Come Out of Closet, Anchors: Maddow

Rachel Maddow has a message for gay news anchors: Come out of the closet. "I'm sure other people in the business have considered reasons why they're doing what they're doing" not revealing that they're homosexual, "but I do think that if you're gay you have a responsibility to come out," Maddow tells the Guardian. But in a blog post she wrote immediately after news reports about her interview began to emerge, Maddow stressed that she was not talking about CNN's Anderson Cooper, as many outlets speculated.

"I wasn't asked about Anderson Cooper, I didn't say anything about him, he literally was never discussed during the interview," she clarified. "Although criticism of Mr. Cooper was intimated by The Guardian and picked up everywhere—I did not make that criticism in the interview, nor is it what I believe." She also emphasized that gays "should all get to decide for ourselves if and when we feel that we can" come out. Maddow is one of two openly gay anchors on MSNBC, along with Thomas Roberts. She frequently mentions her relationship with long-time partner Susan Mikula and defends herself from those critical of her sexual orientation. Check Gawker for some ideas about who should come out. (More Rachel Maddow stories.)