CBS Correspondent Accuses GOP Closeted Congressman of Hypocrisy
AP
A CBS News correspondent posted a blind item on Facebook accusing a Congressman hiding his homosexuality while voting against equal rights, and then dropped an obvious hint.
A long message on CBS News' Itay Hod's Facebook page accused a Republican in Congress of hypocritically voting against bills that would bolster equal rights for gays while getting caught by a reporter in the shower with his boyfriend, or, on another occasion, navigating the gay bar scene:
what if you know a certain GOP congressman, let's just say from Illinois, is gay... and you know this because one of your friends, a journalist for a reputable network, told you in no uncertain terms that he caught that GOP congressman and his male roommate in the shower... together. now they could have been good friends just trying to conserve water. but there's more. what if this congressman has also been caught by tmz cameras trolling gay bars. now what if you know that this very same guy, the darling of the gop, has also voted against repeal of don’t ask don’t tell, opposed the repeal of doma, is against gay marriage; and for the federal marriage amendment, which would add language to the us constitution banning gay marriage and would likely strike down every gay rights law and ordinance in the country?
Are we still not allowed to out him?
At the end of the note, Hay "had a sudden urge" to share this article: "The 7 gayest Aaron Schock Instagram posts of 2013." Republican Rep. Aaron Schock represents the 18th congressional district in Illinois, where is gay-marriage is legal. Schock has since adjusted his Instagram's privacy settings so no one can see his photos.
(One person Schock follows on Instagram is recently outed Olympian Tom Daley.)
Now the hunt is on for the truth behind Schock's sexuality, accusations on which he has not yet commented. This is not the first time gay rumors have swirled around Schock. His colorful outfits have drawn speculation in D.C. circles about his sexual proclivities. Also not helping his cause are the beefcake-y shots Schock posed for on the cover of Men's Health, who labeled him America's "fittest Congressman."
The Schock controversy also raises fresh questions about when it is appropriate to report someone's sexuality. The common thinking is that it is never appropriate to out someone in the closet. ABC News' Robin Roberts came out publicly last week after friends, co-workers, and reporters, too, knew about her orientation for over a decade. But Hod makes the point that this is a special situation where the hypocrisy of the situation should outweigh any ethical debate — his actions endanger others' human rights. "Doesn't the media have an OBLIGATION to expose his hypocrisy? if he had done something so hypocritical and he wasn't gay, wouldn't we demand journalists do their job?" he asks.
It may have been “the gayest year ever," as some gay and lesbian activists put it — 2013 saw the Defense of Marriage Act struck down by the Supreme Court and the number of states offering marriage rights to same-sex couples doubled, to a total of 18.
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