On Adam Lambert and the AMA Outrage

Whatever else is being said, whatever recriminations are still being hurled, we were delighted by Adam's performance at the AMAs on Sunday night. Adam may have dedicated that performance to Out with his upraised finger, but the outrage that followed simply served to clarify our original point. As Adam said in an interview with Rolling

Language is slippery and many commentators mistakenly interpreted the editor's letter as an attack on Adam for not being gay enough, rather than a critique of the record industry's conservatism and timidity. It was addressed to Adam, but could have been addressed to any number of celebrities who have been encouraged to limit their exposure in the gay press for fear that it would alienate their wider fan base. We believe that such an old school way of separating gay and straight needs to be challenged by those with the confidence and talent to stand up to the bullies.

Adam's performance at the AMAs was a thrilling reminder of the power of creative freedom, one that has generated a much needed conversation about why gay still means separate. As we said in the edit letter, regarding Adam's Details cover shoot, "Imagine how much more radical it would have been to go down on a guy instead of that six-foot Barbie." We doubt anyone is now questioning that the reaction to Adam's performance on Sunday proved the point. It demonstrates loud and clear just how far there is to go in normalizing expressions of gay sexuality, but after this it may not be as far as it was even last week.

Photo: Getty Images

Previously >Adam Lambert: The Out Interview