Rufus Wainwright's Gay Marriage Remarks Whip Up Controversy

Rufus Wainwright wants to make something clear—he's not against gay marriage.

Still, he has been portrayed as being against gay marriage—especially by the online media—after a recent interview with New York Press. When asked by the newspaper how he felt about the passage of Prop 8, Rufus mused, "Oddly enough, I'm actually not a huge gay marriage supporter."

That said, he went on to tell the newspaper that he didn't think the government had any right to tell people whom they could or couldn't marry. More specifically, Rufus said, "I personally don't want to get married, but I think that any law or amendment to the constitution that deals with sex and love should just be banned in general. I don't think any government should encroach on what goes on in the bedroom at all. Frankly, if you want to marry a dog, why don't you go ahead and marry a dog, I don't care. I'm a complete libertarian, and so I really disagree with it."

If anything, Rufus, who has long fought for gay rights and actually took part in the Human Right Campaign's Rock To Win concert at the Democratic National Convention this past summer, is probably guilty of not expressing himself to the best of his ability. If he had been thinking about how the remark might be perceived, he probably wouldn't have said, "Oddly enough, I'm not a huge gay marriage supporter."

Anyway, Rufus felt the heat this week when a number of Internet sites picked up the story, taking his quote out of context and blaring the headline "I'm not a huge gay marriage supporter."

So the singer posted a note on his blog today clarifying his thoughts, writing, "…to set the record straight (or shall we say gay?), I am not nor have I ever been opposed to anyone's right to marry—straight or gay. I myself just don't want to at the moment and feel a strong tie to the traditional bohemian concept of being a homosexual, ie: the last thing we want is to be like everybody else. But who knows, a girl likes options. Maybe someday I will want to marry! Plus in terms of practical issues such as citizenship, taxes, inheritance, etc…it is appalling that LGBT couples don't have the same rights and options that other people have, and compared with Europe and Canada, the US should be ashamed of how they treat love. I have voiced my strong opposition to Prop 8 on many occasions and will continue to do so until that referendum is reversed. OK? I've got to get back to work now."

OK, Rufus.

So what do you make of the brouhaha? Was all the fuss understandable, and should celebrities like Rufus be more careful when they speak about hot-button issues?

(Image courtesy of Getty)

Comments

[Brent]

Obviously, being openly gay, Rufus Wainright wouldn't be "opposed" to gay marriage for the same "moral" reasons more right-leaning people would.

[Me]

Personally I don't see what the big controversy is over his remark. I agree with him in taking the less personal approach of realizing that this is a bigger issue than just gay marriage and has to do with fundamental rights that a government should not be able to take from any citizen. Last I checked i could have sworn this country had a separation of church and state too....

ps. they should ban all marriage in order to reduce the amount of divorces.

[ShadlovesAnita]

He's exactly right, but then again, if gays want to be as miserable as straight people they should have that option. Why the conservatives aren't jumping all of this I'll never know...they are against government encrouchment until its something they don't like, which again makes no sense...government interference is the same all around.

[corrective_unconscious]

That was helpful he brought up the concept of marrying your dog. That's a really good strategery for advancing queer rights. Meanwhile, his career has descended into muzak mixed with kitsch.

[Jose M. Gutierrez]

To each his own. He's ok. He supports gay marriage. He just doesn't want to get married himself. It's his choice. I do want to get married someday and I cried when I came to the conclusion that I'm really gay. We don't have the same rights as the straight relationships and we have a stigma created by some old, pretty much oudated book. There are some good rules we still live by, but I'm sorry a black person couldn't even marry a white person at one point in life, but now our new president is mixed. Can you belive that? I believe! I have hope that we will have a very bright future and that we will all be happy. PEACE!