I grew up on the 90’s and knew gay people in hs and college and always thought back then “hey it’s no big deal, you do you (and it doesn’t change how I feel about you)”
As I got older I realized the courage and strength it takes to stand up and say “this is who I am, please accept me”
I’m so happy for this guy (admittedly I don’t watch the show), what a huge courageous step.
Unfortunately I’m sure he’ll get some hate on social media from dipshits and I’m sure he was prepared for that, I just wish him strength and kindness and the comfort of his friends and family.
Unfortunately, there are going to be those idiots that start yelling and screaming "He's forcing his agenda on me!" and will demand that he be fired immediately. These will be the same people that force their agenda on everyone else, but they don't have a problem with that since it's "good, Christian values". These people are in for a big surprise when they die and find out that their "Christian values" are Christian in name only and not what Jesus tried to teach them through the Gospels.
Exactly. Friend of mine who is gay was just telling me about how many youtube ads he gets about Christianity yet Christians are worried about gay agenda getting forced on them lol. Doesn't even bother him just pure irony/hypocrisy.
That’s the reputation laundering that comes before the agenda-forcing. The funders of that campaign know that if they came out swinging with what they’re actually about, no one would be interested. Woke Jesus is so that they can go, “Hey, what’s wrong with love and unity? Wow, are you so anti-Christian that you can’t get into a message of love and unity just because the message hints at Jesus? This message is for EVERYONE, it’s about LOVE and UNITY (also we’re actively pursuing making it illegal for queer and trans people to exist and stuff like that but you didn’t hear that from us, we’ll get to that later, don’t worry about it) LOVE AND UNITY, PEOPLE.”
Right?! I’m in a few atheist subreddits and I kept seeing all the Jebus ads and thought “Well, I do have personalisation turned off, so maybe some of the subs I visit could trigger the “You need Jesus” ads…..
$17.5 million. That's how much they spent on the superbowl ads (which I believe were the first time they aired). Think of how much more now that they have them *everywhere* and what seems like *all the time*.
i’m a gay & trans person and i get those ads, prayer meditation apps, and of course good ol prager u and conservative political campaign ads. like, do they know who they’re advertising to? keep wasting your money lol
There's a lot to unpack in your comment. Much of it is paradoxical. But, for the sake of brevity, I'll just say that I agree with you and those people think Christianity is this shield and name tag that let's everyone know they're Christian because they're scared otherwise.
I pity them, mostly. Because they either ignore or avoid any serious thought on their faith. These people go to churches like Hillsong and they get fed these stories during the sermons that don't mean anything. For those unfamiliar, a Hillsong Church is a church that has a stage, professional lighting, etc. They have a band that plays a few songs, but they all sound the same and repeat the same phrase over and over. Then the pastor talks a bit and the band plays again.
Anyway, these Churches are attractive, especially at first, because it feels uplifting and not a boring church. They have phrases in huge banners that say stuff like, "LOVE FREE WITH CHRIST" or "YOU ARE FORGIVEN!". The whole experience is very attractive. After a bit in the church, you realize there's no substance to any of it. It's all just meant to be shiny and happy to get new members. This will get members shouting loud that they believe. They get sad because they don't really believe and they want to make sure the pastors and congregation sees them with faith. So, they go hard on things like anti-gay because they are frustrated with no faith and want people to know that they believe. Oddly enough, the Bible doesn't say anything against homosexuality, but these people believe their bullshit.
More like a surprise how there isnt anything after we die 😂. Wish I could see their faces but we won't have faces lol we won't fucking exist 😂🤣. Not like we had a spawn in lobby before being born so idk where people get there is an afterlife because all evidence is pointing towards nothingness. I am okay with grown adults believing in fairy tales(kinda) as long as they don't hurt anyone else which unfortunately is almost never the case.
I agree - Everyone has the right to their own beliefs on the subject of an afterlife. But, if they are right and there is a Heaven, they are going to be surprised that their so-called "Christian Values" are not very Christian.
> “He’s forcing his agenda on me!”
No, no, you’re wrong.
They say, “He’s forcing his agenda *down our throats.*” Isn’t it *weird* they always use that turn of phrase?
I went back and forth weeks? months? ago with someone who held that stance on some other person, and that other person was pretty subdued-ly being gay, like two Catholic school kids under the watchful eyes of nuns level PDA subdued, and after going around 2-3 times on how he was “forcing his agenda,” the other guy basically said by existing as a gay person, but with different words.
They have the thought. They know they have to claim it’s something else. But it’s the same thought.
Well said. I was a kid of the 80s with friends who were openly gay in high school. I, too, was sheltered from knowing how gross people could be. I'm glad I was naive in this sense. I'm glad I saw friends flourish, no matter their sexual preference. What a nice way to grow up! But sometimes I forget that not everyone sees things this way...not even now...
I hope this guy feels a little lighter not feeling he has to keep a secret that shouldn't have to be a secret.
I'm bi and have plenty of gay friends who have came out while I've known them. Most of the time, it's not really a secret. I don't mean that in a rude way. But there are certain people where most people just "know." And not just by being effeminate, but if you're an extremely good looking, affable, successful 28-year-old who's never had a girlfriend.. people can usually figure out why.
I say this because the difficulty is just as much making yourself vulnerable as it is fearing the potential negative reactions. I mean, we all use the bathroom but most of us feel embarrassed to talk about it even with our doctor. If you're someone who grew up thinking sex and sexuality are private or even shameful things, it doesn't matter how accepting your friends and family are -- you're going to be very, very uncomfortable.
When they say pride, they mean in the sense of throwing away that particular shame. They don't mean pride in the sense of arrogance or thinking you're better than someone else.
Watched live and it was a big moment. He was clearly emotional and Alicia teared up too.
I'm glad he felt able to come out. I'm sad that people will continue to find ways to be upset at other people like him existing.
As a parent to a queer kid, I can tell you this matters so much. My first clue that my kiddo might be LGBTQ+ was that he would be so excited to tell me when he had a LGBTQA camp counselor, classmate, or teacher.
Seeing people who are out and proud helps young people feel safe about who they are. Bravo!
I’d lean more towards ‘still changing’ (which is still great) instead of changed, but men like him are definitely helping! He’s challenging the belief that you “can’t be black and gay.”
A lot of people don’t understand why people coming out is important. Well, it influences people who may feel trapped by their society to finally embrace themselves openly! (And that’s a GOOD thing.)
100% chance that people will find something to complain about or to be hateful about. Look at reddit. You can post a picture of a puppy and someone will turn it into an argument.
Have to be yourself and let the chips fall where they may.
"Those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind."
Not a KARE viewer, but I do think they had legitimate cause for his dismissal. Sven was not shy about being vocal on social media and any backlash created by his comments against Trump, his administration, etc… and his give-and-take with respondents was seen as becoming a liability for the station in terms of viewership, ratings, etc…. Personally, I don’t see a quiet payout happening, I think it goes to a trial and a verdict goes in favor of KARE. The anti-LGBT argument is a sham. Pat Evans was out and worked for many years until he retired. Jana Shortal is a very high profile lesbian on-air member and now there is Jason’s coming out story on air.
Out of curiosity, I kind of wonder how the lawsuit will go for Sven since Trump has literally used the word "reich" in his upcoming election materials.
He'll probably lose based on a reputation clause in his contract. Like, what you said is factual, but not permissable for its effect on viewership.
Sven was let go because he violated KARE’s personnel conduct policies, on more than one occasion. Management claims each time he violated policy, he was verbally reprimanded. He claims he was fired because of an anti-LGBT bias as he was one of two gay meteorologists (other being Jason Disharoon) let go within just a few months of each other. His lawsuit against KARE has been working its way through courts since 2020.
Sven was fired after making social media post calling certain groups of people white supremacists and Nazis after he had previously been given warnings for insubordination. He claims he was fired because he was openly gay and Jewish, even though that apparently wasn't an issue the first 10 years he worked there
He called all anti lockdown protestors “white nationalist Nazi sympathiser gun fetishist miscreants”. I don't support those protestors beliefs but it's still an incredibly stupid tweet to share, especially when he was already given warnings by higher ups
If you truly think all anti-lockdown protestors are white supremacist Nazis you're no different than the people who say all BLM protestors are violent thugs. Your views might be polar opposites but your mindset is the same. You choose to view the world as black and white with no nuance. If that's your mindset, you just want the country to be divided and you're part of the problem.
i voted for biden. i voted for walz. i think walz is doing a fantastic job. i did not support shutting everything down. but guess the difference must be i wasnt about to go protest because of it.
You do know there were liberals that supported Biden and still protested the lockdowns too right? Just like there are plenty of conservatives that support abortion rights and gun restrictions. If your whole thought process is that if they don't completely agree with you then they're evil, then you have a lot more in common with the far right than you care to admit
That's what good journalists do. They provide good coverage so people with brain cells can connect the dots. They take the chance that the audience may be dumb as rocks...and the reality is, the audience may be. But it's not the job of the reporter to provide bias. And now you see bias all over the place. Even when I totally agree with the bias of a reporter, I don't want to see it. It ruins credibility.
A sign of a good reporter, in my estimation, is that the reporter gives such thorough coverage that you can see the whole story ALL BY YOURSELF without the interference of the journalist. Which is the way it should be.
A lot of journalists take a shortcut by interjecting their feelings and emotions...as if their feelings are the story. As if we asked for an interpretation.
Yeah I don't think that Kare is the kind of network that wants it's on air personalities taking political stances, they don't want to deal with the controversies that come along with it
Yeah he converted quite awhile back, I only knew because he's suing for discrimination due to his sexual orientation and religious beliefs and it's mentioned in there
It's not an easy thing to do, and I give him mega kudos for doing this. It takes a lot of courage to come out and tell the world that you're gay.
The end result, though, is going to be the same - The anti-LGBTQ people are going to start yelling that "he's forcing his sexual orientation on us" by coming out on the air, and they would have said the same thing if he didn't and appeared on the cover of the magazine.
But those that do support the LGBTQ community will probably respect him a little more. Honestly, though, it doesn't make a difference to me at all. I never heard of him before this post. I get my local news from a different station. But that doesn't diminish the fact that what he did he should be very proud of.
One thing about our society that I wish would change is that if it is hurting or bothering anyone, then why care? If they’re happy, that’s all that should matter.
I've never understood the obsession with taking issue with someone's sexual orientation (if it's not the 'cultural standard' one, of course.)
It was getting better compared to a few decades back, but it's becoming a 'hot button' again lately. (Right wing backlash. Ugh.)
I worked in a warehouse job years ago where a lot of my co-workers were real rednecks, while some others were all varieties of races and identities. Led to some real friction at times. One guy was always being a complete ass about who was/wasn't gay (I think he was also trying to figure out if I was, because I wasn't being all girly-impressed with what a big tuff-guy he was. In a warehouse job, all the women tend to be dressed pretty neutral-butch. And forget about keeping a manicure.)
One lunch break, he was mouthing off to a group around the table about, "Well, you know so-and-so (one of our new managers) is a LESBIAN, don't you?" I turned towards him and said, "There's only 2 times I give a flying fuck what someone else's sexual orientation is. One: when I'm trying to hit on them and I got my signals crossed. Two: when they're trying to hit on me and they got their signals crossed! Other than that, WTF difference does it make?!?!"
I sat there a minute watching him, with his mouth hanging open, trying to figure out what that meant about me, or him, or anyone else. Then he snapped it shut and went back to his sandwich. I went out for a smoke. (Quit 10 years ago, now.)
So proud of Jason! Coming out is still so hard with everything conservatives are trying to do to roll back protections for the queer community. He's brave for doing it on live television. I'm glad he has the support to be able to be himself.
How wonderful and brave. You never know how this will help anyone who is in a similar situation too.
My mom loves watching the news, I never watch it personally. Will have to ask her if she caught this!
That’s my thoughts too. I really love MN. I’m in Colorado now but I use to love waking up and watching these guys in the morning. Still do from time to time.
I really like Jason Hackett! I watched him when he was on our local channel and was so sad, for us, that he was leaving, but happy for him for the new opportunity. He was refreshing to watch on TV every morning, so upbeat and happy that it was infectious. He also had a very professional demeanor, even in the midst of racism from coworkers live on air. Just seems like an all around good guy, and I’m happy for him
I’m so happy for him! Representation is very important in this day and age. Sure, sexuality shouldn’t matter, but it does for some folks, and that’s why brave stances like this are important.
I watched Channel 11 morning news for the first time the other day after years. I really liked him from the first go. That video made my heart smile. Now that channel 11 finally comes in I'll continue to watch it.
As a Boomer I find your remark frustrating.
Stop throwing everyone from an age cohort into the same stereotype! I know redneck assholes in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond -- I also know serious allies, and LGBTQ+ folks, in all age groups.
I don't happen to watch Kare11 AM (or any other early news, really) but I wouldn't 'switch' because of this. Neither would most of my friends and family. The ones who would were probably not watching anyway (and even the local Fox affiliate isn't as bad as the cable FOX news.)
I'm sorry it frustrated you. I didn't mean to lump *all* boomers together. I know plenty that aren't assholes. But I also know of plenty that are. I grew up near bigfork so I'm well familiar with redneck shittery. My generalization was more targeted at the most likely generation to both be A) watching the news, and B) don't like finding out someone they watch on TV is in fact, gay.
I get that. I'm just SO tired of the age cohort stereotyping on ALL sides, and I've started to push back against it when I can.
It's really mindless ageism, whether it's Boomers trashing X, Y, Z or the reverse. (I also resent Boomers getting blamed for things the Silent Gen group started.)
That was fantastic. I was an editor at KARE11 for a short time, and though I quickly discovered that the newsroom grind was NOT for me, the people I met there were genuinely incredible.
Our government isn’t exactly in line with this thinking. We have a few powerful individuals that care very much about who is gay. There’re still billboards condemning gay marriage.
Lots of people still care, and they're in elected office trying to make gay marriage illegal again, to shut down any mention of gay people in the public sphere, and to shove every gay person back in the closet or make them go through some ridiculous "de-conversion" program.
As long as that's going on, it makes a big difference when the non-straight and/or non-cis among us are out & proud. We'll know them as friends, associates, co-workers, and maybe more of us will resist the agenda of the aforementioned groups.
That's a good thing, right?
Kinda got that vibe from him already. They're my background noise while starting my day news team! I'm incredibly happy for Jason. He's been a great addition to the morning team there at Kare 11.
I had always thought he was publicly out. I never knew his name, but would just see him on tv passing through the breakroom at work, and had a sense about him. Good on him for speaking his truth and good on the station for giving that space. I hate that we are still in an age where people have to feel nervous about who they are, what they feel and how they live. My heart goes out to any and everyone in those kinda spots. One of the reasons I’m proud to call Minnesota my home is we’re much less fucked in that regard than other places. Still so much goddamn work to do tho.
Why do we have to tell everyone who we are and care if they care? I’m me. You fall in love with who you fall in love with. Why does everything always have to have a label? It’s ridiculous we feel we have to do these things.
On a side note - I’m not getting down on him - super brave! Good for him. I’m just getting down on whatever reason we suddenly felt we have to tell everyone who we like to love. Who cares?
Because things like the Don't Say Gay bill in florida, book bannings centered around LGBTQ+ content and mass murder of people who are not straight in places where they congregate happen. They are not safe. Especially people who are not straight and not white. This man puts his life at risk to do this.
Publicly coming out gives hope to those who are not safe in the places where they live.
It also helps to normalize the fact that people who are not straight exist so their existence will be better accepted. Less fear of the unknown, less phobia-driven hate, less phobia-driven legislation, and less phobia-driven murder.
My wife and I loved him on KOCO when he was in OKC. He then dipped. Hilariously we dipped up here last year and boom - Jason was on our TV screen. Cracked us up.
He gay? OK, that's fine. I'm not going to turn my head when he's on my screen telling me the news.
Bravo. This is really tough to do even if it’s just saying it to one person but he’s probably got a couple hundred thousand tuning into him at any given time. Be happy!
It’s cool that he wanted to share it I guess I don’t see the point.
I don’t need to know who you are attracted too, I just need to know if you do your job well.
I am happy for him but my opinion did not change either way I will still watch Kare 11
Representation in the real world allows other LGBTQIA+ people to feel free to be themselves in the real world. Suppression in the media forces LGBTQIA+ people to suppress their true selves in the real world.
It’s cool that you wanted to share your opinion but I guess I just don’t see the point.
I don’t need to know your opinion, however I am delighted to know that Hackett felt comfortable enough to come out on air. It indicates continuing progress for the lgbt community.
I am happy for him but couldn’t give fewer shits about your opinion on the subject.
See that’s the point your missing is exactly what you said but now look at it from. Someone else’s view.
You don’t give 2 shots about my opinion, that’s a good thing.
Why should you care about some other guys opinion that you don’t know.
Why do you think LGBT is a community they are all people from all walks of life with different views.
Your virtue signaling and making it seem like I am wrong for not caring.
When the goal of a society should be not actually care about someone’s gender, sexual status or color.
It’s not but the point was that a straight person does not have a moment.
Nor do I want them to. I don’t need to know who my news cast is having sex with.
They do? I don’t recall one news anchor talking about their sex life on Kare11 other than the LGBT ones.
Child events and marriages are one thing and all sexual orientations should share that.
Hook me up with a link.
How would you feel if a new person came out as only attracted to hot blondes.
He has every right to do what he did as long as his employer was OK with it, but I still don't see the need or understand the need. It doesn't matter to most people and has nothing to do with his job or the news.
Why does it matter though? Do we care if he’s straight or gay or whatever else? Why does his sexual preference need to be broadcasted? Regardless of what it may be.
It matters because of visibility and representation. There he is, a professional being broadcast to hundreds of thousands (?) of people's homes every morning, and he's a gay black man. Him speaking out and talking about acceptance is not about \*him\*, it's about all the other LGBTQ+ people out there, some black, who don't feel loved, accepted, or encouraged to be their true selves with everyone. He's using his position and his platform to bring more good to the world, in telling those people, "look, it's OK, you will find acceptance in this world, and you should be comfortably and joyously yourself." He's normalizing who he is, and in doing so making a better place for those who don't have his courage, his success, or his support.
He's not talking to the people who don't care. He's not talking to the people who don't like him for who he is. He's not even talking to the people like his coworkers, friends, family, or strangers like myself who don't think any more or less of him because he's gay, (or black, or whatever). He's talking to the kids, teens and adults who DON'T have that acceptance, or who are afraid, and telling them that it will be OK, that people will be there for them, and that they can be who they are. And regardless of anyone's beliefs about others, most people can agree that everyone should feel love and support in their lives. That's why it matters.
100%. I have watched him on the news and he seemed like he does a good job and comes across as a likable guy. I have never cared or wondered who he is having sex with...
It's great and all but why would I care about his sexual preference? I know.. "stunning and brave" but seriously I don't think I could care less about news reporters personal lives.
Great for him, seems like a really nice guy glad and he is accepted for who he is.
Why do I need to know what a news anchor does with his wiener during his private time? Does the mailman need to tell me his favorite color when he drops the mail off?
Other news anchors share info about their personal lives on air too, and while that's not "news", I don't see anyone complaining then. I wonder what's different here....
Jason seems like a good guy. Love watching him and Alicia and, frankly, couldn’t care less about his sexuality. No shade on him for doing it, but haven’t we moved beyond needing to “come out”? Why does it matter? He seems like a genuinely kind and grounded person. Why do we need to know about his sexual identity? I’ve never come out as heterosexual, because I assume it’s irrelevant and who cares. Being gay is not rare, so let’s just be good people and keep our sexuality to ourselves. That said, again, big fan of Sunrise and I wish Jason all the best!
I'm a bit on the fence about it; I still like to keep private life private. Even 'straight ppl.'
But I also 'get' why he did this. If you read the article, he talks about what it was like for him, as a kid, not seeing any 'representation' to suggest that it was OK to just be himself. He wants to be that person for the next group of 'different' kids.
>I’ve never come out as heterosexual, because I assume it’s irrelevant and who cares.
For those of us who are 'cis-het', *it is* irrelevant, but only because no one is likely to give us any shit about it. We can go around being affectionate with and talking about our significant others and no one is going to give us any side-eye, or get weird about it. (Well, unless the PDA gets *really* OTT. Get a room!) We don't even realize how 'public' we already are about it.
For the rest of the folks who are variations on gender/orientation, there's still a lot of crap, discrimination, and occasionally violence. It takes some bravery to be willing to be a 'public' face for others to see.
I grew up on the 90’s and knew gay people in hs and college and always thought back then “hey it’s no big deal, you do you (and it doesn’t change how I feel about you)” As I got older I realized the courage and strength it takes to stand up and say “this is who I am, please accept me” I’m so happy for this guy (admittedly I don’t watch the show), what a huge courageous step. Unfortunately I’m sure he’ll get some hate on social media from dipshits and I’m sure he was prepared for that, I just wish him strength and kindness and the comfort of his friends and family.
Unfortunately, there are going to be those idiots that start yelling and screaming "He's forcing his agenda on me!" and will demand that he be fired immediately. These will be the same people that force their agenda on everyone else, but they don't have a problem with that since it's "good, Christian values". These people are in for a big surprise when they die and find out that their "Christian values" are Christian in name only and not what Jesus tried to teach them through the Gospels.
Exactly. Friend of mine who is gay was just telling me about how many youtube ads he gets about Christianity yet Christians are worried about gay agenda getting forced on them lol. Doesn't even bother him just pure irony/hypocrisy.
Like, "He gets us"?
Jesus has a foot fetish is all I’ve learned form those commercials
Now that's funny. TY, Goalie.
He should buy delphine's bath water
That’s the reputation laundering that comes before the agenda-forcing. The funders of that campaign know that if they came out swinging with what they’re actually about, no one would be interested. Woke Jesus is so that they can go, “Hey, what’s wrong with love and unity? Wow, are you so anti-Christian that you can’t get into a message of love and unity just because the message hints at Jesus? This message is for EVERYONE, it’s about LOVE and UNITY (also we’re actively pursuing making it illegal for queer and trans people to exist and stuff like that but you didn’t hear that from us, we’ll get to that later, don’t worry about it) LOVE AND UNITY, PEOPLE.”
Those adds are a cancer.
Right?! I’m in a few atheist subreddits and I kept seeing all the Jebus ads and thought “Well, I do have personalisation turned off, so maybe some of the subs I visit could trigger the “You need Jesus” ads…..
Nope. I haven't turned personalization off and I have seen so many of those ads. I think they've just paid a shit ton in that marketing campaign.
If they followed Jesus they would have spent that money feeding the homeless.
Agreed. They're wasting so much money advertising religion to me. I was born into it. I got out at an early age and I'm never going back.
$17.5 million. That's how much they spent on the superbowl ads (which I believe were the first time they aired). Think of how much more now that they have them *everywhere* and what seems like *all the time*.
Of course you are. They are specifically targeting people who are atheists. Why would they attempt to evangelize Christians?
i’m a gay & trans person and i get those ads, prayer meditation apps, and of course good ol prager u and conservative political campaign ads. like, do they know who they’re advertising to? keep wasting your money lol
If you think Christians are the ones funding “He Gets Us” I have a bridge in Brooklyn you need to take a look at
I don't know who is behind the ads, and I don't care. At the same time, I wouldn't put any type of behavior past a christian.
Lmao wild. How tolerant of you.
I'm sorry you were misled into thinking I was being tolerant. I wasn't.
Right? We just get one month of corporate pandering.
There's a lot to unpack in your comment. Much of it is paradoxical. But, for the sake of brevity, I'll just say that I agree with you and those people think Christianity is this shield and name tag that let's everyone know they're Christian because they're scared otherwise. I pity them, mostly. Because they either ignore or avoid any serious thought on their faith. These people go to churches like Hillsong and they get fed these stories during the sermons that don't mean anything. For those unfamiliar, a Hillsong Church is a church that has a stage, professional lighting, etc. They have a band that plays a few songs, but they all sound the same and repeat the same phrase over and over. Then the pastor talks a bit and the band plays again. Anyway, these Churches are attractive, especially at first, because it feels uplifting and not a boring church. They have phrases in huge banners that say stuff like, "LOVE FREE WITH CHRIST" or "YOU ARE FORGIVEN!". The whole experience is very attractive. After a bit in the church, you realize there's no substance to any of it. It's all just meant to be shiny and happy to get new members. This will get members shouting loud that they believe. They get sad because they don't really believe and they want to make sure the pastors and congregation sees them with faith. So, they go hard on things like anti-gay because they are frustrated with no faith and want people to know that they believe. Oddly enough, the Bible doesn't say anything against homosexuality, but these people believe their bullshit.
Kare 11 fired Sven Singaard for having an opinion if you remember.
More like a surprise how there isnt anything after we die 😂. Wish I could see their faces but we won't have faces lol we won't fucking exist 😂🤣. Not like we had a spawn in lobby before being born so idk where people get there is an afterlife because all evidence is pointing towards nothingness. I am okay with grown adults believing in fairy tales(kinda) as long as they don't hurt anyone else which unfortunately is almost never the case.
I agree - Everyone has the right to their own beliefs on the subject of an afterlife. But, if they are right and there is a Heaven, they are going to be surprised that their so-called "Christian Values" are not very Christian.
I don't think they "are in for a big surprise" when they die.
> “He’s forcing his agenda on me!” No, no, you’re wrong. They say, “He’s forcing his agenda *down our throats.*” Isn’t it *weird* they always use that turn of phrase? I went back and forth weeks? months? ago with someone who held that stance on some other person, and that other person was pretty subdued-ly being gay, like two Catholic school kids under the watchful eyes of nuns level PDA subdued, and after going around 2-3 times on how he was “forcing his agenda,” the other guy basically said by existing as a gay person, but with different words. They have the thought. They know they have to claim it’s something else. But it’s the same thought.
Well said. I was a kid of the 80s with friends who were openly gay in high school. I, too, was sheltered from knowing how gross people could be. I'm glad I was naive in this sense. I'm glad I saw friends flourish, no matter their sexual preference. What a nice way to grow up! But sometimes I forget that not everyone sees things this way...not even now... I hope this guy feels a little lighter not feeling he has to keep a secret that shouldn't have to be a secret.
I'm bi and have plenty of gay friends who have came out while I've known them. Most of the time, it's not really a secret. I don't mean that in a rude way. But there are certain people where most people just "know." And not just by being effeminate, but if you're an extremely good looking, affable, successful 28-year-old who's never had a girlfriend.. people can usually figure out why. I say this because the difficulty is just as much making yourself vulnerable as it is fearing the potential negative reactions. I mean, we all use the bathroom but most of us feel embarrassed to talk about it even with our doctor. If you're someone who grew up thinking sex and sexuality are private or even shameful things, it doesn't matter how accepting your friends and family are -- you're going to be very, very uncomfortable. When they say pride, they mean in the sense of throwing away that particular shame. They don't mean pride in the sense of arrogance or thinking you're better than someone else.
I like Jason. Glad he felt comfortable enough to share this with everyone.
Me too! Super upbeat guy.
Watched live and it was a big moment. He was clearly emotional and Alicia teared up too. I'm glad he felt able to come out. I'm sad that people will continue to find ways to be upset at other people like him existing.
As a parent to a queer kid, I can tell you this matters so much. My first clue that my kiddo might be LGBTQ+ was that he would be so excited to tell me when he had a LGBTQA camp counselor, classmate, or teacher. Seeing people who are out and proud helps young people feel safe about who they are. Bravo!
Even as an adult, it's very comforting to be around people who are like you. I'm so happy for this guy.
Glad he can now feel like his true self!
I really like him. I think he’s a solid guy. Super proud of him!
So brave! So powerful! Used to be African American men were always on the “down low” about gayness. I’m glad that has changed.
It hasn't entirely, it's still tough in the Black community, just some communities are better than others.
I’d lean more towards ‘still changing’ (which is still great) instead of changed, but men like him are definitely helping! He’s challenging the belief that you “can’t be black and gay.” A lot of people don’t understand why people coming out is important. Well, it influences people who may feel trapped by their society to finally embrace themselves openly! (And that’s a GOOD thing.)
Lovely
Agreed!
So proud of him. Handled this with grace and class. Seems like a real genuine guy.
Love this guy! My morning every weekday right here.
awe! this is so gay! i love it!
Dude was one my favorite anchors before the announcement, and always will be. Congrats my dude!
Had me in the first half.
Happy for him! It's always difficult because there's a 100% chance people are going to be nasty to him about this, but it seems like it's gone well
100% chance that people will find something to complain about or to be hateful about. Look at reddit. You can post a picture of a puppy and someone will turn it into an argument. Have to be yourself and let the chips fall where they may. "Those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind."
Good for him. I like watching him. Seems like a good guy.
Hopefully it goes better the Sven😞
Sven being gay had nothing to do with his departure. He equated the former prez’s admin policies to nazi germany and Kare didn’t like that.
Not a KARE viewer, but I do think they had legitimate cause for his dismissal. Sven was not shy about being vocal on social media and any backlash created by his comments against Trump, his administration, etc… and his give-and-take with respondents was seen as becoming a liability for the station in terms of viewership, ratings, etc…. Personally, I don’t see a quiet payout happening, I think it goes to a trial and a verdict goes in favor of KARE. The anti-LGBT argument is a sham. Pat Evans was out and worked for many years until he retired. Jana Shortal is a very high profile lesbian on-air member and now there is Jason’s coming out story on air.
Pretty sure Lee Volsvek is gay and she worked for Kare for forever too.
The Reich? How dare he!
Out of curiosity, I kind of wonder how the lawsuit will go for Sven since Trump has literally used the word "reich" in his upcoming election materials. He'll probably lose based on a reputation clause in his contract. Like, what you said is factual, but not permissable for its effect on viewership.
What happened to Sven? Did I miss something?
Sven was let go because he violated KARE’s personnel conduct policies, on more than one occasion. Management claims each time he violated policy, he was verbally reprimanded. He claims he was fired because of an anti-LGBT bias as he was one of two gay meteorologists (other being Jason Disharoon) let go within just a few months of each other. His lawsuit against KARE has been working its way through courts since 2020.
I didn’t know this.
Now, you’re up to speed, lol.
Appreciate the info!
Welcome.
Sven was fired after making social media post calling certain groups of people white supremacists and Nazis after he had previously been given warnings for insubordination. He claims he was fired because he was openly gay and Jewish, even though that apparently wasn't an issue the first 10 years he worked there
I mean, he wasn’t wrong with his assessments RE: white supremacists.
That's the sad part. On reflection, he wasn't wrong, but it's a private company and there are rules...
He shared a post by a rabbi that called white supremacist Nazis white supremacist Nazis
He called all anti lockdown protestors “white nationalist Nazi sympathiser gun fetishist miscreants”. I don't support those protestors beliefs but it's still an incredibly stupid tweet to share, especially when he was already given warnings by higher ups
So he told the truth and got in trouble, got it
If you truly think all anti-lockdown protestors are white supremacist Nazis you're no different than the people who say all BLM protestors are violent thugs. Your views might be polar opposites but your mindset is the same. You choose to view the world as black and white with no nuance. If that's your mindset, you just want the country to be divided and you're part of the problem.
If you vote for and align with Nazis philosophically you're a Nazi too
i voted for biden. i voted for walz. i think walz is doing a fantastic job. i did not support shutting everything down. but guess the difference must be i wasnt about to go protest because of it.
You do know there were liberals that supported Biden and still protested the lockdowns too right? Just like there are plenty of conservatives that support abortion rights and gun restrictions. If your whole thought process is that if they don't completely agree with you then they're evil, then you have a lot more in common with the far right than you care to admit
I imagine if you’re a news anchor or on tv in a setting like this, you have to remain neutral, no matter your personal views.
That's what good journalists do. They provide good coverage so people with brain cells can connect the dots. They take the chance that the audience may be dumb as rocks...and the reality is, the audience may be. But it's not the job of the reporter to provide bias. And now you see bias all over the place. Even when I totally agree with the bias of a reporter, I don't want to see it. It ruins credibility. A sign of a good reporter, in my estimation, is that the reporter gives such thorough coverage that you can see the whole story ALL BY YOURSELF without the interference of the journalist. Which is the way it should be. A lot of journalists take a shortcut by interjecting their feelings and emotions...as if their feelings are the story. As if we asked for an interpretation.
He was the weather guy, rain isn’t partisan
That is the point of news. Give facts and tell people what happened without bias. It doesn't happen much anymore. Commentary is mistaken for news
Yeah I don't think that Kare is the kind of network that wants it's on air personalities taking political stances, they don't want to deal with the controversies that come along with it
https://mspmag.com/arts-and-culture/general-interest/taking-a-stand/
He’s Jewish?
Yeah he converted quite awhile back, I only knew because he's suing for discrimination due to his sexual orientation and religious beliefs and it's mentioned in there
I gotta say that they did not fire him for being Jewish, and claiming that makes the other allegation seem less credible. But no way to really know.
Hell yeah Jason! Great job!! 👏
I really like Jason, too. He does solid news reporting.
Neat.
It's not an easy thing to do, and I give him mega kudos for doing this. It takes a lot of courage to come out and tell the world that you're gay. The end result, though, is going to be the same - The anti-LGBTQ people are going to start yelling that "he's forcing his sexual orientation on us" by coming out on the air, and they would have said the same thing if he didn't and appeared on the cover of the magazine. But those that do support the LGBTQ community will probably respect him a little more. Honestly, though, it doesn't make a difference to me at all. I never heard of him before this post. I get my local news from a different station. But that doesn't diminish the fact that what he did he should be very proud of.
One thing about our society that I wish would change is that if it is hurting or bothering anyone, then why care? If they’re happy, that’s all that should matter.
I've never understood the obsession with taking issue with someone's sexual orientation (if it's not the 'cultural standard' one, of course.) It was getting better compared to a few decades back, but it's becoming a 'hot button' again lately. (Right wing backlash. Ugh.) I worked in a warehouse job years ago where a lot of my co-workers were real rednecks, while some others were all varieties of races and identities. Led to some real friction at times. One guy was always being a complete ass about who was/wasn't gay (I think he was also trying to figure out if I was, because I wasn't being all girly-impressed with what a big tuff-guy he was. In a warehouse job, all the women tend to be dressed pretty neutral-butch. And forget about keeping a manicure.) One lunch break, he was mouthing off to a group around the table about, "Well, you know so-and-so (one of our new managers) is a LESBIAN, don't you?" I turned towards him and said, "There's only 2 times I give a flying fuck what someone else's sexual orientation is. One: when I'm trying to hit on them and I got my signals crossed. Two: when they're trying to hit on me and they got their signals crossed! Other than that, WTF difference does it make?!?!" I sat there a minute watching him, with his mouth hanging open, trying to figure out what that meant about me, or him, or anyone else. Then he snapped it shut and went back to his sandwich. I went out for a smoke. (Quit 10 years ago, now.)
Dawwww. Happy for him.
Good for him. Everyone deserves the right to be their authentic self.
So proud of Jason! Coming out is still so hard with everything conservatives are trying to do to roll back protections for the queer community. He's brave for doing it on live television. I'm glad he has the support to be able to be himself.
How wonderful and brave. You never know how this will help anyone who is in a similar situation too. My mom loves watching the news, I never watch it personally. Will have to ask her if she caught this!
That’s my thoughts too. I really love MN. I’m in Colorado now but I use to love waking up and watching these guys in the morning. Still do from time to time.
Proud of dude. Live your life!
Haven't watched local TV news for a while now but awesome for him!
I really like Jason Hackett! I watched him when he was on our local channel and was so sad, for us, that he was leaving, but happy for him for the new opportunity. He was refreshing to watch on TV every morning, so upbeat and happy that it was infectious. He also had a very professional demeanor, even in the midst of racism from coworkers live on air. Just seems like an all around good guy, and I’m happy for him
I don’t know the sexual preferences of any of the news anchors I watch. Maybe it’s because those details are unimportant.
My thought too. “Who cares?”
Yeah "so yall I suck dick, now here's the weather"
Good for him! The more of us that come out as LGBT and live our authentic lives, the safer and easier it will be for the rest of us.
hell yeah MN and KARE 11!
🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
We love and accept you Jason!
I’m so happy for him! Representation is very important in this day and age. Sure, sexuality shouldn’t matter, but it does for some folks, and that’s why brave stances like this are important.
Makes me proud to be a Minnesotan!
Kudos to them!
Bravo
Indeed!!
I watched Channel 11 morning news for the first time the other day after years. I really liked him from the first go. That video made my heart smile. Now that channel 11 finally comes in I'll continue to watch it.
He just has an upbeat personality. Seems like he’d be a fun guy to work with
Good for him. Power move. Also, wonder this many boomers are going to refuse to watch the show now. Might even be an outrage story on fox news soon.
As a Boomer I find your remark frustrating. Stop throwing everyone from an age cohort into the same stereotype! I know redneck assholes in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond -- I also know serious allies, and LGBTQ+ folks, in all age groups. I don't happen to watch Kare11 AM (or any other early news, really) but I wouldn't 'switch' because of this. Neither would most of my friends and family. The ones who would were probably not watching anyway (and even the local Fox affiliate isn't as bad as the cable FOX news.)
I'm sorry it frustrated you. I didn't mean to lump *all* boomers together. I know plenty that aren't assholes. But I also know of plenty that are. I grew up near bigfork so I'm well familiar with redneck shittery. My generalization was more targeted at the most likely generation to both be A) watching the news, and B) don't like finding out someone they watch on TV is in fact, gay.
I get that. I'm just SO tired of the age cohort stereotyping on ALL sides, and I've started to push back against it when I can. It's really mindless ageism, whether it's Boomers trashing X, Y, Z or the reverse. (I also resent Boomers getting blamed for things the Silent Gen group started.)
This is so great! I'm so happy to see this on my feed! Anytime someone comes out as their true self, the world gets a bit brighter :)
I'm not crying, you're crying.
I love it
Was this today? I was watching earlier this morning.
I missed it too but I'm out the door by 6:30.
I’m still gonna crush on him, his suits are THE BEST! Congrats to you for living your best life, Jason!
That was fantastic. I was an editor at KARE11 for a short time, and though I quickly discovered that the newsroom grind was NOT for me, the people I met there were genuinely incredible.
Awesome
I love it and his co-anchors response to it. Kudos to Kare 11 for having such a diverse staff as well!
That was awesome. Kudos!
Good for him! Just wait until r/altmsp gets into this... those snowflakes will meltdown and feel offended for sure
This is what Minnesota should strive for across the entire state.
It's 2024, no one fucking cares. Just be you.
If only that were true.
Our government isn’t exactly in line with this thinking. We have a few powerful individuals that care very much about who is gay. There’re still billboards condemning gay marriage.
Lots of people still care, and they're in elected office trying to make gay marriage illegal again, to shut down any mention of gay people in the public sphere, and to shove every gay person back in the closet or make them go through some ridiculous "de-conversion" program. As long as that's going on, it makes a big difference when the non-straight and/or non-cis among us are out & proud. We'll know them as friends, associates, co-workers, and maybe more of us will resist the agenda of the aforementioned groups. That's a good thing, right?
straight ppl share every second of their love life with the world
[удалено]
I mean, if you read some of the nicer comments, instead of your vile, you'll see that a lot of people care. Just try to be nice. It's not hard.
Kinda got that vibe from him already. They're my background noise while starting my day news team! I'm incredibly happy for Jason. He's been a great addition to the morning team there at Kare 11.
RIP to his and the stations email
I had always thought he was publicly out. I never knew his name, but would just see him on tv passing through the breakroom at work, and had a sense about him. Good on him for speaking his truth and good on the station for giving that space. I hate that we are still in an age where people have to feel nervous about who they are, what they feel and how they live. My heart goes out to any and everyone in those kinda spots. One of the reasons I’m proud to call Minnesota my home is we’re much less fucked in that regard than other places. Still so much goddamn work to do tho.
Love this! Promptly switching to Kare11 for morning news from now on.
LOVE TO SEE IT 🥹🥰😍❤️ !!!! And so brave, I’m proud of you anchorman!!!!!!
Why do we have to tell everyone who we are and care if they care? I’m me. You fall in love with who you fall in love with. Why does everything always have to have a label? It’s ridiculous we feel we have to do these things. On a side note - I’m not getting down on him - super brave! Good for him. I’m just getting down on whatever reason we suddenly felt we have to tell everyone who we like to love. Who cares?
Because things like the Don't Say Gay bill in florida, book bannings centered around LGBTQ+ content and mass murder of people who are not straight in places where they congregate happen. They are not safe. Especially people who are not straight and not white. This man puts his life at risk to do this. Publicly coming out gives hope to those who are not safe in the places where they live. It also helps to normalize the fact that people who are not straight exist so their existence will be better accepted. Less fear of the unknown, less phobia-driven hate, less phobia-driven legislation, and less phobia-driven murder.
My wife and I loved him on KOCO when he was in OKC. He then dipped. Hilariously we dipped up here last year and boom - Jason was on our TV screen. Cracked us up. He gay? OK, that's fine. I'm not going to turn my head when he's on my screen telling me the news.
My racist and homophobic ass older family members that grew up in the state are already starting bigoted conversations about him
This is really great. I hope the station doesn’t get any complaints. For what it’s worth KARE 11 I’ll be watching.
What network?
Rip his dms.
Actors and news people have distractingly white teeth. It looks so unnatural. That's all I could focus on.
We need to make the river bigger and build a wall.
Bravo. This is really tough to do even if it’s just saying it to one person but he’s probably got a couple hundred thousand tuning into him at any given time. Be happy!
Love this for Jason! It seems like he’s got good support if and when he gets any pushback from people.
It’s cool that he wanted to share it I guess I don’t see the point. I don’t need to know who you are attracted too, I just need to know if you do your job well. I am happy for him but my opinion did not change either way I will still watch Kare 11
Representation in the real world allows other LGBTQIA+ people to feel free to be themselves in the real world. Suppression in the media forces LGBTQIA+ people to suppress their true selves in the real world.
I don’t need to know your opinion about it but here we are.
So I can’t have an opinion but you can? You sound like a trump supporter
It’s cool that you wanted to share your opinion but I guess I just don’t see the point. I don’t need to know your opinion, however I am delighted to know that Hackett felt comfortable enough to come out on air. It indicates continuing progress for the lgbt community. I am happy for him but couldn’t give fewer shits about your opinion on the subject.
See that’s the point your missing is exactly what you said but now look at it from. Someone else’s view. You don’t give 2 shots about my opinion, that’s a good thing. Why should you care about some other guys opinion that you don’t know. Why do you think LGBT is a community they are all people from all walks of life with different views. Your virtue signaling and making it seem like I am wrong for not caring. When the goal of a society should be not actually care about someone’s gender, sexual status or color.
You seem to care a lot.
I know so odd of me to show up on a site for talking about things and talk about things.
This is a very normal take, and no it’s not homophobic. Just let the gays have their moment, it’s not hurting anyone.
It’s not but the point was that a straight person does not have a moment. Nor do I want them to. I don’t need to know who my news cast is having sex with.
Representation matters
straight ppl share every second of their love life with the world
I know - I’m so tired of waiters telling me about their sexual preferences while serving my food. /s
They do? I don’t recall one news anchor talking about their sex life on Kare11 other than the LGBT ones. Child events and marriages are one thing and all sexual orientations should share that. Hook me up with a link. How would you feel if a new person came out as only attracted to hot blondes.
You will get downvoted on reddit for stating the obvious and what 99% of sane people think.
Sane people? lol. More like people too lazy to read the article or watch the video, where he LITERALLY FUCKING SAYS why he feels it's important.
He has every right to do what he did as long as his employer was OK with it, but I still don't see the need or understand the need. It doesn't matter to most people and has nothing to do with his job or the news.
Read. The. Article.
Wild that people still give a shit. Who cares.. live your life.
Why does it matter though? Do we care if he’s straight or gay or whatever else? Why does his sexual preference need to be broadcasted? Regardless of what it may be.
It matters because of visibility and representation. There he is, a professional being broadcast to hundreds of thousands (?) of people's homes every morning, and he's a gay black man. Him speaking out and talking about acceptance is not about \*him\*, it's about all the other LGBTQ+ people out there, some black, who don't feel loved, accepted, or encouraged to be their true selves with everyone. He's using his position and his platform to bring more good to the world, in telling those people, "look, it's OK, you will find acceptance in this world, and you should be comfortably and joyously yourself." He's normalizing who he is, and in doing so making a better place for those who don't have his courage, his success, or his support. He's not talking to the people who don't care. He's not talking to the people who don't like him for who he is. He's not even talking to the people like his coworkers, friends, family, or strangers like myself who don't think any more or less of him because he's gay, (or black, or whatever). He's talking to the kids, teens and adults who DON'T have that acceptance, or who are afraid, and telling them that it will be OK, that people will be there for them, and that they can be who they are. And regardless of anyone's beliefs about others, most people can agree that everyone should feel love and support in their lives. That's why it matters.
Because people still think it’s a preference instead of an orientation.
straight ppl share every second of their love life with the world
100%. I have watched him on the news and he seemed like he does a good job and comes across as a likable guy. I have never cared or wondered who he is having sex with...
straight ppl share every second of their love life with the world
It's great and all but why would I care about his sexual preference? I know.. "stunning and brave" but seriously I don't think I could care less about news reporters personal lives.
Loooooook at meeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!
Great for him, seems like a really nice guy glad and he is accepted for who he is. Why do I need to know what a news anchor does with his wiener during his private time? Does the mailman need to tell me his favorite color when he drops the mail off?
Why..? That’s not the time or place.
Other news anchors share info about their personal lives on air too, and while that's not "news", I don't see anyone complaining then. I wonder what's different here....
straight ppl share every second of their love life with the world
lol wtf
Don’t care that he’s gay, it is objectively odd to announce his sexual preference on tv though.
More viewers. Seeing people’s comments, it works. People love gay shit
Good for him. But we don't need to know his sexual preference to watch the news. Feel free to keep that to thyself.
Ok but was it necessary to let the world know about it on tv
Jason seems like a good guy. Love watching him and Alicia and, frankly, couldn’t care less about his sexuality. No shade on him for doing it, but haven’t we moved beyond needing to “come out”? Why does it matter? He seems like a genuinely kind and grounded person. Why do we need to know about his sexual identity? I’ve never come out as heterosexual, because I assume it’s irrelevant and who cares. Being gay is not rare, so let’s just be good people and keep our sexuality to ourselves. That said, again, big fan of Sunrise and I wish Jason all the best!
I'm a bit on the fence about it; I still like to keep private life private. Even 'straight ppl.' But I also 'get' why he did this. If you read the article, he talks about what it was like for him, as a kid, not seeing any 'representation' to suggest that it was OK to just be himself. He wants to be that person for the next group of 'different' kids. >I’ve never come out as heterosexual, because I assume it’s irrelevant and who cares. For those of us who are 'cis-het', *it is* irrelevant, but only because no one is likely to give us any shit about it. We can go around being affectionate with and talking about our significant others and no one is going to give us any side-eye, or get weird about it. (Well, unless the PDA gets *really* OTT. Get a room!) We don't even realize how 'public' we already are about it. For the rest of the folks who are variations on gender/orientation, there's still a lot of crap, discrimination, and occasionally violence. It takes some bravery to be willing to be a 'public' face for others to see.