Openly gay man wins gold in Beijing (NBC ignores his partner in the stands)

[Bluebear]

Diver Matthew Mitcham, the only openly gay male athlete in the Beijing Olympics, won gold in the 10m platform. He beat Chinese favorite Zhou Luxin by 4.8 points, preventing China from sweeping gold in diving events. Mitcham is the first Aussie to win diving gold since 1924, but that's not the only thing that makes him a trailblazer.

He is hardly the first gay athlete to compete but he is one of the first to be out while competing. American diver Greg Louganis did not share his orientation until his diving career was over. To Mitcham, he is just living his life as a gay man and as a diver, and there is nothing extraordinary about that:

“Being gay and diving are completely separate parts of my life. Of course there’s going to be crossover because some people have issues, but everyone I dive with has been so supportive."

NBC did not mention Mitcham's orientation, nor did they show his family and partner who were in the stands. NBC has made athletes' significant others a part of the coverage in the past, choosing to spotlight track athlete Sanya Richards' fiancee, a love triangle between French and Italian swimmers and Kerri Walsh's wedding ring debacle.

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/beijing/blog/fourth_place_medal/post/Openly-gay-diver-wins-gold?urn=oly,102974

[loveable liberal]

1. Because first its diving, NEXT ITS THE WORLD!!!!!

NBC sucks and Costas is a boob.

[TahitiNut]

15. I see you read the offical Gay Agenda, too.

:silly: :dunce:

[AnnieBW]

132. I know if you convert someone you get a toaster...

If he converts someone, does he get a six-pack of Fosters? Or vegemite on toast? :D

Gay, straight, or anything in between, he kicked some serious Chinese ass! Aussie, Aussie! Oy! Oy! Oy!

[ColbertWatcher]

18. Diving is a gateway sport! n/t

[helderheid]

55. !!!

:spray: :rofl: DUZY!!

[Kurovski]

116. Certainly, muff-diving must denote an arrival of sorts.

[Dukkha]

119. well it is a water sport and has "diving"

must...resist... dozens of...inuendos!

[keopeli]

2. He dove fantastically well...

...and he's damn cute, too! God, I love Olympic Diving!

It's possible NBC didn't show his family because he came from behind at the last minute with an incredible dive, and he's an Australian. Still, I wish they'd shown his partner! That've been cool...

[dsc]

26. they showed a cheering section for him

He came from second place not twelvth.

[baldguy]

28. He's Australian? Well, that explains it!

[Kajsa]

81. Yes he did!

I was watching him last night and cheered him on.

He's got such a great smile and personality.

I'm so happy he won Gold!

:woohoo: :toast:

[AlCzervik]

3. That's going to make everyone gay you know.

Nbc should just fuck right off.

[MNBrewer]

14. Everyone I know IS gay ;)

well, not REALLY gay.

[rebel with a cause]

107. you mean they are not REALLY happy?

;)

[bluestateguy]

4. I wish NBC would just can it with the personal drama and stories

and stick to the sports.

[Common Sense Party]

8. Amen to that.

Guess what, NBC? We don't CARE about the athletes' backstories! Just show us the damn events!

[beac]

9. Amen.

I especially hate it when they've clearly had to "dig" to find something mildly fuzzy-focus-and-soaring-strings-worthy to base the profile on like, "Though it meant leaving her pet hamster at home recovering from a sprained paw, Sally decided nothing would get in the way of her Olympic dream. And tonight she credits her gold-medal performance to Mister Sniffles and his example of incredible bravery and courage." :puke:

[ColbertWatcher]

19. You're new here (welcome to DU, btw) so let me explain something to you ...

...we don't tolerate hamster-bashing here.

Mister Sniffles is a proud Hamster-American and deserves your respect.

[Number23]

23. Yeah!!

we don't tolerate hamster-bashing here.

How I wish I could make Mr. (Animated) Sniffles my new avatar....

[beac]

24. You're right.

We can all learn a lot from Mister Sniffles. My bad. :cry:



(Maybe McCain should pick Mister Sniffles as his running mate. He's young, dynamic, has only one house and has lived in captivity all his life. ;) )

[ColbertWatcher]

80. Well played! n/t

[yardwork]

95. LOL! I see that you fit right in around here!

Already have a DUzy award, too. No surprise.

[LibertyLover]

56. Hamsters -Bah

To get real news you have to watch BBC and its stellar coverage of the Guinea Pig Olympics. Why the high jump worls record was broken during this year's GPO - and a new world's record of 3 inches was set. Mr. Snuffles indeed. Besides, rats rule!

[Arugula Latte]

71. Please, people. Do we have to reopen the wounds of the DU Rodent War?

Haven't we all had enough of all this nonsense of "Gerbils are backstabbers" and "Nutria are shiftless" and "Voles are uppity" and "Squirrels can't be trusted because they're, um, squirrelly."

Enough, already! Let's get united behind all our rodents!

[demobabe]

73. I'm from the herpetologist faction.

Rodents are snake food. How's that for unity? ;)

[rebel with a cause]

108. My favorite line from the Animal Planet was from the Vet

who said, "It's nice of her to save the rabbit, but someone has to love the snake to. The poor snake has to eat too."

Don't get me wrong, I couldn't feed a live animal to a snake. I would have been the woman rescuing the rabbit from my boyfriends snakes cage, but the way the doctor said it and I know it's true. If you are going to own a snake you have to feed it.

[demobabe]

110. I can't feed live animals to snakes, either!

I actually kept iguanas as pets. They're vegans. Huge amount of work went into feeding them...

[beac]

112. I think the only animals I could bear to feed to a snake

would be Dick Cheney & George Bush.

Oh, and John McCain... John Bolton... Donald Rumsfeld... Paul Wolfowitz... Rush Limbaugh... Sean Hannity... Ann Coulter...


I think I'm gonna need some more snakes. ;)

[spanone]

78. mr sniffles

gotta luv 'im

[Flying Dream Blues]

127. Bwahahahaha! Welcome to DU! nt

[Kajsa]

84. Unless it directly relates to the sport,

as it did in his case.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=3846210&mesg_id=3848288

[Zuiderelle]

86. Aside from the fact that that's a very rude reply in this particular thread...

It's BECAUSE of the personal drama and stories that this is so significant. Because, for DECADES they have ignored the personal drama stories related to gay athletes, or in most cases the athletes were closeted so there was nothing known or said about them personally.

The POINT is that we have at least now come so far that someone 1. can be openly gay as an Olympic athlete and 2. that the media cares about it as they do for straight stories (it's far from as much as they care about straight lives, but it's something).

[begin_within]

97. I'll disagree with that.

When ABC did the Olympics, their "Up Close and Personal" segments were illuminating and insightful. They actually let you know who the person was. NBC's, by contrast, are cold, clinical, snazzed up with fancy editing, but don't even approach the essence of the person. They are just little technical exercises for NBC's production crew. ABC's were much better and were entirely appropriate to the broadcast. The human interest aspect is part of the whole Olympic experience and should be reported on, in my opinion.

[JonLP24]

130. I agree with you and the other poster

If it is relevant then it is appropiate. Like someone's upbringing to help you know someone that you don't know probaly because he/she is from the other side of the world is good for the olympics.

[Barack_America]

5. I watched that and they DID show some of his supporters in the stands...

Now whether they were his family or his teammates, I don't know. They didn't show many shots of them (as they were focused on the American athletes' families).

He pulled off a fantastic feat as well. It was amazing to watch.

[ColbertWatcher]

22. I've seen when they show American supporters in the stands ...

... naturally they have their names.

But even when they don't there is always someone talking about who they're showing and what they're doing (as if we're unable to discern such mysteries by viewing the screen ourselves).

Nonetheless, NBC's Olympics coverage has sucked.

[cbayer]

6. He was fabulous. What a great win!

Big hug to him for being out and cheers to his family, and especially his partner, for all they have done for him.

Small steps make all the difference in the long run.

[Egnever]

7. NBC's coverage has sucked completely

This is just one more example of its suckage.

[malaise]

34. Ditto

The perfect example is that the rest of the world just watched a fabulous closing ceremony live while NBC will show it tonight.

[man4allcats]

10. He was really fantastic.

I saw it on the TV at a local bar since I don't have cable. I suspected he was gay from watching his performance, but of course there was no mention of it, as well there should not have been since it had nothing to do with anything outside of his personal life. He is a great diver! Congrats to him on a spectacular performance and a spectacular achievement!

[HowHasItComeToThis]

11. IT'S THE BOTTOM LINE.... GENERAL ELECTRIC

JUST STAY TUND=ED FOR THE NEXT COMMERCIAL

[man4allcats]

13. Trust me on this one ...

I'm way past the next commercial. :-)

[dsc]

29. If he had been a married, or even engaged diver whose female partner

had helped him through personal troubles (that they mentioned) you can bet she would have been mentioned.

[crimsonblue]

12. I guarantee if it was two smoking lesbians

NBC would be on the story like white on rice.

[harun]

43. LOL, I think you are right

[Beregond2]

16. There hasn't been decent Olympics coverage since ABC lost it.

I miss Roone Arledge.

[begin_within]

58. Thank you! I agree totally.

ABC's coverage of the Olympics had heart and soul. Sometimes they made gaffes, such as David Santee shoving a microphone in Brian Orser's face after telling him bluntly, "You're in second place." But for the most part ABC's coverage was real and vibrant and emotion-packed and you felt like you were really there. NBC's coverage ever since they started doing it, and continuing until today, is cold and clinical. Bob Costas hurts the broadcast immensely, but it's also the producers' fault for choosing technical perfection over passion.

[Beregond2]

100. You nailed it. No passion.

Why should we care when they so clearly don't? That old ABC team were really invested in it, and it showed.

[readmoreoften]

17. Gosh. Get him off the air. Just looking at this guy is making me gay...

Oh wait. I'm already gay!

[JI7]

20. isn't Michael Phelps gay ?

i know Phelps is single, but i thought he was openly gay.

[Bluenorthwest]

69. Never heard that before

The only words I've head out of Phelps have been drooling over GW Bush. That is the full information I need to say, cute guy, good swimmer, NEXT!

[Arnold Judas Rimmer]

113. I don't think so, but let's spread the rumor anyway.

Just so you can see the Westboro Baptist Church hate cult walking around with signs that say "GOD HATES PHELPS!!" :rofl:

[AnnieBW]

131. Not that I know of

He's dated women, so he's probably bi.

[Behind the Aegis]

21. Congrats on being able to get two "firsts!"

Congrats to the Aussies and to us gays!

[underpants]

25. I actually watched that and he was CLUTCH when he had to be

He nailed a gold medal dive when he had to

gay or not that was CLUTCH

[Darth_Kitten]

27. Lots of medalists aren't gay, so what's the story?

Olympics are about achievements in SPORT. Sorry, but I don't see how this is an issue. People are gay, people aren't gay.....let's move on.

[dsc]

30. He is a defacto married man whose spouse was in the arena

and was ignored. This by people who go into great detail about other athletes' lives.

[Darth_Kitten]

35. But weren't his supporters including his partner shown?

:shrug:

[dsc]

37. I have no idea if his partner was among those people or not

since NBC didn't bother to tell us. We heard endlessly about the American diver's parents.

[Chovexani]

39. It's right there in the subject line.

[Darth_Kitten]

64. Read down.....

n/t

[Bluebear]

92. No, his teammates and coaches were shown, not his family.

[marmar]

31. NBC: We can acknowledge that he's gay, but we can't show his partner.....

..... That would be so, you know, 21st century.

[dsc]

32. they didn't acknowledge his being gay either

[marmar]

33. No?.....I was watching coverage on the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corp.) and they did....

.... and they showed his partner.

[Darth_Kitten]

36. Maybe Americans have it in for Australians......

Australians and Canadians have some unique bond. :)

[Obamanaut]

42. Was there mention of any other athlete's sexual orientation? nt

[dsc]

44. well the wedding ring thing would make one presumedly straight

that is mentioned in the article linked in the post.

[Obamanaut]

62. The wedding ring thing? Don't some of the GLBT community

wear rings to show commitment? So, how does "...the wedding ring thing make one presumedly (sic) straight..."?

[dsc]

63. It was a story about some athlete having trouble with a wedding ring

give me an ever loving break. You can't seriously not see my point. It is one thing to totally ignore everyone's personal life, but quite another to devote time to all the straight athletes' lives and then ignore the only gay athlete's.

[LeftHander]

38. I loved how he waved at the camera after each dive...

He is such a nelly...

after NBC mentioned he walked away from diving to cope with family "issues" my bitter bitch partner said "he's gay"

And when he waved and giggled after his dive... I said...oh yeah....totally.

[dsc]

41. Yea his first wave told me he was gay as all get out.

I read an interview about his coming out to him mom (at age 14) who just said 'duh'

[IndyOp]

51. Slightly off topic - but in regards to Matthew's mom's response to his coming out...

Do you remember the scene in "Love Actually" when Liam Neeson is talking to his step-son about a crush the boy has on someone in his school class and Neeson is trying to find out who the boy's object of affection is and he gently inserts the phrase "whoever she - or he - might be..."

Imagine a time when coming out is either responded to with "duh" and a hug or and "ah ha - he!" and a hug...

No big deal. No bigger deal than anyone else's first crush -- which is always a HUGE deal anyway.

:hi:

[dsc]

52. Never saw the film but I may have to search for it

but yea, it would be great for it to be no big deal.

[IndyOp]

54. It is a wonderful, heartwarming film!

Hugh Grant plays Tony Blair and gives George Bush a (figurative) black eye! I cheered outloud in the movie theater. :applause:

The "love" in the title is an expansive view of love -- I'd tell you more, but I don't want to give some of the sweetest parts away. It was released in 2003, so the video is available everywhere.

http://www.loveactually.com/

[Ignis]

123. Seconded.

What an absolutely amazing film.

"Shake Dat Ass!"

:rofl:

[dsc]

40. A video of him being interviewed with him mother and his partner

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/video/?vxSiteId=6eb02996-d2d9-45cc-bb79-8b5b3340f4f8&vxChannel=Olympics&vxClipId=1383_369770&vxBitrate=300

[IndyOp]

45. His partner is a hunk and a half! They look like a great couple -

I am sure they both worked really hard to Matthew to do as amazingly well as he did.

:hi:

[dsc]

47. yeah they are a very cute couple

and so comfortable with each other. He has done both Aussies and gays proud.

[rebel with a cause]

109. I actually think that Matthew is the cutest.

Just my opinion. :shrug:

But they did seem very happy. How about the kiss Matthew sent. Was that to him?

[Duncan Grant]

68. Thanks for posting that link, dsc.

:thumbsup:

[LostInAnomie]

46. Good thing they put chlorine in those pools...

... I'd hate for the other divers to catch the Gay. :hide:

[deaniac21]

48. Oh, the humanity!

[roamer65]

49. He'll be a national hero in Australia regardless of his sexual orientation.

After traveling there and seeing it, Australia is just light years more progressive than we are in the USA.

Plus, Aussies love sports and that will trump the "gay thing" down under.

[dsc]

50. I really do hope so

I don't know much about Australia but I do hope he gets his fair share of endorsements and Aussie love.

[demobabe]

72. They have similar right wing problems down there

Have friends down there that complain about it all the time.

But still, based on the rude craziness that has become American culture, I can't imagine any country comparing to the insanity we have here.

[Jennifer C]

105. I'm in Australia

He's all over the TV down here, everyone loves him and are so proud!

[roamer65]

53. Yahoo is sticking it to NBC on it.

Their main site mentioned a bit that he is openly gay and that NBC did not even mention it.

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/beijing/blog/fourth_place_medal/post/Openly-gay-diver-wins-gold;_ylt=AiJB8Tul2MTJucNFm0zof8cazJV4?urn=oly,102974

They take a good stab at NBC on it and rightly so. NBC's coverage sucks anyway, long before this snafu.

[dsc]

57. another great video (this one on NBC's site)

http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/player.html?assetid=0823_hd_dvm_au_l1789r7&channelcode=sportdv

Go to the full medal ceremony video and you will see him go into the stands and kiss his mom and his man.

[bridgit]

59. I didn't hear anyone mention anybody's "orientation". Why are only G&L people...

expected to have their "orientation" reviewed to the satisfaction of others?

[dsc]

61. So NBC never, not even one time in these games, showed us a spouse,

girl friend, or fiancee of any athlete? Bluntly speaking I find that very, very, hard to believe.

[bridgit]

66. Negative. You aren't referring to "orientation"...

Or the definitions, however subliminal, of: 'spouse', 'girl friend', 'fiancee', etc, or the "orientation" of any of them if in the event they made the big TV. I'm less inclined to search hours upon hours of unseen/un-broadcast Olympic events. So we're really only referencing one athlete, one Olympic event, one OP, still...

You may have seen as did I as did the world for that matter; plenty of Phelps' mom applying lipstick in the stands knowing full well the cameras would be on her in short-order during her son's run-up to breaking several world & Olympic records to date. But did you hear of Phelps' "orientation" in the process? His sexual "orientation"? If that's indeed what you're referring to here.

If we are to focus on the absence of such mention, I'd think we would start with this presidential election cycle itself. Wherein there is woefully little talk regarding these important human issues.

[dsc]

74. I admit I didn't watch the Olympics much this year

but I did read the OP and the linked article. Both made clear that NBC was more than willing to discuss spouses, fiancees etc. Matt's male partner, the person Matt says got him through the personal problems he had (which NBC mentioned) was in the stands. Yet we never saw him nor was he spoken of. This after they apparently both showed and spoke of several other athletes opposite gender spouses. That I have a problem with.

[Duncan Grant]

65. Because gay history and achievement is made invisible. Some of us want to claim it.

Matthew Mitcham is out -- as out as one can be. I haven't seen an interview yet where he doesn't come out.

It's my opinion that NBC didn't mention Mitcham's orientation in order to not offend shit-for-brains-straight-America.

[bridgit]

67. This much is, sadly, completely understood...

"to not offend shit-for-brains-straight-America"

[Name removed]

60. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[endthewar]

70. " ignores his partner in the stands"

Is it normal to cut to the spouse during the medal ceremony? This is very rarely done in the Olympic games I've watched. Seems like this is normal treatment if you ask me. Sanya Richards' fiancee is a cornerback for the Superbowl New York Giants. This is a slightly interesting cornball story because you can joke about which one of them is fastest (yuk, yuk, yuk).

[dsc]

75. they repeatedly, during the same event, cut to the parents of

one American diver and the family of another. They did show a cheering section for Matt but didn't ID anyone in it. I don't think his family was in that section but I am not sure.

[endthewar]

76. His partner should have been making a fool of himself

Seems like that's the best way to get the cameras on you. :rofl:

[renie408]

77. Seriously. Seriously....isn't there ANYTHING else for you to get outraged over? This is pretty weak.

[FreeState]

79. how is this weak?

GLBT persons are constantly attacted by the right wing for not having stable relationships. Wonder why people believe that lie, couldn't be that the media refuses to ever show or aknowladge stable successful gays in relationships?

[renie408]

82. Can anybody prove that NBC REFUSED to show the partner?

I have been watching the programming for two weeks. They haven't shown ALL the partners, family members or parents at the Games. They have oftentimes cut to family members in the audience without saying specifically who they are. I dunno, it just seems to me that arguments like these distract from the real issue. There is a legitimate point here. But if getting OUTRAGED over NBC not specifically pointing out the life partner of an Olympic diver is the only way to show support for gays...well, again, I dunno. I get outraged and furious when little boys in Texas who cross dress are shot for being different and the CNN commentator says, "He lived in a group home, so he didn't have parents to tell him not to go out like that." As if it was HIS fault for cross dressing. Get outraged over that and I am right there with you.

This NBC crap feels like reaching to me.

[FreeState]

85. It may feel like reaching to you, but to the marginalized its par for the course n/t

[Duncan Grant]

88. You're the only person to use the word REFUSED in this thread.

I've been watching the programming for 2 weeks, too.

The argument I'm reading here is about the previous "human interest" angles used in the stories about athletes. I think it's perfectly legitimate to ask questions about the coverage.

[Bluebear]

93. Seriously, seriously, you have more posts on the thread than anyone else. Who is outraged?

[EFerrari]

102. No. It's not weak. Gay partners get disappeared all that time.

THAT is weak.

[Kajsa]

83. What makes his diving so remarkable was explained

by the announcer before his dives.

Mitcham got out of diving for a few years to take
care of some personal/family issues.

He just came back one year ago.

:wow:

The guy has been training for ONLY ONE YEAR
and dives like he did last night--WOW!!!

Outstanding!!

[LisaL]

87. Should they have shared his orientation?

He is gay, gay, I tell ya.

[Duncan Grant]

89. He's been out in all of his interviews.

Why not cover the "Gay Athletics" angle? Mitcham has made it a central theme in his Olympic story.

[alarimer]

90. I am so glad someone beat the Chinese.

I did not want them to win all the golds in diving.

[IndianaJones]

91. man, this thread could really get a persons blood pressure up. congrats to the diver. nt.

[Bluebear]

94. Not surprising though, is it?

[insleeforprez]

96. Could it be that...

... no one expected him to win, so they didn't feel the need to make a story out of him beforehand?

Remember, he was Australian, not American, and NBC (rightly or wrongly) focuses on the Americans. I can't say that they showed any of the Chinese divers' spouses. I think NBC here was being consistent.

However, I understand the general frustration in the gay community; whenever a gay person does something bad, the "gay" element seems to be played up. Whenever a gay person does something good, it's nowhere to be seen. I have nothing with which to back that up, it's just how it seems.

[FreeState]

98. Doubtful - there was an Italian boxer today that was not expected to take gold

but they showed his supporters in the crowd and named each one and said how they were related.

[QC]

99. THE SHOCKING VIDEO NBC DOESN'T WANT YOU TO SEE!!!!!

http://outsports.com/olympics2008/2008/08/24/matthew-mitcham-talks-with-partner-at-side/

WARNING: GRAPHIC AND SUBVERSIVE MATERIAL!!

[EFerrari]

101. OMFG. Kissing and hugging.

Now this thread has to be locked.

lol

What a great family.

[QC]

103. OMG!! DON'T LOOK!!! IT WILL TURN YOU INTO A NELLIE!!!

WON'T SOMEONE PLEASE THINK OF THE CHILDREN???!

[davidinalameda]

128. WAAAAAYYYY TOO LATE

I've been nelly for too long!

:rofl:

[JanMichael]

124. Thank you for posting that

Really very cool!

wtf is up with NBC?

[QC]

126. THEY DON'T WANT OUR CHILDREN TO TURN ALL NELLY!1!!11 n/t

[Solon]

104. There are quite a few assholes in this thread, no surprise that...

insensitivity towards gay people is so acceptable on this board.

[QC]

118. Homophobes are a lot more comfortable around here lately

than in the past. Interesting, isn't it?

[Name removed]

106. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Skittles]

111. it only takes one to pave the way

kudos to Mr. Mitcham and shame on NBC

[Name removed]

114. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[madinmaryland]

115. It was an incredible dive! What does his orientation have to do with it??

[Bluebear]

117. Because gay partners are "disappeared" all the time. You try being a "special friend" at a funeral

for example. And in this instance, NBC specifically chose to ignore the story of his family.

[libnnc]

122. "You try being a 'special friend' at a funeral" .....

Funeral or a wedding or a graduation or at Thanksgiving dinner or at Christmas Eve Love Feast or at ________________________.

Straight people have NEVER been in that situation and I'm afraid most will never "get it".


The awkward pause before the sanitized introduction...

Yep. It's a constant reminder.

[JanMichael]

125. and many of us do

Hey, we are in NC---drop us a PM--- We should really think about a NC DU get-together before the next selection.

[begin_within]

120. They can talk about Michael Phelps' dog, Kerri Walsh's wedding ring getting lost in the sand,

and Dara Torres the Amazing Single Mother, yet they won't mention Matt's boyfriend.

[insleeforprez]

121. My view of this is not of outrage, just mild disappointment.

My reaction to them not mentioning his orientation is similar to my reaction to NBC not airing my sport (crew) live. I'm disappointed that they didn't mention something that I am interested in, but if they think it's not worth it, so be it. I don't think there was censorship going on.

[JonLP24]

129. I wish NBC would ignore everyone in the stands especially Bush

[musicblind]

133. Thomas Finchum and David Boudia of the American diving team are also gay

I don't know if they are out or not, but they are gay. It is easy to tell if someone is gay if you know what to look for. I can say that as a gay person with a psychology degree who did his final research project on the subject. Gaydar is backed by scientific research and Thomas Finchum and David Boudia are both gay.