Gay CNN Anchor Thomas Roberts Clears the Air

Following his participation on a panel made up of openly-gay anchors at the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Assn. Convention last week, CNN Headline News anchor Thomas Roberts has gotten a heckuva lot of coverage in recent days (including an in-person interview with me for 'Out in Hollywood"). What wasn't discussed during his panel appearance in Miami was that Headline News would be shuffling its anchor positions and the time slot currently anchored by Roberts will be eliminated as of Oct. 6.

In the coverage of his appearance in Miami, there has been speculation that the anchor change was made because of his making such a high-profile appearance as a gay anchor at CNN and discussing what that has been like. Roberts gave an interview this week to the online site AfterElton.com post-Miami (for some reason, CNN nixed a request for him to do an interview this week with "The Advocate," the nation's most prominant LGBT magazine). Anyway, Roberts told AfterElton.com there was absolutely no connection and that the timing was purely coincidental.

“CNN has been a fantastic place to work,� Roberts said. “The management has been nothing but supportive and I'm very grateful to them.� In fact, he said, he appeared at the Headliners Gala this spring in New York City to present CNN's $100,000.00 donation to the NLGJA's first Leroy F. Aarons Scholarship Award. Roberts will continue to anchor Headline News on the weekend, as well as report during the week.

Roberts has this advise for young lesbian and gay journalists struggling with how open to be about their sexual orientation: “For younger journalists, there are lots of factors to consider,� he said. “There are all kinds of fears we accumulate through high school, college, even going back as far as grade school, that are carried into the adult years. That fear can really hold you back. It (coming out) has to be when people feel… they are ready for it. It's hard to live afraid…. Hopefully, everyone, gay or straight, journalists or doctors or otherwise, can overcome that obstacle, because it stands in the way of you being the best you can be, with your job, with your family, with everything, and not have to be afraid anymore.�

When asked if being in the closet compromised journalistic integrity and stood in the way of being the best you can be, Roberts replied, “Ask a closeted journalist.�