From Eric Hegedus, national president of the 1,300-member National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, in the San Francisco Chronicle:

A professional sin of omission — the failure to get all the facts by shying away from asking a newsmaker his or her sexual orientation — still clouds the media’s actions. And in the case of Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir, the problem becomes far more glaring. Stereotype-drenched speculation, gossip and wink-wink hearsay have taken the place of a sound journalistic practice: Asking the pertinent question. In this case, that question is: “Are you gay?” …

Via news organizations from the New York Times to the San Jose Mercury News, from ESPN.com to the Washington Post, the public was treated to terminology that included, but was certainly not limited to: Flamboyant. Flashy. Whispers. Extravagant. Eccentric. Theatrical. Tinkerbelle. Chihuahuas. Boa. Masculinity. Effeminate. Flaming. Princessy. Female sport. Girly men. Oddballs. Revelation. Coy. Disclosures. Distraction. Tension. Embarrassing. Uncomfortable. Squirming. Fishnets. Prissy. Lifestyle. Gay style.

It’s a lot of flash and stereotypes without substance, all in lieu of posing that obvious question to Weir: “Are you gay?”…

The news media have no problem hounding celebrities (as well as their publicists, friends and enemies) regarding romantic entanglements, alleged or otherwise, as well as other personal details. Think Brad and Angelina, Britney and Kevin, Tom and Katie, Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton and Colin Farrell. Even sports figures such as Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Anna Kournikova and formerly/famously single and sometimes outrageously married Dennis Rodman haven’t escaped the very personal intensity of the media glare. Yet the question “Are you gay?” is still confined to its own little closet, the door seemingly forever closed. It’s perceived to be somehow too personal or potentially shameful to ask.

This “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy only mars our judgment and professionalism, all the while giving our readers, viewers and listeners a degrading, murky and speculative portrait of our subjects.

(Via Romenesko)

Technorati tags: Journalism, PR, Public Relations, Media