The homosexuality issue… EVERYONE wondering ANYTHING please read!!!
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surly_human_sidekick — 17 years ago(June 11, 2008 06:22 PM)
Usually I would agree that an actor's sexuality has no relevance to his or her body of work and is hardly worthy of discussion. In the case of Rock Hudson, however, I believe the topic is hugely relevant due to his death from AIDS.
At the time, Rock Hudson was probably the first public persona that most people knew with the disease. His diagnosis being made public opened up the subject of AIDS into households in which it may never have been discussed. While his death may not have eliminated prejudice attached to AIDS, it was hugely imporant in being the first small step towards understanding.
This included information about transmission of the disease and eliminating some of the myths still attached to it in the mid-80s. It was through Rock Hudson that many people learned that AIDS cannot be caught through kissing.
And it was the re16d0action of his friends in Hollywwood, who rallied around Rock and showed their support, that showed the public that AIDS sufferers should not be treated as pariahs.
It's of credit to Rock Hudson that there was no further public denial of his sexuality once his diagnosis was made public. There was no pretending that it had been caught via a blood tranfusion or whatever. As a result, Rock was the first well-known gay face of AIDS. He may still be the most well-known person to die from the disease.
His place in history should not detract from his many fine movies and performances. His professional contribution to movies is a sensational legacy. But he also left a legacy in his personal life which will not be forgotten. -
cwm368 — 17 years ago(June 13, 2008 06:34 PM)
Rock did speculated that he got AIDS thorugh blood transfusion, he didn't say that's how he caught it, but once his condition was made public he issued a statement asking his fans not to jump to conclusions and that he could've gotten it through transfusions. Rock to the end never confirmed that he was gay but he lived openly in some parts of his life. Most of Hollywood knew, most of the important people in his life knew. He knew a public confession would've ended his career.
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jonmarmont — 17 years ago(June 27, 2008 01:38 PM)
Personally, i am beginning to think that Mallrats (original poster-shouting earlier about everyone to stop talking about Rock's sexuality) is less concerned with Rock's sexuality, but, in actual fact, seems to have a problem or feels unconfortable talking about homosexuality in general.
Mallrats claims that we should NOT talk about his homosexualit111cy as we are being disrespectful. Does mallrats then think that homosexuality is something to be ashamed of??
If Rock was straight and we were discussing who his partners were, would mallrats accuse us of being disrespectful?? I think not. Its mallrats that has the problem with homosexuality as she clearly sees the two as 'unequal' and that homosexuality should stay firmly 'at the back of the closet'. OR she is in denial and therefore flatly refuses to accept her idol's 'true identity' which would then shatter her illusions - which is it mallrats?
I strongly suspect the latter - I see it so often with posters, particularly on the Montgomery Clift bourd (my particular idol) of whom I idolise for what he actually was, rather than a suger coated version constructed in my imagination to fit in with my illusions. And that is what being a 'true' fan is about - if you can love them with all their foibles and disfunctionalities and meet them head on and still idolise them - then, a true fan you will be. If not - then you are not only deluded but you are also doing them a dis-service by rejecting such significant parts of their persona. It should be all or nothing.
I will shut up now lol
JM -
jonmarmont — 17 years ago(June 27, 2008 01:42 PM)
As a footnote, i am NOT including homosexuality when i talk about foibles and disfunctionalities, i am talking about their weaknessess and failings. Homosexuality is a legitimate sexuality that in this day and age should be celebrated and the least we can do is give that to Rock now, who, did not have that luxury at his time of life.
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cwm368 — 17 years ago(July 07, 2008 06:20 AM)
The man was a "big time" Homosexual it was a significant part of his life. Now away from the public eye (barely) when he was alive but never-the-less significant, why should we not discuss it? To ignore that part of his life is in alot of ways ignoring him! The bottom line is some people are gay and it should not be put on the back burner, everyone deserves a level of respect and that includes if they were gay.
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Miss_gene_hunt — 17 years ago(August 08, 2008 05:10 AM)
I just watch is bio on the bio chanel .. he didnt like hiding the face he was Gay . He had to date women cos the other actors who where Gay had to so al so. But a magazine thought he was Gay and one of his Friends was asked to expose him but they didnt. Universal who tried to cover it up. Anyways i dont really care if he was Gay or not he is one of my favourite Actors and always will be . End of the day he is still a person .What i cant believe what Marc Christian did to him wasnt Horrible . Imaginge sueing Hudson Estate claiming he gave him Aids when he was negatvie and he still got 5 million of is money .Cruel the world we live in . Everyone is Equal no matter what. I Respect him as an actor as I love I love I love you. I never wish to be parted from you from this day onit must have been hard to come out after 30 years because in the bio he was reluctening in the end to do so. He only Caught Aids in the 80's when he was flew to Newyork in 1984 and sex with a guy who then sent him a letter saying he didnt know he had hiv
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dakotasdad — 17 years ago(January 12, 2009 08:35 PM)
Stars like John Travolta are still forced (for the sake of their careers and possible personal reasons) to stay semi-closeted. Some like John go farther and even get married but it is not new for gay men to be married. Closeted gay media mogul Barry Diller married fashion icon Diane Von Furstenberg (sp?) several years ago yet most people in the business know he is very gay:)
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American_Gladiator_Outlaw — 17 years ago(January 13, 2009 05:27 PM)
and some, like Galen Tomlinson, had their career systematically ruined because of a false rumor
It is all relative
Where the HELL is my PUGIL STICK? I mean, it isn't like I can stick it in a drawer or something. -
SnoozeAlarm — 12 years ago(January 30, 2014 09:33 PM)
Who cares? Rock Hudson's homosexuality is old news. The man has been dead over 25 years.
Good thinking. So let's close up all of the message boards on this site for any person who died 25 years or more ago.
It should be against the law to use "LOL" unless you really did LOL! -
napierslogs — 13 years ago(March 18, 2013 08:24 PM)
But Rock Hudson's wishes of keeping his homosexuality private were back in the 1950s and 60s - during the height of his career. That was a very different time and his career would have been in jeopardy if his private life was well known.
But we're not discussing this in the 50s. It's 2013 - we're living in a very different period of time and if Rock Hudson was still alive, we don't know if he still would have kept his sexuality private. He might very well want us to accept him for who he is. Just like the many out-and-proud actors of recent times, he probably wouldn't see his sexuality as something to hide anymore.
I think we are giving him respect (certainly in a way he never would have dreamed) by knowing that he's gay but still celebrating his talent and acting achievements.
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