMERIN ARY OFFICERS, IRANIAN DIPLOMATS AND SECRETARY OF STATE CONDOLEEZZA RICE. HE HAS ALSO REPORTED ON THE ATHS OF TOO MANY AMERIN SOLDIERS AND IRAQI CIZENS A PLACE THAT HE SAYS HAS GOTTEN MORE AND MORE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}MARQUEZ SAID MANY OF THE TENSE SUATNS THAT RRPONNTS REPORT OM — WAR ZON, HURRIN, CALIFORNIA WILDFIR — MAKE NEWS "A WEIRDLY TIMATE BS." IN SOME OF THOSE SUATNS, MARQUEZ BELIEV, BEG ANK WH LLEAGU ABOUT SEXUAL ORIENTATN N BE PART OF WHAT ALLOWS YOU THE FORT LEVEL YOU {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"IT MAK A BIG DIFFERENCE," SAID MARQUEZ. "YOU'RE TRAVELG WH PRODUCERS AND PEOPLE RS, AND YOU'VE BEEN WH THEM FOR TWO OR THREE DAYS, YOU ALL STK, AND YOU'RE LLG LOVED ON ON THE PHONE, TRYG TO WHISPER 'I LOVE YOU' AND HAVG VERY TIMATE NVERSATNS. … THE MORE FORTABLE YOU ARE PERSONALLY, I THK THE BETTER THE EXPERIENCE."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AND MARQUEZ'S EXPERIENCE IS THAT UNIVERSALLY WH THE NEWS AGENCI, PEOPLE ARE OPEN AND ACCEPTG. IT'S THE NEXT LEVEL — BEG OPEN WH OUTSI PRS AND THEREBY THE PUBLIC — THAT SOME OF HIS LLEAGU WON'T {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"IT ALSO DOWN TO A VERY PERSONAL CISN," SAID MARQUEZ OF THE CISN TO BE OUT. "IT'S HARD FOR ME TO JUDGE ANYONE ELSE." BUT HIS OWN CISN ON THE ISSUE DOWN TO THIS: "I'M A BS THAT'S ALL ABOUT TTH AND HONTY, AND TO SOME GREE I'M RPONSIBLE TO BE HONT AS WELL."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JOHN YANG: WHY SHOULD I PASS AS BEG STRAIGHT? {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN THIS, THE FIRST PROFILE WHERE HE MENTNS HIS SEXUALY, YANG SAID THAT TAKG ON THE VETED JOB OF JESALEM RRPONNT FOR ABC 2003 "WAS THE FIRST TIME I FELT LIKE AN ADULT." THIS SPE THE FACT YANG HAD REPORTED FOR YEARS OM THE WHE HOE AND CONGRS, AS WELL AS THE IRAQ WAR {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}REGARDG THE JESALEM APPOTMENT, YANG ADMTED, "I WAS EXTREMELY FLATTERED BEE AT ABC NEWS, PETER JENNGS HAD VETO POWER OVER FOREIGN RRPONNTS. AND THIS WAS AN AREA THAT PETER RED EPLY ABOUT. AND ACTUALLY PETER GOT ON THE PHONE … AND SAID 'I'D REALLY LOVE FOR YOU TO DO THIS.'"{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AND BEG GAY MAY HAVE GIVEN YANG AN EDGE LANDG THE POST. "IT'S ACTUALLY SOMETHG THAT PETER SAID TO ME," YANG RELLED. "IT'S THAT HE THOUGHT THAT — AND LOOKG BACK, YOU N TAKE WHAT HE SAID A UPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS, WHETHER HE MEANT [ME] BEG ASIAN OR BEG GAY — BUT THAT HE THOUGHT THAT WHAT I WOULD BRG TO THAT REPORTG WAS AN UNRSTANDG OR AN SIGHT TO … PEOPLE WHO ARE MARGALIZED."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}YANG HAS FOUND THAT AMONG THE POLILLY POWERFUL WASHGTON, BEG GAY IS ALSO ACCEPTED, SPE PUBLIC RHETORIC THAT MIGHT SUGGT OTHERWISE. IN A FOLLOW-UP EMAIL TO , YANG RELLED A 1992 PHONE LL OM A NSERVATIVE REPUBLIN SENATOR AFTER A WASHGTONIAN MAGAZE PIECE ON YANG'S EMPLOYER AT THE TIME, THE WASHGTON POST, ALLUD TO HIS SEXUAL {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"JOHN, I SAW THAT THG ABOUT YOU THE MAGAZE," THE SENATOR TOLD YANG. "I JT WANT TO TELL YOU DON'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE TO ME. YOU'RE STILL THE BT DAMNED REPORTER I'VE EVER ALT WH." YANG THANKED THE LEGISLATOR, WHO AFTER A PSE ASKED, "I HAVEN'T SAID ANYTHG WRONG, HAVE I?" YANG ASSURED HIM: "NO, SENATOR. YOU SAID JT THE RIGHT THG."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AND WHY IS YANG ONE OF THE FEW NATNAL TELEVISN JOURNALISTS CHOOSG TO BE NDID ABOUT SEXUAL ORIENTATN? HE NNECTS PART TO HIS EXPERIENCE OF BEG PERCEIVED AS A RACIAL MORY. "THERE ARE CERTA THGS ABOUT MYSELF THAT ARE IMMUTABLE, AND SOME OF THEM ARE OBV," YANG SAID. "I'M ASIAN. I MEAN, ANYONE WHO SE ME ON THE AIR OR HEARS MY LAST NAME KNOWS THAT. … AND A WAY, I FELT THAT I N'T PASS AS NOT BEG ASIAN, SO WHY SHOULD I PASS AS BEG STRAIGHT?"{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}MANUEL GALLEG: IT HASN'T BEEN ANY ISSUE AT ALL. {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“YOU ALWAYS THK ABOUT THAT. ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE A PUBLIC PERSON, YOU'RE ON-AIR TALENT. I THK EVERYBODY'S NCERNED WH THEIR OWN IMAGE.” BUT GALLEG SAID AS HE BEME MORE NFINT AND SATISFIED AT HIS JOB, MET OTHER GAY PEOPLE AT CBS, AND FOUND THE ENVIRONMENT WAS AN ACCEPTG ONE, “I REALIZED THAT I HAD NOTHG TO WORRY ABOUT. AND HASN'T BEEN ANY ISSUE AT ALL.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}GALLEG HAS HAD AN CREDIBLY DIVERSE REPORTG REER, TERVIEWG PEARL HARBOR SURVIVORS AND ACTOR AND ACTIVIST LEONARDO DICAPR THE WEEK BEFORE THIS TERVIEW. HE HAS ALSO REPORTED OM THE 1999 COLUMBE SCHOOL SHOOTG, AND THE SCENE OF TWO OF THE MOST VASTATG NATURAL DISASTERS RECENT US HISTORY: THE 1989 SAN FRANCIS EARTHQUAKE AND NEW ORLEANS DURG HURRINE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}GALLEG, WHO HAS MEXIN ANCTRY, IS GREETED ON THE STREET BY ENTHIASTIC LATO YOUTH WH “HEY BROWN MAN! IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU ON TELEVISN!” AND GALLEG THKS BEG VISIBLE AS A SUCCSFUL GAY MAN IS IMPORTANT A SIAR WAY. BUT ULTIMATELY, GALLEG SAID HE CHOSE TO ANSWER THE QUTN ON SEXUAL ORIENTATN HERE BEE AS A JOURNALIST HE HIMSELF PENDS ON DIFFICULT ANSWERS; SOMETIM OM PEOPLE THE MOST TIMATE AND TRAGIC CIRCUMSTANC. “HOW HYPOCRIL IS FOR A JOURNALIST TO NOT WANT TO TALK, TO NOT GIVE AN TERVIEW?”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JEFEY KOFMAN: I N BE HONT. {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}LIKE GALLEG, KOFMAN LKS HIS CISN TO BE OUT WH HIS MISSN AS JOURNALIST. "I DO BELIEVE THAT WE SPEND A LOT OF OUR TIME ASKG PEOPLE TO BE HONT AND STRAIGHTFORWARD WH . … WHILE I DON'T THK A REPORTER'S PUBLIC LIFE SHOULD BE THE CENTER OF HIS OR HER WORK, I THK AT SOME POT YOU N'T DODGE THE REALY OF YOUR LIFE AND PRETEND YOU'RE BEG HONT."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN 2003, KOFMAN'S HONTY CREATED SOMETHG OF A MOR NATNAL CINT THE U.S. AFTER HIS WORLD NEWS TONIGHT REPORT OM IRAQ ON TROOP MORALE — WHICH CLUD ONE SOLDIER LLG FOR THE RIGNATN OF DONALD RUMSFELD — MATT DDGE BRIEFLY PRTED THE HEADLE, "ABC NEWS REPORTER WHO FILED TROOPS COMPLAT STORY — OPENLY GAY CANADIAN," LKED TO AN TERVIEW KOFMAN DID WH NATNAL GAY MAGAZE THE ADVOTE. DDGE LATER CLAIMED THE STORY WAS SLIPPED TO HIM BY AN OVEREAGER WHE HOE STAFFER, PRUMABLY A MISGUID ATTEMPT TO DISCRED {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT KOFMAN N HANDLE A TSLE WH THE WHE HOE. HIS RUME READS LIKE A FN OF MACHISMO JOURNALISM. HE HAS REPORTED OM COLOMBIAN JUNGL, DONE FOUR TOURS IRAQ AND VERED THE AFGHAN WAR OM AN AIRCRAFT RRIER. IN HAI , KOFMAN WAS CHASED BY MOBS AND THREATENED AT GUNPOT BY GUERILLAS, AND WAS THE FIRST JOURNALIST TO REPORT OM THE SCENE OF THE 2004 OVERTHROW OF THEN-PRINT JEAN-BERTRAND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}KOFMAN, WHO SPENT HIS LAST VATN TREKKG THE ANS WH HIS PARTNER, SAID HIS "OUTSI THE BOX" REER ALIGNS WELL WH HOW HE WANTS TO LIVE HIS LIFE. BUT 25 YEARS AGO HE WASN'T SURE HE'D BE HIS DREAM JOB TODAY AS A WORLD-TRAVELG WORK RRPONNT. "I THK THAT BEG GAY, MY OWN MD, MA ME WONR WHETHER WAS POSSIBLE," HE SAID. BUT NOW, "WHEN I LOOK BACK ON THE CISN I MA ABOUT BEG OPEN, I'M VERY HAPPY. I DON'T HAVE TO MAKE UP STORI; I N BE HONT. AND THAT'S THE WAY I WANT TO LIVE MY LIFE. THAT'S THE WAY I WANT TO DO MY WORK."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JASON BELLI: THAT'S NOT HONT. {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"WE WERE G TECHNOLOGY THAT WAS STILL UNPROVEN," BELLI RELLED. THAT CREATED SOME SURREAL MOMENTS BROADSTG ON CNN. "I REMEMBER BEG THE SAND DUN WHEN THERE WAS A SMALL BATTLE GOG ON. AND WE GOT OUR SATELLE UP, AND I WAS BROADSTG AND THKG TO MYSELF, THIS IS REALLY WEIRD. WE'RE GOG LIVE OM THE MIDDLE OF THE SERT, AND THERE'S NOTHG AROUND FOR HUNDREDS OF ."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BELLI CREATED HIS REER NEWS OUT OF SHEER DARG. IN 1999, WHEN THE KOSOVO WAR BROKE OUT AND THE U.S. BOMBG MPAIGN BEGAN, BELLI QU HIS JOB AND TRAVELED TO THE WAR ZONE ON HIS OWN, HOPG TO SEND BACK STORI ON SPEC THAT HE SHOT ON HIS DIGAL MERA AND EDED ON A LAPTOP. WHILE THERE, HE GOT TO THE SYSTEM AT CNN AND MA HIMSELF DISPENSABLE, QUICKLY WORKG HIS WAY UP TO CNN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BELLI'S EARLY CISN TO BE OUT REFLECTS A SIAR BOLDNS. WHILE OTHER ON-MERA PEOPLE STILL HOLD ONTO A NTROLLG ATTU ABOUT THEIR IMAGE, FOR BELLI THE CHOICE WAS CLEAR-CUT: "SKIRTG THAT ISSUE, SAYG 'S NOBODY'S BS, I THK THAT'S DISGENUO. BEE IF PEOPLE ARE TERTED YOU OUTSI OF THE PARAMETERS OF YOUR JOB SELF, AND YOU IGNORE [BEG GAY], THEN YOU'RE IGNORG AN IMPORTANT PART OF YOURSELF. AND THAT'S NOT HONT."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}RANDY PRICE: A LTLE B OF LLN. {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}PRICE EXPERIENCED THAT LLN FIRSTHAND THE '80S, WHEN HE WAS A YOUNG ANCHOR WHO HAD ALREADY BEEN LIVG WH HIS PARTNER FOR ALMOST A . IN NEWSPAPER PROFIL OF HIMSELF OM THAT TIME, REARS ULD SEE HIM AT HOME WH HIS DOG, "ALL THE THGS ABOUT MY LIFE. AND NEVER ONE — NOT ONE MENTN — OF DO I LIVE WH ANYBODY, WHAT'S THE STORY OF MY PERSONAL SUATN. … THEY DIDN'T ASK ANY OF THOSE QUTNS BEE THEY KNEW THE ANSWERS." AND PRICE NFSED, "I PROBABLY DIDN'T PH THE POT."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}NOW, 10 YEARS SCE PRICE BEGAN ANSWERG THOSE QUTNS, HE IS AMED THAT SOME STILL SEE THOSE ANSWERS AS IRRELEVANT. "PEOPLE ASK THAT QUTN," PRICE SAID. "LIKE, 'WELL, YOU KNOW, IS REALLY NECSARY FOR YOU TO DISCS YOUR SEXUAL LIFE WH EVERYBODY?' AND I GO, 'WELL, YOU KNOW, I NEVER REALLY THOUGHT I WAS DISCSG MY SEX LIFE. … I SAID I'M A GAY PERSON, I LIVE WH ANOTHER GUY, AND I HAVE A LONG-TERM RELATNSHIP. IF I DON'T TELL YOU THAT, THEN THERE'S REALLY NO FOUNDATN FOR HAVG AN EXCHANGE ABOUT WHO WE ALL ARE."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HANK PLANTE: BEG GAY HAS MA ME A BETTER REPORTER. {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}COVERG AIDS AS AN OPENLY GAY MAN HOTON THE EARLY '80S, THE HOSTILE FEEDBACK PLANTE RECEIVED WASN'T SOLELY OM VIEWERS. "THE GENERAL MANGER AT THE STATN AT THE TIME DIDN'T LIKE OUR VERAGE, DIDN'T LIKE THE FACT THAT I WAS GAY," HE RELLED. "AND I IGNORED HIM." COVERG AIDS SAN FRANCIS SOON AFTERWARD, PLANTE TOOK EVEN MORE FIRE — SOME OF OM UNLIKELY SOURC. "PEOPLE THE GAY MUNY SAID, 'YOU'RE MAKG LOOK BAD … THEY'LL THK WE'RE ALL AIDS RRIERS.'"{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}PLANTE WON TWO EMMYS AND A PEABODY FOR HIS SAN FRANCIS AIDS VERAGE, AND 2005 WAS PRENTED WH A GLAAD PNEER AWARD. PLANTE SE HIS SEXUAL ORIENTATN AS BOTH IRRELEVANT TO HIS JOB AND SOMETHG THAT RMS . "BEG GAY HAS MA ME A BETTER REPORTER, JT AS 'S MA ME A BETTER PERSON," HE SAID. "I DON'T JT SEE THE OUTSI. I KNOW THERE IS A WHOLE LIFE THERE THAT I NEED TO BE OPEN TO."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT SPE HIS OWN GROUNDBREAKG CHOIC, PLANTE PARTS WH SOME OF THE REPORTERS TERVIEWED HERE, NOT SEEG A NNECTN BETWEEN HIS MISSN AS JOURNALIST AND THE CHOICE TO BE OUT. HOWEVER, HE HAS FOUND HIS OWN OPENNS EARNS HIM RPECT TERTG {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"I'LL TELL YOU WHERE HELPS ME, THIS TRANSPARENCY," EXPLAED PLANTE, REVEALG THAT FOR A BIG TERVIEW — SUCH AS CALIFORNIA ERNOR ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER OR A U.S. SENATOR — HE ROUTELY OUT TO HIS SUBJECT BEFORE THE TERVIEW BEGS. "I JT KD OF SLIP . 'OH, YOU KNOW, I WAS TALKG TO MY DOMTIC PARTNER LAST NIGHT, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.' … AND YOU KNOW WHAT I FD IS? IT RELAX THEM. IT CREAT A VERY HONT SPACE, AND THEY'RE MORE OPEN TO ME. … I N'T EXPLA . SOMETHG MAGIL HAPPENS."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}CRAIG STEVENS: I JT NEVER LET BE THAT BIG OF A {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}STEVENS THKS THE POSIVE REACTN HE HAS RECEIVED AS AN OUT ANCHOR PART OM HIS OWN ATTU. "IF 'S THIS BIG HAND-WRGG, SORT OF TORTURED CISN, I THK PEOPLE FEED OFF YOUR ENERGY," HE SAID. "I JT NEVER LET BE THAT BIG OF A AL." BUT STEVENS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE'S A LOT OF ANXIETY OUT THERE: "I HAVE IENDS WH THE DTRY WHO, REALLY, THERE'S THIS ANGUISH, THIS FEAR OF WHAT HAPPENS" IF THEY E {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}RANDOL WHE: I ULD JT FEEL MY BLOOD N LD. {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT THE WORLD DIDN'T VE . AND SLOWLY WHE VENTURED OUT MORE, ALLOWG HIMSELF TO BE REGNIZED GAY BARS MILWKEE, THEN SI MADISON. EVENTUALLY WHE WAS OUT TO HIS EMPLOYERS, -WORKERS AND HIS DIENCE, SUALLY MENTNG IENDS AND EVENTS DURG MORNG-SHOW CHAT THAT INTIFIED HIM AS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AND WHE SAID HE EXPERIENCED NO NEGATIVE REACTN. BEG AN "OUT NEWSSTER," HE SAID, "HAS BEEN 100 PERCENT POSIVE." NOW AN ANCHOR ON THE MORNG SHOW AND THE NOON NEWSST FOR CBS AFFILIATE KCOY SANTA BARBARA, CALIF., WHE NNECTS HIS CHOICE TO BE OUT TO SOMETHG HE HEARD OPENLY GAY WISNS REPRENTATIVE TAMMY BALDW SAY: "IF YOU WANT TO LIVE A WORLD WHERE YOU N HOLD YOUR BOYIEND'S HAND WALKG DOWN THE STREET, THEN HOLD YOUR BOYIEND'S HAND WALKG DOWN THE STREET."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHE SAID: "I THK THAT'S SUCH A POWERFUL STATEMENT. BEE YOU HAVE TO DO , FOR TO EVER BE ACCEPTED."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;} NTU PROFILG THE OUT JOURNALISTS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK ON THE BLOG, HIGHLIGHTG FORMER CNN RRPONNT THOMAS ROBERTS ON TUDAY, REGNAL NEWS NETWORK ANCHOR PL MUELLER ON WEDNDAY, AND MORE OM MIGUEL MARQUEZ IRAQ ON THURSDAY. PART 2 OF THIS ARTICLE, A LIVELY DISCSN WH THE JOURNALISTS AND WORK NEWS EXECUTIV, WILL BE PUBLISHED ON MAY 21. IT CLUS A G-OUT TERVIEW WH ONE OF THOSE EXECUTIV. {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

Kate FaganWrer, ESPN@KateFagan3ESPN ntributor and lumnist Kate Fagan wr about basketball (and genr and sexism and homophobia) om a place of knowledge and ep, personal appreciatn. "I'm not sure I knew the word 'gay' at the time, but I realized somethg was up, " Cooper said a Q&A ssn Monday on CNN's "Full Circle, " addg that he began to tell iends when he was high school but still stggled through llege wh fully lovg himself.

"I thk I really, tly accepted – and not jt accepted , but fully embraced and me around to really lovg the fact that I was gay – would probably be right after llege, " he said. "A lot of the thgs I wanted to do at the time, you uldn't be gay, " he said, cg an tert jog the U.

JAGS' MAXEN IS FIRST MALE AMERIN PRO SPORTS ACH TO E OUT AS GAY

Ary, though out members of the gay muny were not allowed to serve at the time. The ary's "don't ask, don't tell" policy which prohibed openly gay, lbian and bisexual Amerins om servg, was officially repealed 2011.

KEV MAXEN BE FIRST MALE ACH A US MEN’S PROFSNAL SPORTS LEAGUE TO PUBLICLY E OUT AS GAY

" He me out as gay to the public on July 2, 2012, allowg iend and wrer Andrew Sullivan to publish an email om him, sayg 'd bee clear that remag silent on the topic had given the false imprsn that he had somethg to hi.

"The fact is, I'm gay, always have been, always will be, and I uldn’t be any more happy, fortable wh myself, and proud, " he has sce weled a son, Wyatt Man Cooper, born April 27, 2020 via surrogate.

MSNBC HIR ANOTHER GAY ANCHOR (WHO JT CAME OUT 2 YEARS AGO)

"I thk beg gay is one of the great blsgs of my life, " Cooper add on "Full Circle. It is not yet revealed, nor there is any evince to prove he is gay. David was said to be datg G and was seen visg gay bars together wh him.

OPEN MENUVIOSHOPWELLNSFOODCULTUREFAYLIVGSTYLETRAVELNEWSBOOK CLUBGMA3: WYNTKNEWSLETTERPRIVACY POLICY — YOUR US STATE PRIVACY RIGHTS — CHILDREN'S ONLE PRIVACY POLICY — INTERT-BASED ADS — TERMS OF USE — DO NOT SELL MY INFO — CONTACT USCOPYRIGHT © 2023 ABC NEWS INTER VENTUR. ALL RIGHTS RERVED.SEARCHMI STRONG: CHARI TO SUPPORT WILDFIRE RELIEF EFFORTSLIVGOCTOBER 7, 2020ABC NEWS' ALEX PEREZ ON G OUT: IT 'ALLOWED ME TO FD AND MARRY THE LOVE OF MY LIFE'8:43LEFT URTY ALEX PEREZ | LEFT ABC NEWSTHE STORY OF THE PRI PARABY ALEX PEREZVIO BY CHRIS CIRILLO, TONY MORRISONSHARE —SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTERS TO GET GMA LIVERED TO YOUR BOX EVERY MORNG!OCT. 11 IS NATNAL COMG OUT DAY. FOR MANY LGBTQ+ PEOPLE, G OUT VOLV SHARG THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATN AND/OR GENR INTY FOR THE FIRST TIME. YOUNG PEOPLE SEARCH OF SUPPORT THEIR INTI N NTACT THE TREVOR PROJECT'S TREVORLIFELE 24/7 AT 1-866-488-7386 OR BY TEXTG START TO 678678.MY MEMORY OF THE DAY IS CRYSTAL CLEAR.I WAS FIFTH GRA, ENJOYG MY FAVORE PART OF THE SCHOOL DAY -- RECS! MONKEY BARS, EEZE TAG, DODGE BALL -- BASILLY ANYTHG THAT WOULD DISTRACT ME OM WHAT I THOUGHT AT THE TIME WAS BORG: STG AT MY SK.BUT THAT WAS THE FIRST YEAR I N REMEMBER FEELG A LTLE DIFFERENT. VIEW THIS POST ON INSTAGRAM ON THIS DAY 37 YEARS AGO I MA MY BUT ON THIS ?. MAYBE THE 'O OM AG 7-10 SHOULD MAKE A EBACK? A POST SHARED BY ALEX PEREZ (@PEREZREPORTS) ON MAR 27, 2017 AT 6:38AM PDT MY IENDS, WHO I'D KNOWN SCE KRGARTEN, AND I PRETTY MUCH AGREED ON EVERYTHG.WE ALL GOT NTENDO AT THE SAME TIME, DRSED SIARLY AND FOUND THE SAME THGS UNTERTG; WAS THE GLUE THAT HELD TOGETHER.THAT DAY, SEEMED LIKE I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO WANTED TO GET THIS GAME OF DODGEBALL STARTED.THE GUYS -- MY IENDS AND FELLOW FIFTH GRARS -- WERE ALL HUDDLED UP.SO I JOED THE CIRCLE, TRYG TO FIGURE OUT WHAT EVERYONE WAS WHISPERG ABOUT. VIEW THIS POST ON INSTAGRAM A POST SHARED BY ALEX PEREZ (@PEREZREPORTS) ON MAY 16, 2013 AT 8:35AM PDT TURNS OUT, THEY WERE ALL ENAMORED WH A NEW FEMALE CLASSMATE WHO HAD TRANSFERRED TO OUR CLASS. HEARG THE OTHER BOYS, I KNEW IMMEDIATELY THERE WAS SOME SORT OF DISNNECT THAT I HAD NEVER TECTED BEFORE.THE ATTRACTN AND FEELGS THEY WERE SCRIBG WERE FOREIGN TO ME.BUT I KEPT MY MOUTH SHUT, MOSTLY FOR FEAR I'D OPEN MYSELF UP TO RIDICULE.EDOR'S PICKS1ABC NEWS’ G BENEZ WR LETTER TO HIS YOUNGER SELF FOR NATNAL COMG OUT DAY: 'IT WILL ALL BE OK'OCTOBER 11, 20222ABC NEWS' BECKY WORLEY TO PARENTS ON NATNAL COMG OUT DAY: 'THIS DAY IS FOR YOU TOO'OCTOBER 11, 20223ABC NEWS' JAM LONGMAN ON G OUT: 'I ULD NEVER IMAGE THEN THE LIFE I HAVE NOW'OCTOBER 11, 2022I HAD BEEN LLED SISSY EARLIER THAT YEAR -- AND STUNG.BADLY.NOT BEG MYSELF THAT ONE RANDOM DAY FIFTH GRA WOULD BEE THE SHAKY FOUNDATN I WOULD LIVE NEARLY TWO S OF MY LIFE -- PRETENDG TO BE SOMETHG I WASN'T.I FEARED BEG THE BUTT OF JOK.I FEARED MY TRADNALLY CUBAN, MACHISTA FAY WOULD ABANDON ME.I FEARED REJECTN. VIEW THIS POST ON INSTAGRAM A POST SHARED BY ALEX PEREZ (@PEREZREPORTS) ON MAY 2, 2013 AT 10:17AM PDT THE WERE TOUGH THGS TO UNRSTAND AS A YOUNG ADULT, SO I DIDN'T EVEN TRY!I SIMPLY BSHED THAT TERNAL "WHO AM I?" NVERSATN UNR THE RPET FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.ALONG THE WAY, AS I TRIED TO MAKE SENSE OF MY EMOTNS, I DATED AND GOT TO LOVE SOME TLY AMAZG WOMEN THAT TGHT ME SO MUCH ABOUT CHARACTER AND BEG TE TO ONELF.BY THE TIME I TURNED 24, THE TOLL OF PRETENDG TO BE SOMETHG I WASN'T HAD TURNED TO PURE AGONY.I ULD BARELY MTER THE FORCED S OR FAKE, CHEERY NVERSATNS.WHAT I THOUGHT WAS SOMETHG I ULD IGNORE FOR THE RT OF MY LIFE, LED ME TO A EP PRSN. I EVEN NSIRED THE UNTHKABLE.WHY WOULD I WANT TO GO ON LIVG A LIFE WHERE I ULD NEVER BE MYSELF?THE QUTN, FOR ONE VERY DARK PERD OF MY LIFE, WAS STUCK ON REPEAT MY MD.BUT THANKFULLY, I WAS ABLE TO HARNS THOSE DARK THOUGHTS.INSTEAD OF BEATG MYSELF UP, I MA THE NSC CISN TO TAKE STOCK OF ALL THE MANY THGS I HAD ACPLISHED.I HAD FIED THE ODDS GROWG UP A BLACK KID A RELATIVELY POOR, VLENT NEIGHBORHOOD, BEG THE FIRST ONE MY FAY TO ATTEND LLEGE AND PURSUE A REER -- NOT JT A JOB.IF I ULD CELEBRATE THE BS AND PIEC OF ME, WHY ULDN'T I CELEBRATE ALL OF ME?THAT WAS THE QUTN THAT WAS NOW STUCK ON REPEAT. VIEW THIS POST ON INSTAGRAM TBT || CIR 2002: LIVHOT AT NEW MEXI STATE UNIVERSY'S AGGIE STADIUM. AT THIS POT MY REER I HAD DONE FEWER THAN 10 LIVHOTS, AND HAD A LUMP MY THROAT BEFORE EACH ONE. JT BEFORE THE LIVHOT, I WOULD SPRAY LOGNE ON MYSELF AND POP A BREATHE MT MY MOUTH. AS IF THE VIEWERS ULD SMELL ME! I STILL DO THE MT THG, BTW. #THROWBACKTHURSDAY A POST SHARED BY ALEX PEREZ (@PEREZREPORTS) ON MAR 13, 2014 AT 9:44AM PDT SO, I WENT OUT ON A LIMB AND TOLD MY MOM FIRST."THOSE PEOPLE YOU SOMETIM TALK ABOUT MOM, WELL I'M ONE OF THEM," I SAID.BAFFLED, SCE I PROVID ZERO NTEXT, SHE REPLIED, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN? WHAT ARE YOU TALKG ABOUT? ARE YOU TROUBLE?"I PSED.SUDNLY THERE WAS A LUMP MY THROAT AND SEEMED MY VOICE HAD VANISHED.AFTER ABOUT 30 SENDS, AND MENTALLY JUMPG OFF OF MOUNT EVERT, I SQUEALED AS IF SOMEONE HAD H THE FAST-FORWARD BUTTON ON MY VOICE."I'M GAY, ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE. I'M A GAY MAN AND I N'T HOLD ANY MORE. I HAVE TO TELL YOU, MOM."SHE PSED AND STARTED TO TAKE EP BREATHS FOR ABOUT 10 SENDS -- WHICH FELT LIKE 10 YEARS -- AND THEN SHE SAID, "THAT DON'T CHANGE ANYTHG! YOU'RE MY SON.""I LOVE YOU AND WILL NEVER STOP LOVG YOU AND I'M HERE NO MATTER WHAT."SUDNLY EVERY SGLE SECURE, HORRIFYG, UNFORTABLE MOMENT I HAD UNTIL THAT POT FLASHED BEFORE ME. BUT THOSE MOMENTS SOMEHOW, STANTLY, DIDN'T MATTER ANYMORE.TEARS STREAMED DOWN MY FACE.MY SHOULRS SUDNLY FELT LIGHT.MY SPE SEEMED TO LENGTHEN.AND I SOMEHOW KNEW THAT MOMENT THAT EVEN IF NO ONE ELSE WERE EVER TO ACCEPT ME FOR WHO I AM, I HAD THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE PERSON THAT MATTERED MOST MY LIFE. VIEW THIS POST ON INSTAGRAM FOLLOWG LOTS OF VELOPG STORI OVERNIGHT, CLUDG THE TRAGIC PLANE CRASH OVER THE FRENCH ALPS-- @REENANAN AND I HAVE WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ON @ABCWNN #WORLDNEWSNOW A POST SHARED BY ALEX PEREZ (@PEREZREPORTS) ON MAR 24, 2015 AT 11:51PM PDT AS I STARTED TO PEEL AWAY THE THICK ON I HAD BUILT AROUND MY LIFE, MY MDSET CHANGED.WHAT I ONCE THOUGHT WAS MY "PROBLEM" I NOW REALIZED WASN'T A PROBLEM AT ALL.'EVEN IF NO ONE ELSE WERE EVER TO ACCEPT ME FOR WHO I AM, I HAD THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE PERSON THAT MATTERED MOST MY LIFE.'WOULD I STILL BE REJECTED? Y.WOULD THERE STILL BE PEOPLE WHO WOULDN'T ACCEPT THE TE ME? Y. VIEW THIS POST ON INSTAGRAM A POST SHARED BY ALEX PEREZ (@PEREZREPORTS) ON DEC 14, 2019 AT 4:58PM PST BUT MY LIVELIHOOD AND SELF-RPECT WAS NO LONGER ATTACHED TO WHAT THOSE PEOPLE BELIEVED OR DIDN'T BELIEVE ABOUT ME.MAKG THE CISN TO E OUT PROFOUNDLY CHANGED MY LIFE.IT EPENED MY RELATNSHIPS WH THE PEOPLE THAT MATTERED.IT REMOVED A BLDFOLD ALLOWG ME TO SEE THOSE MY LIFE WHO DIDN'T MATTER.COMG OUT ALLOWED ME TO FD AND MARRY THE LOVE OF MY LIFE. VIEW THIS POST ON INSTAGRAM A POST SHARED BY ALEX PEREZ (@PEREZREPORTS) ON APR 12, 2018 AT 8:14AM PDT IT GAVE ME THE URAGE I NEED TO PURSUE A PETIVE REER AFTER SO MANY TOLD ME I WOULD FAIL.COMG OUT STRENGTHENED MY BOND WH MY MOTHER.AND G OUT ALSO HELPED ME NNECT WH WHAT I NOW LL MY "CHOSEN FAY" OF IENDS AND LOVED ON WHO HELP ME LIVE LIFE AND SE WAYS I NEVER THOUGHT WOULD BE POSSIBLE. VIEW THIS POST ON INSTAGRAM GRATEFUL FOR THIS CRAZY FUNNY LADY MOTHER OF ME, TODAY AND EVERYDAY #THANKSGIVG #GRATU #MOM #MIMA A POST SHARED BY ALEX PEREZ (@PEREZREPORTS) ON NOV 28, 2019 AT 3:58PM PST COMG OUT IS A PROCS THAT HAPPENS ON YOUR TIMETABLE, NOT ANYONE ELSE'S.AND WHILE SOMETIM 'S EASY TO FOC ON THE DARK DAYS, YOU N'T STOP BELIEVG THAT THERE ARE BETTER DAYS AHEAD -- TST ME, THERE WILL BE BETTER DAYS.FOR A LONG TIME, I KICKED MYSELF FOR NOT BEG BRAVE ENOUGH TO BE TE TO ME WHEN I WAS WH THAT GROUP OF IENDS DURG RECS BACK FIFTH GRA.I FELT ALONE, LIKE AN ALIEN.NOW, I HOLD ON TO HOPE THAT AS MORE OF SHARE OUR STORI, A DAY WILL E WHEN NO ONE WILL EVER HAVE TO FEEL THAT WAY AGA. VIEW THIS POST ON INSTAGRAM THAT CUR, TALKATIVE, KID WHO ALWAYS HAD A LN QUTNS, WOULD GROW UP AND MAKE A LIVG OUT OF ASKG QUTNS. #OUTSIABC #THEFIELD #JOURNALIST • • • THANKS FOR THE ? @JEFFEARGLE A POST SHARED BY ALEX PEREZ (@PEREZREPORTS) ON SEP 26, 2020 AT 1:50PM PDT SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTERS TO GET GMA LIVERED TO YOUR BOX EVERY MORNG!UP NEXT LIVG'10 MILLN NAM': LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF ENSLAVED PEOPLE OF AIN SCENT, EEDOM LONI

So if the journalist is gay do this obligatn to tth create a greater rponsibily to be “out”? In a culture where the acplishments of gay people often rema visible, is answerg the simple qutn on sexual orientatn part of a mment to reveal the world as is – or is irrelevant a profsn where “you are not the story”?

In a two-part seri, explor the reers and choic of gay televisn journalists. First, we highlight the work and experienc of ne of the most high-profile gay on-mera newsmen the untry – wh more journalists featured throughout the week on the AE blog.

GAY BBC PRENTER ‘WAS TOLD TO PLAY DOWN HIS SEXUALY’ BY TV PROFSNALS

By speakg openly about their reers, the reporters create a fuller picture of who gay people are, and a clearer image of the Marquez: It's a weirdly timate bs. "It's that he thought that — and lookg back, you n take what he said a uple of different ways, whether he meant [me] beg Asian or beg gay — but that he thought that what I would brg to that reportg was an unrstandg or an sight to … people who are margalized. "Yang has found that among the polilly powerful Washgton, beg gay is also accepted, spe public rhetoric that might suggt otherwise.

ON AMERI’S FIRST OPENLY GAY REPORTER AT A MAJOR NEWSPAPER

” But Galleg said as he beme more nfint and satisfied at his job, met other gay people at CBS, and found the environment was an acceptg one, “I realized that I had nothg to worry about. ” And Galleg thks beg visible as a succsful gay man is important a siar way. After his World News Tonight report om Iraq on troop morale — which clud one soldier llg for the rignatn of Donald Rumsfeld — Matt Ddge briefly prted the headle, "ABC News Reporter Who Filed Troops Complat Story — Openly Gay Canadian, " lked to an terview Kofman did wh natnal gay magaze The Advote.

"I thk that beg gay, my own md, ma me wonr whether was possible, " he said.

Bee if people are terted you outsi of the parameters of your job self, and you ignore [beg gay], then you're ignorg an important part of yourself.

THOMAS ROBERTS, OTHER GAY ANCHORS, OPEN UP TO ‘THE ADVOTE’

… I said I'm a gay person, I live wh another guy, and I have a long-term relatnship. Coverg AIDS as an openly gay man Hoton the early '80s, the hostile feedback Plante received wasn't solely om viewers. "The general manger at the statn at the time didn't like our verage, didn't like the fact that I was gay, " he relled.

"People the gay muny said, 'You're makg look bad … they'll thk we're all AIDS rriers.

"Beg gay has ma me a better reporter, jt as 's ma me a better person, " he said. And slowly Whe ventured out more, allowg himself to be regnized gay bars Milwkee, then si Madison. " Now an anchor on the morng show and the noon newsst for CBS affiliate KCOY Santa Barbara, Calif., Whe nnects his choice to be out to somethg he heard openly gay Wisns reprentative Tammy Baldw say: "If you want to live a world where you n hold your boyiend's hand walkg down the street, then hold your boyiend's hand walkg down the street.

IN DISCRIMATN COMPLAT, GAY BLACK CBS NEWS REPORTER SAYS NETWORK EXECS TOLD HIM TO ‘BUTCH IT UP’ AND STOP ‘QUEENG OUT’

ABC News Natnal CorrponntFormer reporter at NBC ChigoPerez is openly gay. ” Perez graduated wh a bachelor’s gree broadst journalism om the Universy of Illois Urbana-Champaign 2002 and subsequently began his reer Read: Maggie Rulli - Age, B, ABC News & HbandIs Alex Perez Gay? -- Jaguars assistant strength and ndng ach Kev Maxen has bee the first male ach major Amerin men's profsnal sports to publicly e out as gay, tellg he ma the cisn bee he didn't want to hi who he is any longer and to possibly spire others siar 's a cisn and move that drew praise and support om owner Shad Khan, who was a vol and emphatic supporter of a cy ordance that expand protectns on the grounds of sexual orientatn, genr inty and genr exprsn.

Outsi lebacker Carl Nassib beme the first active NFL player to e out as gay and to play a game Associated Prs ntributed to this report.