American actress Cynthia Nixon has come under fierce criticism
from members of the LGBT community after claiming that her
sexuality is a choice.
The 45 year-old performer - famous for playing Miranda Hobbes in
the smash-hit Sex and the City franchise - made the comment during
a speech for gay empowerment.
Nixon, who is engaged to her long-term partner Christine Marinoni,
told the New York Times: "I gave a speech recently, an empowerment
speech to a gay audience, and it included the line 'I've been
straight and I've been gay, and gay is better.'
"And they tried to get me to change it, because they said it
implies that homosexuality can be a choice. And for me, it is a
choice. I understand that for many people it's not, but for me it's
a choice, and you don't get to define my gayness for me.
"A certain section of our community is very concerned that it not
be seen as a choice, because if it's a choice, then we could opt
out.
"I say it doesn't matter if we flew here or we swam here, it
matters that we are here and we are one group and let us stop
trying to make a litmus test for who is considered gay and who is
not."
Nixon was living with her male partner of fifteen years, Danny
Mozes, when she first met education activist Marinoni, to whom
she's now engaged.
Adding fuel to the fire, Nixon also claimed that gay people who
denounce her view are bigots.
"Why can't it be a choice? Why is that any less legitimate? It
seems we're just ceding this point to bigots who are demanding it,
and I don't think that they should define the terms of the debate.
I also feel like people think I was walking around in a cloud and
didn't realize I was gay, which I find really offensive.
"I find it offensive to me, but I also find it offensive to all
the men I've been out with."
According to the Daily Mail, gay blogger John Aravosis is one of
several people irked by her claims.
He said: "It's not a choice. Every religious right hatemonger is
now going to quote this woman every single time they want to deny
us our civil rights."
