Outing Anti-Gay Politicians as Gay
Webcast Q&A: 1 April 2012, Question 2
I answered a question on outing anti-gay politicians as gay on 1 April 2012. You can listen to or download the podcast of just this question below – or check out the whole episode of Philosophy in Action Radio.
Is it wrong to "out" a hypocritical anti-gay public figure who is secretly gay? Some conservative politicians have taken strongly anti-gay positions, but are secretly gay themselves. If one learns of this, is it wrong for gay activists to publicly "out" them? What if they don't engage in public hypocrisy, but are just quietly "in the closet"? Should activists respect their privacy in that case?
My Answer, In Brief: People who publicly advocate meddling in other people's private choices should not expect others to respect their private hypocrisy. They should be exposed, as a matter of justice.
Tags: Ethics, GLBT, Integrity, Justice, Politics, Privacy
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- Duration: 7:13
- Download: MP3 Segment (2.5 MB)
- Video: YouTube
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Relevant Links
- Huffington Post: "Outrage" Documentary: Activists Outing Gay Conservatives
- Philosophy in Action: Moral Standards for Public Figures
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About Philosophy in Action
I'm Dr. Diana Brickell. I'm a philosopher specializing in the application of rational principles to the challenges of real life. I received my Ph.D in philosophy from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2009. My book, Responsibility & Luck: A Defense of Praise and Blame, is available for purchase in paperback and Kindle. The book defends the justice of moral praise and blame of persons using an Aristotelian theory of moral responsibility, thereby refuting Thomas Nagel's "problem of moral luck."
My radio show, Philosophy in Action Radio, broadcasts live over the internet on most Sunday mornings and some Thursday evenings. On Sunday mornings, I answer questions applying rational principles to the challenges of real life in a live hour-long show. Greg Perkins of Objectivist Answers co-hosts the show. On Thursday evenings, I interview an expert guest or discuss a topic of interest.
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