Dear Adam,
Hi! How are you? I hope you've been well. I know that things must be crazy for you now, you know, after the whole American Idol insanity. Honestly, though I think that your voice is an acquired taste to a certain extent, I was very happy to see someone make it so far in Idol who was so obviously a homosexual. I mean, sure, we've had our suspicions about a few in the past (hello Mr. Aiken - need you really take, like, 5 years to come out?), but once the gay rumors started, you didn't deny them. Sure, you also didn't kick down your closet door, strap on some rollar blades and ass-less chaps and start cruising South Beach, but still. All in time, my good man.
Actually, it is because of your semi-recent acceptance of your sexuality in the public light that I am writing to you. As I briefly stated before, I think it is a great thing you are doing, by just saying you are gay. (although I did hear at one point you were "bi"? Bi now gay later? Oh you crazy kids and your denial . . .) I think that in this celebrity obsessed culture of ours, when those of us who are out can use our gay powers and hunt down others like us (mostly we just follow the smell of poppers), and we can look at movies, television and rap music and pick out those of us whom feel up women's asses in public but we just know that when they go home at night they are on Manhunt more than they are on top of said ladies (in much contradiction to what they would have us believe), this obviously leaves a huge gap for finding identity and familiarity within today's gay youth. Granted, the fact that we find our identity through celebrity culture is a problem within itself. However, we as a community strive to find role models, whether they want to be labeled as so or not. Because we have had to deal with such erasure from within our own community, it makes those who are determined to be themselves even more admirable.
Which gets me (again) to why I am writing you. And let me say right off the bat that I am down for all sorts of sexual exploration. We should be living in a time (despite the past 8 years) where we should be allowed to explore who we are without being told that certain things or certain acts demonize us, when for the most part, they are simple explorations that humans (and most higher intelligence organisms) do on their way to maturity. If we want to be poly-sexual, then have at it. Forget the puritans, forget the conservatives- go do what makes you happy.
However.
There is a big difference between going out and doing what makes you happy and then putting that in a magazine, and THEN going even further to having a photo shoot in which a certain slightly gender-ambiguous pop star is photographed having his way with a naked woman in a "straight" men's magazine. Yes, I realize that the jury is still out on how many straight men actually read Details, but the magazine is still regarded as such. I say this mostly because they have articles about how to bed women and they then talk about homosexuals like we should be those distant friends with whom you associate with out of obligation to the advancement of society rather than because one really wants to. You know, the whole masculinity issue and all. And that isn't a rant on straight guys. I know plenty of straight guys who have very dear gay friends. And while I won't make the same stereotype that persists among gay men who are very close, I will say that stereotypes exist for a reason.
However, I digress. So- finally, the LGBT community has an icon that we can look up to- who isn't a singing-straight-female, who isn't an ally, but who is young and hip, and frankly, quite beautiful, handsome and sexy. Then we have him make out with a chick in a men's fashion magazine. I mean, and it would be totally (well maybe not TOTALLY) different, if it was in, say, Out or The Advocate or some gritty porn magazine or whatever. Because then, it would be more of a comment on sexuality as a whole then it would be a comment on the fact that it looks like your publicist told you not to act too gay anymore.
And Adam, I must say, this is slightly disappointing. I give you much kudos for being yourself and trying not to hide who you are. But whether you like it or not, since you are in the spotlight, you owe us as a community. I mean please, how many horny 14 year old boys called up Idol while wearing their mother's eyeliner to vote for the boy who looked and talked like them? How many goth kids did the same? We voted you into Details. At the very least, you could give us some more eye candy and get it on with a naked dude instead of some model. I mean, how revolutionary would that be?! The most you could do? Be true to yourself and to your community, and continue to leave a legacy in which you will be remembered for not allowing your image to be manipulated by the same media that has tried to sweep our image under the rug for so long.
I expect good things from you Mr. Lambert. Please, no more disappointments.
Much love and respect,
Justin
Click here for the rest of the pictures from the Details photo shoot.
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