Is it inappropriate or wrong for people to be really curious about the sexual orientation of celebrities?

Question

The question of whether or not certain celebrities are gay or straight is often the subject of discussion and speculation in the media.

People just want to know what the sexual orientation is of their favourite celebrities living or dead.

In response to this unceasing curiosity people will often say things like "what does it matter? he is still a great actor either way" ... or "Who cares, she's a great singer no matter what her orientation is". Of course these are true statements. But isn't still okay to want to know these things? We get to know celebrities to some extent, or at least we feel that we know them. So isn't it natural to want to know about something so fundamental them? After all, you would never write a biography about a gay man and not discuss the fact that he was gay. To leave such a thing out would be to ignore a huge part of that individual.
What do you think? Is it okay to, with some limits, insist on knowing what a celebrities sexual orientation is?

Answer 1

I'd say it's okay to question it and get an answer, but to insist on knowing sort of crosses the line into their personal life. If they chose to be private about their sexuality, then that is their choice and we don't have the right to "insist" they tell us anything. They are only in the public eye because we put them there...not because they want to be. (not all of them anyway)

Answer 2

I think it is part of our natural curiosity as human beings. In some cases, these celebrities grow up in the public eye, and we become very familiar with them, so it's natural to want to know their sexual orientation. Natural, but not necessarily any our business. After all, I'm sure they don't ask every one of their fans their orientation.
Also, let's face it, most celebrities these days are famous for their good looks as well as their talent, or sometimes just their good looks. A lot of people fantasise about sleeping, sometimes even marrying, their idol, and so they would want to know if they stood a chance with them or not. Just like you might want to know if the cute guy behind the bar is gay, or the hot girl on the college campus was a lesbian.
I do think that assuming they are gay without any actual proof is a bit unfair, just like someone assuming I was straight because I watch soccer and drink beer.
Some people become a bit too obsessed with their favourite celebrity, and that is when fanatic becomes stalker, which is definitely not healthy behaviour.

Answer 3

Curiosity about others within the same species is common (I love how dogs can be in a terribly chaotic environment and yet if they see another dog, even far away, their attention is FOCUSED, even if for only 2.4 seconds, on that other dog.) And people have always been fascinated by the lives of celebrities, the famous and the infamous. Who would you rather know something SCANDALOUS about: your dumpy neighbor or Zac Efron?

Curiosity to gain knowledge so that it may be used as leverage about that person (or to elevate the status of the person-in-the-know amongst his/her friends) seems to be a rising trend, and talking about unconfirmed info has been around a LONNNNNNG time: it's called gossip. The fact that some tabloids will camp out photographers for days on end just to catch a picture of Brad Pitt in the nude or TomKat's menu selection I find excessive, stupid and rude. Is a picture of Britney Spears without her make-up REALLY worth a car chase in a parking lot resulting property damage (OK, I'm using a bit of hyperbole here but you know what I mean...)?

I also think our current society's "I'm entitled" attitude figures in here. WHY we think we have a right to know others' business, I don't really know. But if people paid half as much attention to what's happening in their own lives as opposed to someone else's, the world might be a better place.

Answer 4

Not at all. People are obsessed with the sex lives of straight celebrities. Why not be curious about gay ones as well? To say the two are different implies there is something wrong with homosexuality. If you want to be consistent and insist on privacy for everyone, that's a different matter.

Answer 5

You know what they say..."enquiring minds want to know"! Of COURSE we, their audience, has a right to know these things about a celebrity. Being in show-biz means having every aspect of your life open to speculation. If they can't handle that, then they're in the wrong damn business! That doesn't mean paparazzi has the right to zoom in the camera lens when the "star" is at home, but when they go out in public, they are fair game for having their picture taken, being asked for autographs, etc. It's a trade-off. These people are filthy-freaking-rich, living extravagant lifestyles that most of us can't even IMAGINE.... so I don't think they have the right to whine about it if their fans want to know some details! If some good-looking actor is NEVER seen with a woman, nor romantically linked to one, isn't it kind of natural for us to wonder what the hell's the deal here?!

Answer 6

It is not okay to "insist" on knowing what a celebrities sexual orientation is. It is okay, though, to speculate and wonder what their orientation is. I mean... most everyone has looked at a male or female celebrity and thought "Wow, she/he is HOT!" And, of course, knowing they are bi or gay would make them all the more "hot" to us. So there is nothing wrong with wondering about it.

Answer 7

How many times do you hear "what goes on in the bedroom is a private mater between two people."

Fine- If that is true, then a persons sexual life is off limits and not to be public. Unless you want others to judge your sex life, don't judge others.

Answer 8

If someone were to ask me about my sexuality alone in person, I wouldn't find it rude. In front of a whole group of people I would find it rude. A celebrity's sexuality usually does not impact your personal life greatly. It's okay to be curious but to make a big deal about it would in just plain wrong in my opinion.

Answer 9

people are curious but who cares. They are on TV but I still don't know them or their actual personalities or ways of life. Some people go crazy wondering if Tom Cruise is actually gay or Kelly Clarkson is a lesbo but what ever.

Answer 10

Curiosity is a natural thing for all living creatures. It's what one does with that curiosity that determines if it's inappropriate or wrong.