Earlier this month Josh Hutcherson gave gave a candid interview to "Out Magazine." Hutcherson is an up and coming actor whose latest film release was "Hunger Games."
Hutcherson turned 21 years old on October 12th. He was born in Union, Kentucky, a state not noted for its liberal or cutting edge social values. However, in the "Out" interview, Hutcherson held nothing back while discussing who he is and his views on his own sexuality.
At one point in the interview while replying to a question on his own sexuality, he replied:
"I would probably list myself as mostly straight," Maybe I could say right now I'm 100 percent straight. But who knows? In a fucking year, I could meet a guy and be like, 'Whoa, I'm attracted to this person … I've met guys all the time that I'm like, 'Damn, that's a good-looking guy,' you know? I've never been, like, 'Oh, I want to kiss that guy.' I really love women. But I think defining yourself as 100% anything is kind of near-sighted and close-minded."
"I have this dream that one day, my kid's gonna come home from school and be like, 'Dad, there's this girl that I like, and there's this guy that I like, and I don't know which one I like more, and I don't know what to do.' And it'd just be a non-issue, like, 'Which one is a good person? Which one makes you laugh more?'"
A growing number of Americans of all ages can and do identify with Hutcherson's dream for a time when sexuality is a non-issue for their children and grandchildren.
Hutcherson went on to explain how his opinions on sexuality were shaped, in part, by the deaths of his two gay uncles in the AIDS epidemic of the 1990"s. His uncle Steve died only one day after his mother revealed to her brother that she was pregnant with Josh. Hutcherson told "Out" he was sorry he never met his uncles.
"…they sound amazing," he said.
In "The Hunger Games," Hutcherson plays the part of Peeta, a baker's son in the poor District 12. He finds himself in triangle amoureux with heroine Katniss and her life long male friend Gale. "Out"asked Hutcherson if he thought some of Peeta's problems could have been solved by a threesome, he thought it was a great idea. He said he was even going to pitch the idea for the sequels.
Hutcherson has been active in GLBT causes and willing to use his fame for the good of the GLBT community.
In 2012, Hutcherson was presented with the Vanguard Award by GLAAD in recognition of his work, an honor that's given to a straight ally who fights for GLBT equality.
In his acceptance speech, he spoke about why he launched Straight But Not Narrow, a group dedicated to providing straight people with tools to fight against homophobia.
"We wanted to create a place where straight people felt safe coming out and saying, 'It’s okay to be gay,'" he said. "And I didn't know one, so we decided we were going to make one and we have. It's gaining momentum and it means the world to me."
Clearly Josh Hutcherson is a seeker and supporter of change in America's views on sexuality. There is evidence that he and others like him are the vanguard of a movement which will result in extraordinary change in our sexual morés. Here's wishing him success.
Jack Scott
Love this interview. thank you for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteHugs
Ray
Thanks Ray, as an old man on the short side of time, it is alway a comfort to me to discover young men and women I think worthy of changing the world for the better. Hutcherson seems to be one of those youngsters.
ReplyDeleteI've been fortunate to meet others personally who give me great hope for the future. The world is going to chance radically in the next few decades. That is a given. The question is, does it change for the better or for the worse. Thoughtful and activist young people will determine the answer to that question. Let's hope they do a better job of working for the good of America and passing down the values of our forefathers than the current crop of American leaders.
Jack Scott
A very interesting and encouraging post.
ReplyDeleteThanks Westernstock. I appreciate your interest.
ReplyDeleteJack Scott
This is interesting. How the world has changed in 30 years. Nobody would have said stuff like this in a public interview back then. What an amazing (and positive) shift in attitudes that has occurred.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds to me like he says who you choose to have sex with is a choice. Seeing that his two uncles died of AIDS it's unclear why he would go the gay route. It's nobody's business what he does in private but as a public figure he'll now be under intense scrutiny.
ReplyDeleteYou've made a fundamental error in interpreting his comments. I think what he was saying is that as either a gay, straight or bisexual person, who you have sex with is a choice.
DeleteHe did not say that ones basic sexual orientation (gay, straight or bisexual is a choice. It's not. It is bestowed upon one at birth. Judging by his comments, he is a bisexual man. That won't change. But whether or not he acts on his ability to have sex with a man or a woman or both is his choice.
Further, just like straight men, whatever choice he makes will be modified by those he is attracted to. Contrary to public opinion homosexual men are not attracted to every male that comes along. Within the confines of his homosexuality, he makes choices about which man to have sex with. He can even make the choice to have no sex at all as some straight men do.