To address McMillan's comment: people understand what attracts them without acting on them. At the same time, I know I had to try a few things before I could understand what gender (and even what traits within a gender) attracts me and whether I'll be satisfied with acting on that attraction.
I can see where McMillan's rage comes from. From what I know of her history with her husband, she was pursued by him... courted. She was deeply touched by his attraction to her, and felt renewed by it (which is why she said she wrote the book).
To discover that all of that was fundamentally a lie had to be heartbreaking and infuriating. Heartbreaking for losing a great love, and infuriating because this is embarrassing to admit publically and I'm sure she feels like she was conned.
Yes, he cannot change his being gay (assuming it's not a stunt - his honesty truly is suspect here), but he could have changed any one of the many decisions he made and deceptions he perpetrated. He cannot be absolved of his role in this whole mess by claiming confusion or prejudice. He's an adult and if he truly respected and cared for McMillan, he would have been honest.
As an aside: I had heard that his marriage to her was a way for him to achieve a level of fame and wealth. This rumor could be purely an apologist response to his coming out.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2005-11-09 10:49 pm (UTC)I can see where McMillan's rage comes from. From what I know of her history with her husband, she was pursued by him... courted. She was deeply touched by his attraction to her, and felt renewed by it (which is why she said she wrote the book).
To discover that all of that was fundamentally a lie had to be heartbreaking and infuriating. Heartbreaking for losing a great love, and infuriating because this is embarrassing to admit publically and I'm sure she feels like she was conned.
Yes, he cannot change his being gay (assuming it's not a stunt - his honesty truly is suspect here), but he could have changed any one of the many decisions he made and deceptions he perpetrated. He cannot be absolved of his role in this whole mess by claiming confusion or prejudice. He's an adult and if he truly respected and cared for McMillan, he would have been honest.
As an aside: I had heard that his marriage to her was a way for him to achieve a level of fame and wealth. This rumor could be purely an apologist response to his coming out.