Kristin Chenoweth responds to homophobic Newsweek article

jimparsonsownsmysoul:

betternovembers:

annahinks:iheartsasquatch:lamamama:youths:newsweek:defy-gravity:

Kristin Chenoweth responds to Newsweek article Straight Jacket Heterosexual actors play gay all the time. Why doesn’t it ever work in reverse?

As a longtime fan of Newsweek and as the actress currently starring opposite the incredibly talented (and sexy!) Sean Hayes in the Broadway revival of “Promises, Promises,” I was shocked on many levels to see Newsweek publishing Ramin Setoodeh’s horrendously homophobic “Straight Jacket,” which argues that gay actors are simply unfit to play straight. From where I stand, on stage, with Hayes, every night — I’ve observed nothing “wooden” or “weird” in his performance, nor have I noticed the seemingly unwieldy presence of a “pink elephant” in the Broadway Theater. (The Drama League, Outer Critics Circle and Tony members must have also missed that large animal when nominating Hayes’ performance for its highest honors this year.) I’d normally keep silent on such matters and write such small-minded viewpoints off as perhaps a blip in common sense. But the offense I take to this article, and your decision to publish it, is not really even related to my profession or my work with Hayes or Jonathan Groff (also singled out in the article as too “queeny” to play “straight.”) This article offends me because I am a human being, a woman and a Christian. For example, there was a time when Jewish actors had to change their names because anti-Semites thought no Jew could convincingly play Gentile. Setoodeh even goes so far as to justify his knee-jerk homophobic reaction to gay actors by accepting and endorsing that “as viewers, we are molded by a society obsessed with dissecting sexuality, starting with the locker room torture in junior high school.” Really? We want to maintain and proliferate the same kind of bullying that makes children cry and in some recent cases have even taken their own lives? That’s so sad, Newsweek! The examples he provides (what scientists call “selection bias”) to prove his “gays can’t play straight” hypothesis are sloppy in my opinion. Come on now! Openly gay Groff is too “queeny” to play Lea Michelle’s boyfriend in GLEE, but is a “heartthrob” when he does it in Spring Awakening? Cynthia Nixon only “got away with it” ‘cause she peaked before coming out? I don’t know if you’ve missed the giant Sex and the City movie posters, but it seems most of America is “buying it.” I could go on, but I assume these will be taken care of in your “Corrections” this week. 

Similarly, thousands of people have traveled from all over the world to enjoy Hayes’ performance and don’t seem to have one single issue with his sexuality! They have no problem buying him as a love-torn heterosexual man. Audiences aren’t giving a darn about who a person is sleeping with or his personal life. Give me a break! We’re actors first, whether we’re playing prostitutes, baseball players, or the Lion King. Audiences come to theater to go on a journey. It’s a character and it’s called acting, and I’d put Hayes and his brilliance up there with some of the greatest actors period. 

Lastly, as someone who’s been proudly advocating for equal rights and supporting GLBT causes for as long as I can remember, I know how much it means to young people struggling with their sexuality to see out & proud actors like Sean Hayes, Jonathan Groff, Neil Patrick Harris and Cynthia Nixon succeeding in their work without having to keep their sexuality a secret. No one needs to see a bigoted, factually inaccurate article that tells people who deviate from heterosexual norms that they can’t be open about who they are and still achieve their dreams. I am told on good authority that Mr. Setoodeh is a gay man himself and I would hope, as the author of this article, he would at least understand that. I encourage Newsweek to embrace stories which promote acceptance, love, unity and singing and dancing for all! —Kristin Chenoweth

FOUR FOR YOU CHENO, YOU GO CHENO.

DEAR CHENO, GAY MARRY ME PLZ.  IT’S LEGAL HERE.

YOU GET A GOLD STAR, CHENO




742 notes | Reblog
1 year ago

Posted on August 18th at 4:44 PM
Reblogged from: annie-banks
Originally posted by: defy-gravity
  1. beading-books reblogged this from dylicious
  2. pandaladpanda reblogged this from recordcozy
  3. tetrishero reblogged this from vaincre
  4. licentiouslooks reblogged this from annie-banks and added:
    YOU GET A GOLD STAR, CHENO
  5. keepitsimplenow reblogged this from jackkellys and added:
    :’) you tell em kristin! on another note, whoever says jgroff can’t play straight guys must be delusional.
  6. spell-tag reblogged this from newsweek
  7. clawdee reblogged this from fujiidom
  8. quinnavyre reblogged this from defy-gravity
  9. pomegranategrenate reblogged this from accidentalvter
  10. skank-face reblogged this from aboyscoutandabrownie and added:
    Seriously, I am in love with Jesse in Glee…I thought he played straight so well that you can’t tell he’s “playing...
  11. aboyscoutandabrownie reblogged this from rectumofglory and added:
    love you. (Click
  12. caputcorque reblogged this from betternovembers and added:
    This is AWESOME.
  13. liathatartistonsugar reblogged this from accidentalsongs and added:
    braided:escutcheons:defy-gravity:...Kristin Chenoweth responds to Newsweek article...
  14. pdlrepublique reblogged this from willbillyum and added:
    she is too amazing. ♥
  15. nittanysam reblogged this from newsweek
  16. clayman79 reblogged this from jerjerboi
  17. internetwinnage reblogged this from enteekaygee and added:
    Kristin Chenoweth responds to Newsweek article Straight Jacket Heterosexual actors play gay all the time. Why doesn’t it...
  18. ithinkimhooked reblogged this from queerasfuck
  19. liberalgarcon reblogged this from myholigay and added:
    I love Kristin Chenoweth even more now.
  20. luxuryailments reblogged this from myholigay
  21. incognito-nerd reblogged this from bigfunnywords
  22. defy-gravity posted this


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