Any popular artist, particularly a popular musician come out as gay at the height of his popularity in the 1970s. I think that gay rights and SSM questions would have been dealt with for decades, we wouldn’t be having these fights now. I can’t blame Sir Elton for not coming out, that’s a tremendously personal and private decision, but I can’t help but wonder what would be different now. Thoughts?
Well, he did come out in 1988 or so. That was pretty early. I guess 10 years earlier would have been big, but he is one of the few gay celebs I remember from that time.
I’m not old enough to remember the '70s, but was “coming out” even a thing back then? To the extent that I understand it, there were people like Charles Nelson Reilly and Liberace who were openly gay in a “people who know them know it, and most everyone else is smart enough to pick up on the innuendo, but it’s just not talked about in polite company” sense, and there were guys like most of the Village People, who were gay in their personal lives but still presented a public image of being all about the ladies.
Correct me if I’m misinformed, but as I understand it, for a celebrity to have declared themselves to the mass media as being homosexual back then would have been utterly Earth-shattering, and probably wouldn’t have gone well for them.
In HS in the late 70s, we knew he was gay. Same with Queen and AC/DC.
Didn’t seem to be huge news, just one more factoid (or rumor) about an entertainer.
Renate Blauel would have less cash in the bank.
Elton John did come partway out of the closet in an interview published in the October 7, 1976 Rolling Stone. He said “I haven’t met anybody that I would like to settle down with–of either sex.” “You’re bisexual?” the interviewer asked. John replied “There’s nothing wrong with going to bed with somebody of your own sex. I think everybody’s bisexual to a certain degree. I don’t think it’s just me.” Further details are in Elton: The Biography by John Buckley, pp. 208-09.
Dusty Springfield also gave a couple of interviews in the early 1970s where she discussed being attracted to men and women; these are quoted on her Wikipedia page.
In prior decades, there was at least one prominent instance of a celebrity being involuntarily outed rather than coming out on their own terms. John Gielgud was arrested in October 1953 for a lavatory incident; he didn’t face any audience rejection but he did suffer a nervous breakdown. Also during the 1950s, Confidential magazine published many articles about Hollywood stars that were filled with gay/lesbian innuendo.
Not innuendo and hints and double speak but actually came out and owned it when he was in middle of his string of huge hits.
Did anybody really think Elton John was straight?
I don’t think Elton or any other flamboyant star of that era (Barry Manilow, Bowie- not sure when he first publicly said he was bi) coming out would have hugely shaped opinions among the general population. Regular guys wouldn’t necessarily feel comfortable coming out just because a famous artsy musician did so. It may have been somewhat OK for the glamorous rock star, but not for people with jobs to keep and mortgages to pay.
Certain phenomena in the '80s led to huge shifts in gay awareness and changes in attitudes that may not have been possible sooner, e.g. MTV, the 24 hour news cycle, major court decisions, and, unfortunately, HIV.
I came out in 1963, and it was definitely not a *thing. *In fact, being “gay” was not even a *thing. *And being “homosexual” was not something to be open about, because it was considered, at best, a mental illness . . . at worst, a mortal sin. Who would admit such a thing?
Though I came out, being honest about my homosexuality, that’s a far cry from self-acceptance. I didn’t know anyone else who was out. Even in my high school of over 3000 students, there wasn’t one other kid who I knew was gay. And no celebrities.
Even back in the 70s . . . If someone like Elton John had come out, it would have meant a great deal to those of us who were already out, or the people still struggling with their sexuality. But to the general public . . . it may have backfired. Society wasn’t quite ready for that. There was the “Gay Liberation Movement,” but its members were still seen as weirdos and misfits. Society changes slowly, and the 70s were just the bare beginning of gay acceptance. If a major celebrity like Elton John had come out, it would have been very meaningful to *us, *not so much to you. So in that sense, it would have made a slight difference today, indirectly, through some people coming out earlier. You know, the domino effect.
Bowie claimed to be gay in 1972.
…and as someone who remembers the last half of the 70s pretty well (I was born in 1965) I recall it being pretty obvious (even to me) that Elton John and Freddie Mercury were bisexual at least and probably gay. Likewise Rob Halford from Judas Priest, and probably a few more that aren’t as well remembered these days.
“Coming out” really became more of a thing after AIDS became a big deal; before that, people (if they weren’t closeted) just didn’t actively deny being gay.
Elton John also admitted his bisexuality (and the RS interview) on a September 9th, 1977 interview with Mike Douglas, here, at 10:30 into the video.
So… to answer the question, EJ did come out in the 1970’s and because of that, today is today. 
There was also Jobriath, who was expected to become a big star by some pretty influential showbiz people. Didn’t happen, but it could have.
… wait, what? The VP’s public image was all about being openly gay.
HUH?
:eek:
That was the “rumor” part. Everyone KNEW it meant they went both ways. ;). ;).
High School kids, what can I say? Didn’t affect their popularity in our school.
My mother went to high school with Harold Stevenson in the 1940s and she says that everybody knew he was gay and nobody cared. And this was a small town in Oklahoma.
I was only a kid then, but weren’t the 1970’s the height of the time when rock and roll was identified with sex and drugs and decadence? For a rock star like Elton John to “come out” as gay—wouldn’t it have just reinforced the view among the mainstream squares that rock stars are depraved and immoral?
Maybe just a smidge few more than people who thought Freddie Mercury was straight.