Unpacking Jodie Foster’s Golden Globes speech. Will the consensus be ‘You go, girl’ or ‘Girl, go home’?

Foster backstage at the 2013 Golden Globes

Unless you’ve been living under a rock or your crooked wig has been blocking your eyes and ears, you know Jodie Foster sort of came out of her lesbian closet at the Golden Globes Sunday night. Of course, Foster has been sort of coming out for a few years now—her sexual orientation has been the biggest open secret in Hollywood and among her LGBTQ fans for decades—but she’s never given a solid “Yep, I’m gay” statement in the brave, groundbreaking fashion of Ellen DeGeneres. What the heck does privacy and Honey Boo Boo got to do with it?! If she were straight, her boyfriend/husband/ex-husband and kids would be all over entertainment media. Unfortunately, Foster seems to be conflating privacy with shame. She can share her life in a positive way without becoming a reality show cliché. Sure, some of the tabloids and paparazzi will exploit her life. That’s show business. But Foster is savvy enough to manage and shape the attention into something powerful and affirming. Let’s hope she catches some pride and works it out.

Texas man’s struggle underscores need for LGBT anti-discrimination law

A Texas man faced verbal harassment and a lavender ceiling at his suburban Fort Worth workplace. Unfortunately, there’s not much lawyers can do without federal or state laws to back them up. Read about it in the “Dallas Voice.”

Personally, I had a similar situation with a past employer here in my hometown of Wichita, Kan. Have you ever been discriminated against for your sexual orientation or gender identity? If so, in which state? It’s important to share our stories so voters know LGBT workplace discrimination is a very real problem that can be addressed through the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, (ENDA).