The Real Reason Ellen DeGener Decid To Come Out As Gay On TV

ellen being gay

In 1997, DeGener chose a very public fom — her televisn s — to announce, "I'm gay." The entertaer's reer has tracked the seismic shift public opn on gays and same-sex marriage.

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THE HIDN GAY LIV OF 'THE WALTONS' GRANDPARENTS ELLEN CORBY & WILL GEER SPE THEIR MARRIAG

Ellen revealed that the shownners were "livid" when they found out about her plan to e out as gay. * ellen being gay *

However, they were gay real life and were volved homosexual relatnships. | Source: Getty ImagWILL GEER'S GAY LIFE, ACTIVISM, AND MARRIAGE Meanwhile, she lived a siar life to her long-time -star Geer, "Will Geer, who got blacklisted durg the anti-munist wch hunts, had a male lover.

" His partner was Harry Hay, a gay rights activist, but their relatnship later end. Geer opted to marry 1938 after beg both a Party activist and actively gay for at least four years.

It remas unclear whether his marriage to Ware signaled an end to his same-sex sexual activy or if the mician married bee he believed the Communist Party strictly prohibed homosexuals om jog.

THE REAL REASON ELLEN DEGENER DECID TO COME OUT AS GAY ON TV

The April 14, 1997, issue of TIME featured a s-down wh the edian, who nfirmed that her s character was gay—and so was she. * ellen being gay *

Hay was the founr of gay liberatn and created the first morn gay-rights anizatn 1950. At first, no one wanted to jo him formg a polil anizatn for homosexuals.

READ THE 'YEP, I'M GAY' ELLEN DEGENER INTERVIEW FROM 1997

He spent two years searchg among the gay men he knew Los Angel. Ellen revealed that the shownners were "livid" when they found out about her plan to e out as gay.

ELLEN DEGENER ON COMG OUT AS GAY: “I DIDN’T THK I WAS GOG TO COME OUT, PERD”

" DeGener thought that there had been gay characters on TV before but there hadn't been a character who disvered their te sexual orientatn late life. It was on the April 14, 1997, ver of TIME magaze that Ellen DeGener, then the star of the s Ellen, nfirmed somethg she’d been buildg up to for s: “Yep, ” as the ver put , “I’m gay. She would be playg the first gay lead character on Amerin work televisn.

Penney, ironilly, as that pany would later hire DeGener for an ad mpaign that would turn draw s own ntroversy — and the natn bated whether the show would “legimize” a facet of life that was still margalized, or if merely proved that homosexualy was already accepted by enough of the populatn that such a plot twist was possible. TIME: So, for the rerd, are you yourself gay?

HOW ELLEN DEGENER HELPED CHANGE THE CONVERSATN ABOUT GAYS

” I never wanted to be the spokperson for the gay muny. TIME: Is beg gay somethg you stggled wh?

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* ELLEN BEING GAY

The Real Reason Ellen DeGener Decid To Come Out As Gay On TV .

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