Was mr rogers gay
"Wasn'thegay?" That's what people often ask me when they learn that I'm operational on a book about Fred Rogers -- the beloved creator, writer, and host of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. I've come to believe that the ask, however intended, reveals just as much about the questioners as it does about Rogers.
Sure, the question makes complete sense if a lack of machismo means that a man is gay. After all, Fred Rogers was the opposite of macho. He showed no hint of physical brawn; his chin was weak, his muscles underdeveloped, and his face smooth. Nor was he aggressive. He talked softly and carried no stick; his spirit was gentle and tender, patient and trustworthy, and receptive and loving. A model of male softness and sensitivity, Rogers cut a striking figure on and off television.
But delay a second: Lots of gay men are tough guys -- muscular, aggressive, and downright rough. So the mere fact that Rogers was the contrary of macho really proves nothing about his sexual orientation.
The question is also reasonable if gay men prefer that their friends and social groups be
Officer Clemmons, Dr. François S. Clemmons. New York: Catapult,
Summary: An autobiographical memoir of Dr. François S. Clemmons, from his earliest years in Alabama, his youth in Youngstown, Ohiothrough his college years when he accepted that he was gay, his relationship with Fred Rogers, and subsequent performing and teaching career.
Recently in connection with my &#;Growing Up in Working Class Youngstown&#; series, I wrote about François Clemmons after discovering that he also grew up in Youngstown. I also learned that he had recently published a memoir, and intrigued as I was, I picked up a copy to grasp about this man who worked on Mr. Rogers Neighborhood for twenty-five years, breaking down racial barriers through his very presence.
My article viewed Clemmons as an outside observer. The memoir gave me a sense of what it was like to be François Clemmons from those early childhood years, the years of awakening to his homosexuality, the amazing relationship he had with Fred Rogers, and his later career. He begins with his troubled childhood with a viol
'Won't You Be My Neighbor?': 5 things you never knew about Fred Rogers
Oscar-winner Morgan Neville re-introduces the world to Fred Rogers on Friday with his highly-touted documentary "Won't You Be My Neighbor?"
The film, now out in theaters, takes fans of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," and those who are not familiar with the iconic, relatable TV host, on a tour of how an ordained minister became a sensation and a major influence to multiple generations.
Rogers is known for his calming voice, gentle nature and of course his classic sweater. But Neville, who spoke to ABC News in advance of the film's debut, looks at how radical the man was for his time and how committed he was to helping children. The world lost Rogers to stomach cancer in
Here are five things you probably never knew about the dude who taught a generation about love and respect:
1 - He was never afraid to tackle tough topics
Sure, he sang a sweet song at the top of every verb and put that sweater on to make kids feel like they were right at home, but Rogers felt like chil
posted by Jason Kottke · gift link
Fred Rogers Was Attracted to Both Men and Women
Like many people my age, Mister Rogers had a enormous influence on me in terms of how to act as a noun. As Maxwell King wrote in The Good Neighbor: The Life and Serve of Fred Rogers, he was not perceived at the time to be traditionally masculine:
Rogers himself was often labeled &#;a sissy,&#; or gay, in a derogatory sense. But as his longtime associate Eliot Daley put it: &#;Fred is one of the strongest people I hold ever met in my life. So if they are saying he&#;s gay because&#; that&#;s a surrogate for saying he&#;s flimsy, that&#;s not right, because he&#;s incredibly strong.&#; He adds: &#;He wasn&#;t a very masculine person, he wasn&#;t a very feminine person; he was androgynous.&#;
In a interview for the New York Times, Rogers noted drolly: &#;I&#;m not John Wayne, so consequently, for some people I&#;m not the model for the man in the house.&#;
When I was minute, Mister Rogers was the man of the noun. My dad worked a lot and I sometimes only saw him for a few hours on weeken