Don Lemon, the 45-year-old anchor for CNN’s weekend primetime news, has announced his homosexuality in conjunction with the release of his new memoir, ‘Transparent.’
As a seasoned television news journalist, Lemon knows the complexities of the TV news business better than most. He understands how significant even the minutiae of high-profile personalities can become once they take a seat in front of the camera – and that is why he harbors few illusions about the impact ‘Transparent’ may have on his career.
While the book covers myriad events over the last 45 years of Lemon’s life, the CNN reporter knows exactly which elements of the book will make headlines.
“People are going to say: ‘Oh, he was molested as a kid and now he is coming out.’ I get it,” Lemon told the New York Times.
Lemon knows that coming out may bring on public avoidance and even ostracism – things that, in a business wholly dependent on viewership, could break his career. Add to that the complications of Lemon’s position as a black male, which he claims makes being gay incredibly difficult (“It’s about the worst thing you can be in black culture,” he explained), and it makes Lemon’s decision to come out seem all the more risky.
Yet considering the lack of openly gay national news anchors on the air, Lemon believes that, despite his fears, coming out to the public is a critical step.
“I abhor hypocrisy. I think if you’re going to be in the business of news, and telling people the truth, of trying to shed light in dark places, then you’ve got to be honest,” Lemon explained. “You’ve got to have the same rules for yourself as you do for everyone else.”
Thus far, MSNB C’s Rachel Maddow and colleague Thomas Roberts are the only prominent news anchors who have shared their homosexuality openly with the public. As Lemon joins them, perhaps we’ll see more television news journalists coming out.
“I think if I had seen more people like me who are out and proud, it wouldn’t have taken me 45 years to say it,” Lemon concluded.
Nice. And soooo cute. 🙂
Very nice. And I agree with @anthony g. Don Lemon is soooo cute. And who’s the hot white guy in the photo with him? Is he gay too? (hehehe)