Thoughts on Queer Nation's "Outing"

  From the 1980s reading, I was particularly intrigued by the fact that Queer Nation outed many public figures using New York City as a platform to plaster photos with the phrase “Absolutely Queer.” Then, Washington Queer National Michael Petrelis held a news conference in which he attempted to out many closeted politicians. While the media went to this conference, no names were ever leaked. As long as I’ve been aware of “outing”, I’ve believed that it was a bad thing. I’ve always thought it was terrible for an aspect of someone’s identity to be exposed like that, especially when they might not yet be comfortable with sharing it with people yet. I’ve always believed that we should allow people to come out on their own terms and when they are ready to, instead of forcing them to accept the public knowing. 

When I realized that this outing came from a queer group, rather than a homophobic one, I was confused. I suppose I’ve never really thought about why they may have tried outing these celebrities and politicians. They assumed that because they were in a position of power and wealth, they would have the ability to change laws and societal expectations of queer people. While I’ve never thought of it like this, I still condemn outing in most scenarios. One’s sexuality is such a personal thing that has the ability to carry so much weight for someone; it could ruin or reinforce a relationship with a friend, family member, or community. Ultimately, I feel as though while I can see where Queer Nation was coming from at the time, modern society would most likely never accept that as an attempt to further gain queer rights.

Discussion Questions:

1. What were your thoughts on outing before reading this piece? 

2. How about after? Are you able to understand why Queer Nation felt the urge to out these people?