CarnalNation

The Village Voice reports that NPR censored one of its own movie reviews in an attempt to shove two politicians back into the closet. Kirby Dick's new documentary Outrage has aroused controversy by looking at (and naming) politicians who live closeted gay lifestyles while supporting homophobic legislation. Featured prominently in the picture are Florida Governor Charlie Crist and, of course, everyone's favorite bathroom-lurking Republican, Larry Craig. Craig is actually treated with some sympathy, because as Dick told the Washington Post, Craig's arrest came about because of law enforcement policies that were more disgraceful than his original hypocrisy. (more)

Dick's film looks at Crist and Craig in depth, and it would be almost impossible to write a review without referencing them. And yet, that's apparently what NPR expected critic Nathan Lee to do. Just before press time, and without his consent, NPR cut all references to both Crist and Craig, citing a policy against reporting on public figures' private lives "unless there is a compelling reason to do so." (Nathan Lee's censored review here.) What exactly a "compelling reason" is remains vague. Presumably the policy didn't restrict their reporting on the scandals surrounding Eliot Spitzer or John Edwards, and Craig's transgressions were certainly as public as either one of them. When Lee learned of the alterations made to his article, he asked for his byline to be removed and wrote a comment underneath the review, saying:

I asked that my name be removed in protest of NPR's policy of not 'naming names' of closeted or rumored-about politicians—even those who actively suppress gay rights, and thus whose sexual identities are of significant importance to the press. I personally disagree with NPR's policy—there is no other area of 'privacy' that elicits such extreme tact, and also feel that it is a professional affront to my responsibility as a critic to discuss the content of a work of art, and an impingement of my first amendment right to free speech and the press.

The comment was deleted soon after Lee posted it, which says more about the legitimacy of NPR's policy than the weasly-sounding statements that their representatives are using to justify it. And sadly, as equality is making giant strides across the country, shows how integral the closet remains in American life.