Joan Collins delivers a masterclass in how not to react when somebody comes out as gay
Joan Collins spoke out on Good Morning Britain
In case you’ve ever wondered how not to react to somebody coming out, Joan Collins has volunteered herself to demonstrate everything you shouldn’t do.
During a panel discussion on Good Morning Britain on Monday, the actress responded to ITV presenter Phillip Schofield coming out as gay.
After the panel hailed the “brave” TV host, Collins said: “I haven’t been in England, but, what was the reason he suddenly felt he needed to go public with this, when a lot of people already knew? I mean, we all knew.”
Joan Collins says it’s ‘odd’ to come out because ‘everybody already knew’.
Collins continued: “What I thought when I saw it, was, ‘Why does he have to do that?’
“I mean, it seemed like he was living a fine life. Everybody who knew him knew that he was gay, why does he want to tell everybody or confess, as it were?
“It’s such a normal, and we so take for granted today that people are gay or lesbian or trans or whatever, that it seems a little odd to make a big pronouncement.”
Collins’ questioning was promptly hailed as “excellent work” by Katie Hopkins on Twitter, which pretty much serves as judgement in itself.
However, in case it needs to be pointed out, “everybody knew” is not a particularly helpful reaction to someone coming out as gay – particularly when they do so while explaining that they struggled with their sexuality across 27 years of marriage.
While we’re at it, queer people don’t “confess” their sexuality because it’s not an indiscretion, and there’s plenty of reasons why people might want to tell the world about their sexuality – not least giving a visible role model to people still in the closet.
Joan Collins attends the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscar Party. (David Crotty/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)
Kelly Osborne: Phillip Schofield coming out ‘is going to help many people’.
Thankfully, not everyone on the panel was totally ignorant.
However, Kelly Osborne made clear: “I think it’s beautiful to see somebody living their truth. I think, whatever the situation is, if you don’t feel you can be who you really are, it’s a hard place to be.
“To see him come out with his best friend and do it so lovingly, I cried watching that interview because you just see a weight being lifted off of somebody’s shoulders.
“It’s going to help so many people in his situation, male or female.”
She added: “I loved Phillip Schofield when I thought he was straight, and I love Phillip Schofield now that I know he is gay, and it makes no difference to me.”
