On the morning after a New Year’s Eve party at which some of the guests had a very interesting — if not illuminating — discussion about just what is worn or not worn by Scottish men underneath their kilts, I am looking over headlines in a google queue trumpeting rumours about pop star Miley Cyrus’s sexuality. From an editor’s perspective with search engine optimization in mind, all of the headlines have the three key words guaranteed to draw lots of hits: “Miley Cyrus” and “bisexual”.

Granted, all of the headlines are in celebrity gossip publications. And they were written last year — 16 to 18 hours ago. But I’m guessing that even though we’ve fast-forwarded to the future, the sexuality of celebrities — if other than heterosexual — will still be headline news this year . . . and for years to come.

Whereas the question of what is — or is not — worn beneath a kilt won’t get much virtual ink at all (I may be the first person in the world to raise the issue in print this year!)

So, why do editors consider Miley’s possible bisexuality to be news? Is it only about drawing readers to their websites, boosting the hit counts and earning more advertiser bucks?

I want to start the new year on a positive note, so my answer to the preceding question is: No. It’s not simply about the bottom line for the publications. I want to believe that the editors are showing their support for LGBTQ people by raising awareness about diversity, as in “Look, everyone. If it’s good enough for Miley, it’s good enough for everyone. It’s OK to be bisexual!”

I want to believe that the gossip publications ran with a story based on rumours because they know we bisexual people — yes, those of us for whom our bisexuality is not a rumour, including me — face discrimination around the world, as do a lot of other people because of their other-than-hetero sexuality.

A celebrity’s sexuality — anyone’s sexuality — shouldn’t matter, of course. Nobody should feel they have the right to criticize, and deny equal rights to, a person based on their other-than-hetero sexuality. But even in this futuristic time, bigotry has not been vanquished — yet.

So it is an important, indeed, even noble act when a celebrity announces he or she is a gay/lesbian or bisexual person, for not only does it show that love is a many-splendored thing, it also helps all those struggling in the proverbial closet come to terms with their other-than-hetero sexuality, to embrace it, to be proud . . . and to know that love transcends the gender stereotypes of superstitious, finger-wagging people. And to truly understand that love is about inner connections . . .

So, on this sunny (and frigid) morning on the first day of 2014, it doesn’t really matter to me whether there is any truth to the rumours about Miley Cyrus possibly being a bisexual person. The editors of the gossip mags did their job: they raised awareness about bisexuality and diversity, in their own special way, of course (gossip mags being what they are).

For me personally, they inspired this review of one of the main raisons d’etre of this blog — to raise awareness about LGBTQ issues around the world, with the hope that some day, we won’t need to shine a spotlight on these subjects any longer, that everyone will be accepted and have equality.

Of course, this blog is about more than LGBTQ issues. After all, it is a Lifestyles column, with myriad possibilities.

Yes, for sure I will continue exploring nudism/naturism and body acceptance — it’s a very popular subject in both my blogs. And, you know, nudists face a lot of discrimination, too.

And it’s about time to do a follow-up on one of the most popular subjects I’ve ever written about: men who wear pantyhose and skirts. The few posts I’ve done on the subject continue to draw many hits every day in both my blogs. Again, you probably figured, these men face a lot of discrimination, too.

Indeed, the central theme of this blog is pretty clear, eh?

Still, it’s not all about fighting discrimination. It’s about having fun, too. And just being, well, plain blonde sometimes . . . (Yes, I am a natural blonde, so I can say that about myself, and, no, not all blondes are dumb . . . Sheesh!)

Jillian

P.S. Feel free to share some illumination about what men wear — or don’t wear — beneath their kilts.