Ever since he subtly confirmed longtime gay rumors by thanking his partner (celebrity publicist) Simon Halls (and their three children) back in February when he was honored with the New Generation Arts and Activism Award, at a HIV/Aids charity event, Matt Bomer (White Collar, Magic Mike) revealed that he was moved to tears by a fan who appreciated the fact that he acknowledged his sexuality.
Here's what he told E! Online: “I had somebody from the military approach me a few weeks ago just saying how this (coming out) helps people, affects people. It brought me to tears.”
He adds, “They (young people) need saving, certainly in this day and age as much as ever – no matter how much we think we’ve progressed… What we really have to do is stop the adjective before the job title – whether it’s ‘black actor,’ a ‘gay actor’ or ‘anything actor’.
“Everybody thinks that equality comes from identifying people, and that’s not where equality comes from. Equality comes from treating everybody the same regardless of who they are. … It’s time to move out of 1992.”
The actor also says he never hid his sexuality. He's not someone who goes around flaunting his personal life:
“I never really endeavored to hide anything,” the 34-year-old actor said. “But there were times I chose not to relegate my history to the back page of a magazine, which to me is sort of akin to putting your biography on a bathroom wall.”
He also says that his sexuality has nothing to do with his talent as an actor:
“What we really have to do is stop the adjective before the job title — whether it’s ‘black actor,’ a ‘gay actor’ or anything actor,” he told E! News. “Everybody thinks that equality comes from identifying people, and that’s not where equality comes from.
“Equality comes from treating everybody the same regardless of who they are. I hope the media and the press catches on to that, because it’s time to move out of 1992.”
Bomer, who says his coming out hasn't affected his acting career (he plays straight on White Collar and Magic Mike) did dodge questions about his sexuality in the past (like in the 2010 Details interview), but says that once he got involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS and HIV it changed his perspective on things.
I do agree that as we move firther into the mainstream we need to make ourselves more visible in the media. The more gay and lesbian actors come out the less fearful the behind-the-scenes queens will feel inclined for you to hide it. I don't believe in outing people (everyone has a right to come out when they are ready), but I also believe in strength in numbers.
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