# Out Magazine's 2013 list of the 50 most powerful gay people in the US **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 21, 2013, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-magazines-2013-list-of-the-50-most-powerful-gay-people-in-the-us/671771 "2013-10-21T01:26:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-magazines-2013-list-of-the-50-most-powerful-gay-people-in-the-us/671771/1 "2013-10-21T01:26:05Z")
[List here](http://www.out.com/2013/04/10/whos-top-power-list-2013#slide-1) Interesting choices. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-magazines-2013-list-of-the-50-most-powerful-gay-people-in-the-us/671771/2 "2013-10-21T02:48:22Z")
Shepherd Smith and Matt Drudge are gay? Clutch those pearls! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-magazines-2013-list-of-the-50-most-powerful-gay-people-in-the-us/671771/3 "2013-10-21T02:55:36Z")
I was going to say something along the lines of “wow, only 11 women… 12 if you count Ru Paul”, but then it occurred to me, if they listed the 50 most powerful straight people in the country, there’d be fewer than 11 women on the list. ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-magazines-2013-list-of-the-50-most-powerful-gay-people-in-the-us/671771/4 "2013-10-21T04:20:47Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > I was going to say something along the lines of “wow, only 11 women… 12 if you count Ru Paul”, but then it occurred to me, if they listed the 50 most powerful straight people in the country, there’d be fewer than 11 women on the list. One factor is probably that there are about twice as many gay men as there are lesbian women by some estimates (cite: [Adult LGBT Population in the United States - Williams Institute](http://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/Gates-How-Many-People-LGBT-Apr-2011.pdf) ). It seems like women are far more likely to identify as bisexual instead of lesbian, while men are far more likely to identify as gay rather than bisexual. People have talked about Matt Drudge being gay for years, but I had never heard Shepherd Smith is gay before this. It doesn’t seem like he has officially come out. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-magazines-2013-list-of-the-50-most-powerful-gay-people-in-the-us/671771/5 "2013-10-21T15:02:43Z")
[For a non-slideshow version, because slideshows are evil.](http://www.out.com/out-exclusives/power-50/2013/04/10/power-list-2013) ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-magazines-2013-list-of-the-50-most-powerful-gay-people-in-the-us/671771/6 "2013-10-21T15:11:30Z")
… David Geffen is 70? Damn. ---
**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-magazines-2013-list-of-the-50-most-powerful-gay-people-in-the-us/671771/7 "2013-10-21T15:28:34Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > I was going to say something along the lines of “wow, only 11 women… 12 if you count Ru Paul”, but then it occurred to me, if they listed the 50 most powerful straight people in the country, there’d be fewer than 11 women on the list. I think you need to count Ru Paul as a straight woman. I have no idea who most of these people are, btw. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-magazines-2013-list-of-the-50-most-powerful-gay-people-in-the-us/671771/8 "2013-10-21T15:32:50Z")
Wow, what horrible photoshop work! ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-magazines-2013-list-of-the-50-most-powerful-gay-people-in-the-us/671771/9 "2013-10-21T15:35:29Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > I was going to say something along the lines of “wow, only 11 women… 12 if you count Ru Paul”, but then it occurred to me, if they listed the 50 most powerful straight people in the country, there’d be fewer than 11 women on the list. Point taken, but I think Hillary would be on anybody’s list of the 50 most powerful people. Probably Elizabeth Warren. Probably Jan Brewer. Nancy Pelosi. I don’t know as much about people in entertainment or industry or journalism, or how \*\*\*Out \*\*\*decided how much power they have. Madonna? Candy Crowley? ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-magazines-2013-list-of-the-50-most-powerful-gay-people-in-the-us/671771/10 "2013-10-21T16:02:10Z")
> [@aNewLeaf](#): > > I think you need to count Ru Paul as a straight woman. I have no idea who most of these people are, btw. Technically, RuPaul doesn’t consider himself a man or a woman. He/She’s just RuPaul. > **[RuPaul](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RuPaul)** > > RuPaul Andre Charles (born November 17, 1960) is an American drag queen, television host, singer, producer, writer, and actor. He\[a\] produces, hosts, and judges the reality competition series RuPaul's Drag Race and has received several accolades, including 14 Primetime Emmy Awards, three GLAAD Media Awards, a Critics' Choice Television Award, two Billboard Music Awards, and a Tony Award. He has been dubbed the "Queen of Drag" and is considered the most commercially successful drag queen in B... ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-magazines-2013-list-of-the-50-most-powerful-gay-people-in-the-us/671771/11 "2013-10-21T16:16:55Z")
> [@bup](#): > > Point taken, but I think Hillary would be on anybody’s list of the 50 most powerful people. Probably Elizabeth Warren. Probably Jan Brewer. Nancy Pelosi. > > I don’t know as much about people in entertainment or industry or journalism, or how \*\*\*Out \*\*\*decided how much power they have. Madonna? Candy Crowley? I would put Oprah far ahead of most of those politicians. Being as insanely wealthy as she is and having a very strong media presence allows her to impact far, far more people than any single politician could. If Oprah wanted to, she could easily buy a country and run it herself. 🙂 I’d also suggest Melinda Gates, Meg Whitman, Michelle Obama, Beyonce Knowles (she and Jay Z are apparently one of the wealthiest entertainment couples right now). As a woman, I really don’t think that it is true anymore that women don’t have power in today’s society. I think many women simply choose to prioritize family and other such things over career ambitions, but the ones who do care about power are out there. I am a physician and I know tons of female physicians who intentionally make career choices that are less ambitious because they think it’s more rewarding to be home with their kids for dinner, but nobody is holding back the ones who want to climb the ladder to the top. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-magazines-2013-list-of-the-50-most-powerful-gay-people-in-the-us/671771/12 "2013-10-21T16:24:22Z")
Interesting. I don’t recall reading that Nate Silver was gay. I read a lot about him and his successes at predicting the 2012 Presidential Campaign results, and also about Silver’s getting recruited away from the NYTimes to ESPN. I would say I read a lot of articles about both but don’t recall it being mentioned. If his being gay is commonly known, then the fact that it wasn’t discussed (much? at all?) during these big events, that’s actually pretty cool. Also - is Apple CEO Tim Cook’s sexual orientation discussed that much? I don’t recall reading about it that often. Again - cool. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-magazines-2013-list-of-the-50-most-powerful-gay-people-in-the-us/671771/13 "2013-10-21T16:30:08Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Interesting. I don’t recall reading that Nate Silver was gay. I read a lot about him and his successes at predicting the 2012 Presidential Campaign results, and also about Silver’s getting recruited away from the NYTimes to ESPN. I would say I read a lot of articles about both but don’t recall it being mentioned. > > If his being gay is commonly known, then the fact that it wasn’t discussed (much? at all?) during these big events, that’s actually pretty cool. > > Also - is Apple CEO Tim Cook’s sexual orientation discussed that much? I don’t recall reading about it that often. Again - cool. Don’t forget 2008, which is why anyone cared about his 2012 predictions to begin with. And yes, he is gay, and yes he is [out](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/18/nate-silver-gay-out-magazine-person-of-the-year_n_2323314.html). ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-magazines-2013-list-of-the-50-most-powerful-gay-people-in-the-us/671771/14 "2013-10-21T16:34:10Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > If his being gay is commonly known, then the fact that it wasn’t discussed (much? at all?) during these big events, that’s actually pretty cool. > > Also - is Apple CEO Tim Cook’s sexual orientation discussed that much? I don’t recall reading about it that often. Again - cool. It’s kind of amazing how quickly it’s becoming a non-issue. US soccer player Abby Wambach “came out” over the weekend, and she said this to ESPN: “I can’t speak for other people, but for me, I feel like gone are the days that you need to come out of a closet. I never felt like I was in a closet. I never did. I always felt comfortable with who I am and the decisions I made.” A part of me loves that that basically paraphrases to “COME ON, why are asking this? I was never _in_.” ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-magazines-2013-list-of-the-50-most-powerful-gay-people-in-the-us/671771/15 "2013-10-21T20:42:40Z")
Given some of the people on this list, I’m rather astonished that Rached Maddow isn’t on it. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-magazines-2013-list-of-the-50-most-powerful-gay-people-in-the-us/671771/16 "2013-10-21T20:44:20Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Given some of the people on this list, I’m rather astonished that Rached Maddow isn’t on it. She’s #4. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-magazines-2013-list-of-the-50-most-powerful-gay-people-in-the-us/671771/17 "2013-10-21T20:45:07Z")
Yeah, like in slot 4 or something. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-magazines-2013-list-of-the-50-most-powerful-gay-people-in-the-us/671771/18 "2013-10-21T20:47:23Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Given some of the people on this list, I’m rather astonished that Rached Maddow isn’t on it. I can’t believe they left off Ellen. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-magazines-2013-list-of-the-50-most-powerful-gay-people-in-the-us/671771/19 "2013-10-21T20:49:27Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > I can’t believe they left off Ellen. :golfclap: 😃