Earlier this week, famous Broadway star Joel Grey came out as gay at the ripe old age of 82. He’s an Oscar winner and is most famous for his role in ‘Cabaret’ playing opposite Liza Minnelli. He was married for TWENTY-FOUR years and is the father of 2 children.
Just yesterday, People magazine confirmed that 65 year old Bruce Jenner, the ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians’ patriarch, is transitioning from male to female. In addition to fathering SIX children, Bruce is the 1976 Olympic decathlon winner. Traditionally, the man who wins the decathlon is labeled the ‘World’s Greatest Athlete’.
Both of these stories are not only shocking because they pertain to famous men who presented themselves as straight males, but also because they are in their later years. These guys are both GRANDFATHERS! So how old is too old to come out? Is there a point where you should keep major life altering news to yourself and just carry it to your grave? Or is it acceptable to come out in your last breath on your death-bed? Leave a comment here and let’s get the conversation going.
girldontbesodesperateyouknowhesgay 
To be gay in America is truly quite the challenge; however, coming out seems to be the greatest challenge of them all. Proof is in the fact of the 82 year broadway star, married for 22 years with 2 children and others who have to carry on a certain lifestyle to be accepted (from their perspective). I’m of the belief that a one must come out to their family and friends whenever that person is comfortable!!
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Very true. I just thank God for giving me the strength to come out before 40! Just think of all the YEARS these guys gave away denying their true selves…
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I don’t think that there is an “appropriate” time for a person to go public with his/her sexuality. As a heterosexual woman, I have never had to declare my sexuality to anyone, so why should a gay person have to do so? As long as there is honesty with the the person with one shares his/her bed, there is no timetable in which one has to declare his/her sexuality.
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It’s funny that we do have to declare our homosexuality bc otherwise folks assume you’re straight. And if you allow them to think that then you’re perceived as hiding. And if folks think that, then they have something to hold over your head and bully you about. I have been asked if I were gay several times in my ADULT life. Society just won’t leave you alone unless you fit in a box. But beyond that I’ve found that folks just want to see if you have the balls to admit it and if not they take DELIGHT in having something on you…
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I think each individual has to make that choice of whether to tell anyone their sexual preference. It’s really no one’s business unless not saying anything truly hurts another directly. Fraud for ones own comfort is unacceptable to me like the woman who believes her husband is heterosexual or the man who believes his wife is the same. The same is true in a gay relationship if one person is not gay. The real issue to me is that a society that encourages people to hide about sexual preference needs help badly. No one should have to hide about that.
What was sad to me about Bruce Jenner was that he looked like a tortured soul. I really wanted someone to stop bothering him. I hope that he can get real happiness because the length of time in hiding has really done something to him that is not good. No one should have to live like that.
Our society needs to learn to be tolerant and to truly love other human beings. To me, that is the root of gay bashing and hatred. It is unacceptable at any time!
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AMEN. I couldn’t have said it better.
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It took Bruce Jenner a life time, 3 marriages, and children to come to terms with who he is. I wish him and his family the best.
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