Some "gay rights" groups are bad.

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OutRage! is a "gay rights" group that likes to reveal the sexual orientations of people who were trying to keep theirs secret. That's bullsh**. If a gay man wants to stay closeted he should be allowed to.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OutRage!

"The issue of outing, which had already begun in the USA, split the group in 1991. There was no consensus and so the group agreed to have no policy. Those who favoured the tactic (principally Shane Broomhall and Patrick McCann) then established their own group outside OutRage called "fa***ts Rooting Out Closeted Sexuality" (FROCS) which was committed to outing."

This was from that same Wikipedia article.

That being said...

I am horrified when people out others. What people do in their personal lives should be of no concern to other people (unless, of course, they are hurting others or themselves.)

I have some acquaintances that were part of OutRage in the late 90's. They did a lot of community outreach and helped a lot of people.

That's a good way for them to get sued. If they ever accidentally "out" someone who is straight, they could be in hot water for slander or defamation of character simply because they do not wish to portray themselves that way regardless how they feel about homosexuality. Likewise, if they have a mix-up and call a flamboyantly gay guy actually straight, they could get sued for the same reason. It's not their business in the first place anyway.

well one could argue that by staying in the closet they help maintain the idea that it is something to be ashamed off.

does anyone know how far they go when they do so?

Yeah I can also see them slandering anyone who disagrees with them as a repressed homosexual who is just projecting and trying to cover it up. I always thought that was a bunch of pop psychology BS. Matter of fact I can't stand anything that involves speculating about what's going on deep down inside someone's head like armchair psychoanalysis. No you don't know jack s**t about the deep rooted motivations or desires of another person, stay in your lane.

No but they should come out by their own free will, not repress themselves even further than they already are because they fear being outed by some overzealous pricks.

The problem is that truth is an absolute defense to libel/slander/defamation.

That's why it's so safe for them to do it. I'm not sure if there is any civil action for ruining a person's life by outing them over their sexuality.

AND it could be said that when I eat Spam in the privacy of my own home [yes, I enjoy the stuff] I am bolstering the insufferable elitism of those who despise and ridicule Spam eaters.

OR, it could be said that my making a public issue of my Spam consumption would NOT end the Green Monkey phenomenon nor likely deflect it, and that kdedeping it to myself saves me a lot of hassle of which as a professional Green Monkey I get quite enough, thank you very nmuch for asking.

On the other hand, when it comes down to the wire the "Publish and be verdoemd" response has much to recommend it.

That said - I could see a point to revealing that Philologos is a Spam eater IF he has been heard joining in the defamation of Spam. But if the outed are not decrying hoimosexuality, one cannot but wonder what end is served.

I don't put any faith in the political value of outing.

I think the world would be a much more tolerant place if all of the LGBT people were to turn purple tomorrow. (Though I would need an entirely new wardrobe (sigh)). But we aren't purple, we haven't grown up as visibly purple people and all of us arrive at the decision to come out individually. I do not see outing politicians as a means to get them to support GLBT rights. I don't see outing business leaders as a means to get their companies to extend equitable benefits to LGBT employees. I don't see outing celebrities and sports figures as a way to mitigate violence against us.

But so long as consumers of news consider outing stories to be readable, news organizations are going to feed that monster and FROCS are going to have an outlet for their activties. And in a democratic society founded upon free expression and a free press, I cannot condemn it. I don't have to be happy about it, but I won't stand in its way.