First Sulu, Now Spock. What's The Future Coming To?

"i believe in the power of intention to change the landscape of our society - and it is my intention to live an authentic life of compassion and integrity and action." -Zachary Quinto

The new Mr. Spock in the reboot of Star Trek finally, after dodging the question for a long time, came out officially yesterday. Zachary Quinto, motivated by yet another teen suicide of a tormented gay kid mercilessly bullied by his peers, wrote a very classy and moving statement on his website.

The gay world needs role models. Successful people doing things right. Not only does the gay world need high profile, quality people, the straight world needs to see them too. If being gay is not what conservative Christians, Muslims, Rednecks, etc. think it is, it's up to the gay community to show them.

Observing quality role models and authentic examples of people living life right is the only way that the straight community is going to be able to develop any respect for the gay world. Hell, it's the only way those in the gay world are going to develop any meaningful self respect and see their own potential value.

I don't know anything about Zachary Quinto (outside of the Star Trek movie, which I enjoyed greatly, and the fact that he's killer cute with that beard.) But I read his statement, and put part of it at the top of this post.

Look at the power words he is using:

"I Believe". The gay world is famously shallow and self centered, and finding gay guys who believe in anything farther than 18 inches from the end of their ... um ... noses is difficult.

"Intention". The power of intention is the nonreligious and esoteric way to say God.

"Authentic". The opposite of the mask, the antithesis of bullshit. A life lived as an expression of something genuine, meaningful and important. Just reading those words from a gay guy is refreshing.

"Compassion".  Reaching out with the power of intention to help others, straight and gay, live better lives.

"Integrity". The opposite of two-faced. Living life on purpose, whether others are looking or not.

"Action". More than lip service.

If Quinto's statement is a well written ploy by his publicist to garner attention, then I applaud his publicist. He's saying just exactly the right things, and the whole world needs to say them too.

But if the statement is a genuine expression of how the guy thinks, feels, acts and believes, then I applaud him wholeheartedly and enthusiastically, and wish him every success and opportunity to give those words substance in the real world, with real people and producing real change.