Monday, February 20, 2012

Deeply Closeted, In More Ways Than One

Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu was a rising star in conservative Arizona politics. A tough man; a he man; strong on illegal immigration; a true conservative.
Who. it also turns out, is a gay man.
Who, it also turns out, was involved in a relationship with an illegal immigrant.
And now, both those closet doors--the Conservative, hardline on immigration stance one, and the Gay one--have blown open after it was revealed that Babeu's lover says the sheriff threatened to have him deported if he revealed their relationship.
Babeu denies any wrongdoing, of course, and says he'll to continue his battle for the GOP nomination in an extremely conservative rural congressional district. But what does this say about people trying to be something they aren't, and how damaging it is, not just politically, but personally.
He's a gay man in love with an illegal immigrant, living in the body of a conservative right-wing anti-immigration body.
The upside, given that his political career--in arch-conservative Arizona, at any rate--is probably over, is that Babeu, who heretofore has never spoken on LGBT rights, is now in favor of them:
"I can be a supporter and get out there and help articulate as we progress as a culture and a society, that there should be individual liberties and there should be individual freedoms. For any other person to define somebody else's relationship and say it not OK, that is not who we are as Americans."
Too bad he didn't realize that a long time ago.
Think of all he might have done, for the LGBT community, and for the rights of immigrants, had he just been open with himself. The stigma and shame that some members of the straight community impose on the LGBT community, is nothing when compared to the stigma and shame closeted gay men and women impose upon themselves in an effort to stay hidden.
It never works out for the best.

source

8 comments:

  1. It always seems to be the way that the harshest critics of the LGBT community are actually a part of that community....

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  2. How true the comment above. But meanwhile the cops and their handcuff fansaties with boys always end badly!

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  3. Why is our community so quick to condemn him? We don't know that the accusation is true.

    Remember how Lt. Col. Fehrenbach was accused of rape by a spurned lover and the accusation proved false? Who is to say a similar scenario isn't playing out for Sheriff Babeu?

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  4. I wasn't condemning him.
    In fact, I wrote what the other man "said" about Babeu and how Babeu denies it.
    i'm just sad that some of the most virulently anti-gay folks are closeted gay folks.
    It's sad.

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  5. Anonymous2:41 PM

    Have you seen his Adam4Adam pic - I see a career in porn.

    Cubby - what is true is that he is gay and that he has spent his career working against gay rights.

    Bill and Mistress - he may be gay but he and others like him are not part of the community. Being gay is not the only qualification needed, you have to get the toaster, the agenda and not be as bad as, if not worse, than NOM, most religious institutions and right wing conservatives.

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  6. Does this mean he won't get the toaster? Adam4adam is that a gay Christian dating service?

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  7. You forgot to mention that for two years Babeu ran a private boarding school in Massachusetts for "at risk" yutes. The owner of the school was controversial to say the least. See:

    http://dhtinshakerheights.blogspot.com/2012/02/im-not-one-to-gossip-but-paul-babeu-is.html

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  8. Well, I am shocked to find another closeted Conservative Republican caught in the act. If they aren't hanging out in bathrooms, or flying off to wherever with their rent boys, them they are playing Sheriff of Pinal County by day Sheriff of Penis County by night! Hard core hater, Bullyboi1, turns into mild mannered Studboi1, at the first sight of dick! How quaint!

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