I was having a conversation recently about how even if I was Tyler Perry's advisor I'd never tell him to come out the closet (we all think he's gay right? Am I being a lout right now?) because his fanbase of Christian black women would abandon him. But I felt that was cynical and only perpetuated the mindset, and besides, how can we be sure they'd abandon him?

But, assuming this Whitney rumour you bandy about is true, I think there is a perceived economic disincentive to encourage Luther, or Whitney, or whoever to come out. I believe there had to have been reams of data and research printed up before that infamous LA Law lesbian kiss, or Ellen came out on her show. There has to have been trending that indicated that a strong enough number of white women were okay with that before the heads pulled the trigger.

I think until black women vocalise their acceptance of gay black men and women and financially support one, no one is coming out. They'd have to be a popular figure to breach that topic, that could financially afford to. I think the only one who can reasonably do that is Queen Latifah, I think Whitney would have been derided and mocked is she came out, assuming she was gay.