The Meat of the Matter

The Politics of Gender

I find it interesting that in order for a State Governor to come out of the closet, he must simultaneously resign. This just in from Yahoo! News: "TRENTON, N.J. - In a stunning declaration, Gov. James E. McGreevey announced his resignation Thursday and acknowledged that he had an extramarital affair with another man. "My truth is that I am a gay American," he said." I admire his courage for being true to himself--albeit it came at the threat of a scandal that would damage his party. I suppose it's a foregone conclusion that the resulting smear campaign would limit his ability to govern. But a more perfect person would allow the smearers to smear themselves. In a few decades, those who proliferate such hate toward gay people will be proven out by history to be the real problem, and not the gay people themselves. Would I be so perfect as to suffer the onslaught he would suffer? Doubtful. Still, what stands out in all of this is the courage of his wife Dina Matos McGreevey. What kind of things must have been going through her mind while she stood with her husband--holding his hand--while he admitted to the world that he had a gay affair. This took more chutzpah than Hillary Clinton had to muster. Aside from being quite beautiful, her fortitude has earned my respect in a big way.