T.R. Knight: Some Encouraged Me Not to Come Out
Before Grey's Anatomy star T.R. Knight came out of the closet last year, some advised him not to do it, the 34-year-old actor revealed in a new interview.
While friends were "beautifully supportive," Knight tells The Advocate in its June 19 issue, others cautiously advised him, "Don't do it - don't do it now."
Looking back, the 34-year-old has no regrets.
"I remember saying to someone when I got one of those don't-do-it comments - I just remember hearing my voice being calm and saying, 'No, it's going happen. It's going to happen. I'm just letting you know.'"
Ultimately, T.R. Knight (left) is glad he made the decision to go public after his castmate, Isaiah Washington (right), called him a gay slur. Washington, in an argument with Patrick Dempsey on set, referred to Knight as a f@gg*t.Â
"I made the decision to make a statement," Knight says. "I could have not [spoken up]. I could have retreated. But I'm definitely happy I made the decision."
Around the same time, Neil Patrick Harris came out of the closet, saying rumors by people such as Perez Hilton made him want to quiet speculation and move forward in life.
As for Knight's outing, Washington has since apologized, entered therapy, and is appearing in public service announcements on behalf of gay rights groups.
Since coming out, Knight, who plays the unassuming Dr. George O'Malley on the hit ABC drama, has seen his Grey's Anatomy character marry Dr. Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez) and sleep with fellow interns Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) and Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl).
Off camera, Katherine Heigl is a close friend of Knight, but she says the actor came out to her much more gradually.
"There came a point where we were close enough friends that he would just talk about dates or about other guys," Heigl told The Advocate. "I wasn't shocked or surprised.... It was more just like, 'Oh, okay, now I know why you don't want to go out with me.'"
Knight, who is single - "Not that I've had the most successful dating experiences," he says - insists coming out hasn't much affected his love life. He says he still assumes people aren't interested in him, but notes:
"Too much aggression isn't a good thing, either."
We assume that remark is meant for Jason Wahler.
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May 13th, 2007 3:28 PM
DAMAGING EFFECTS OF THE CLOSET
When one takes a very close and open minded look at all of the men in high profile positions that have been outed should lead one to believe that simply condemning homosexuality does not work in stopping or preventing it. Many of these men are members of the clergy. It obviously will never work in preventing or stopping homosexual behavior or orientation given the many facts we have available if we dare look. If the clergy themselves who vehemently condemn homosexuality on the pulpit but then in private engage in homosexuality and fantasy I believe provides some important evidence. The evidence of which I speak is that homosexuality goes much deeper than simply acting out physically. There is not a gay man that I have ever talked to that hasn't admitted to trying or wanting to change their homosexual fantasies even before they have their first experience. We, as gay people learn very early on what behaviors are considered normal and whic