Nate Silver: My friends describe me as ‘sexually gay but ethnically straight’

[Fearless]

The statistician and writer, 34, who came out to his parents after spending a year in London studying economics, said in an interview with Out Magazine, which named him Person of the Year 2012:

“For me, I think the most important distinguishing characteristic is that I’m independent-minded,” Silver, 34, tells the magazine. “I’m sure that being gay encouraged the independent-mindedness, but that same independent-mindedness makes me a little bit skeptical of parts of gay culture, I suppose.”

Talking about a series of flagpoles in Chicago, erected as memorials to gay Americans, he said:

“There was one little plaque for Keith Haring, and it was, like, ‘Keith Haring, gay American artist, 1962 to 1981,’ or whatever [actually 1958 to 1990], and I was like, Why isn’t he just an American artist? I don’t want to be Nate Silver, gay statistician, any more than I want to be known as a white, half-Jewish statistician who lives in New York.”

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2012/12/19/nate-silver-my-friends-describe-me-as-sexually-gay-but-ethnically-straight/

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How else to piss of the Republicans... hmm... Hard to top this one..

[Skittles]

1. I am really digging Mr. Silver

his wisdom goes far beyond statistics

[FreeState]

2. Uggh - wish I had never read this

I love Nates work. I really do. However, to me, he comes across as an arrogant ass here. If he has to tell others he's "independent-minded" he's not.

He's skeptical of parts of the gay community? What the fuck does that even mean? Your skeptical of the example of calling a gay artist a gay artist? You don't see the importance there, because your "independent-minded"? Seriously?

Keith Hatring was a gay artist - he produced art that was gay themed in the height of the HIV crisis in in the 1980s. You take away the fact that he was gay, his work loses much of it's meaning, it loses the history and the reasons.

Sorry Nate - your not independent and quite frankly you don't understand art history. Stick to stats.












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[LostinRed]

4. Hmm...I watched the Harting documentary on Netflix

He was much more than just a gay artist. I see Nate's point. No one wants to be defined as just gay that's what we're all working towards to.

[William769]

3. Recommended.

[closeupready]

5. Another self-hating gay man.

Sad, but very common.

[Fearless]

6. I don't think he's self-hating

I think what he means to say is that he'd rather be known for his hard work rather than a happenstance of birth. Controversial, yes, nuanced of course, but I don't think it's self-hating. IMHO of course.

[closeupready]

7. Maybe so.

Just sounds like he's saying, "I could pass, if I wanted to."

[Fearless]

8. Perhaps he could, perhaps not.

Never met the man. But, I don't see why there should be a stigma for either potential situation. Had he said, I only want to pass... I'd see it as a much more self-hating statement.

[Scruffy Rumbler]

9. Well isn't he lucky to live in a world now where

he can chose to identify as gay or not and have it be ok. It is interesting living through this time period where we went from no roll models to being proud to call ourselves Gay (insert occupation) to criticizing those that still wish to be 'quaint' and call themselves Gay.

[Fearless]

10. That's not really what he said...

More like, he'd prefer that if he's going to be recognized for something that it's the hard work he puts into his chosen career instead of what is his with no effort by birth.