what do langston hughes, eleanor roosevelt, socrates, and tchaikovsky all have in common? according to this, they’re all gay. according to an article in the times this morning, joining their illustrious ranks is nietzsche himself. i’m astounded and a little skeptical. what suffices as proof? were they videotaped? did they confess a questionable dream to their posthumously-published diaries, or some experiment to a linda tripp?
moreover, just as people asked when dc erected the statue of FDR in the new memorial, how would they feel about being portrayed in a way they chose not to portray themselves? so far as i know, wagner, woolf, and susan b. anthony were happily – or at least contentedly – closeted in life. how much do their preferences matter after death? which should matter more: respecting their assumed wishes or the greater good of the icon-hungry community?
scratch that last: this seems to confirm the bit about susan b. and this makes it more than clear. god, i guess i’m out of it. {original link from the reliable guys of malpractice}