http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002328720

Prurience and homophobia seem to be alive and well, sigh.

I am curious to see the toxicology results. Yet, I also am uneasy speculating on the cause of death of anyone, be it for LGBT reasons or otherwise. I think that the general argument against this thread would fall into the "too soon" category. People aren't over the mourning process and feel better thinking that the death was an accident/natural at this point and become hostile when others suggest that it may have been totally preventable.

but discussing whether homophobia impacted her life is legitimate discourse.

has not run it's course... People would rather feel like it was an accident/"act of god" than caused by something preventable.

Here's something on the stages of "loss/grief" that is pertinent...

A lesser known definition of the stages of grief is described by Dr. Roberta Temes in the book, "Living With An Empty Chair - a guide through grief." Temes describes three particular types of behavior exhibited by those suffering from grief and loss. They are:

Numbness (mechanical functioning and social insulation)
Disorganization (intensely painful feelings of loss)
Reorganization (re-entry into a more 'normal' social life.)

http://www.cancersurvivors.org/Coping/end%20term/stages.htm

The first two categories are ones that show people living in a protected world... a defense mechanism designed to cope with great pain. People crave to see the brightest of all possible worlds... that the dead was an amazing, wonderful, flawless person (in any case, not just this one), that they never felt pain or suffering, never hurt, was happy and content from beginning to end.

The most famous example of this I can think of currently is from Walt Whitman...

"O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;
Rise up--for you the flag is flung--for you the bugle trills; 10
For you bouquets and ribbon'd wreaths--for you the shores a-crowding;
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;
Here Captain! dear father!"

The idealization/idolization of the dead makes people feel good during the grieving process.

FTR, I think that the OP is a valuable story and may be interesting as the details of her death come out and as the years pass... I just don't think they people who are taking issue with it now in the thread are ready for that sort of discussion, that they are still grieving. Personally, I would be proud if she was a LGBTer. Saddened too by what may then have been a cause of death. IMHO it's a sad situation for all concerned, either way.

Dolly will never get her song back and I think she's stated in interviews that "I Will Always Love You" is no longer her song and she's okay with that because it's made her a lot of money.

If she was possibly gay and trying to hide it, it could have been because of a strong anti-gay sentiment in her family.

It might be too soon, true, but it certainly is something to think about. If she was one of us and suffered because of it, it just makes it all that much more tragic.

Tatchell is sometimes over the top but he's far from crazy and has accomplished more in one lifetime than anyone I can think of.

Besides, it's not the first time Whitney's sexuality has undergone speculation.

Yes, she publicly denied it at one point ... I think it was in the early 90's. But lots of folks deny their sexuality in the interest of personal and professional survival.

It's totally legitimate to speculate. Those who think such speculation is "degrading" are flaunting their own bias. There is nothing degrading about homosexuality.