.... were Ernie and Bert (of Sesame Street) one of those in jokes, or am I somehow doing something villainous by perpetuating a stereotyped interpretation or somethingorother...

Or Noddy and Big-Ears, Bill and Ben the Flower Pot Men. Perpetuating stereotypes?

I am sorry if I offended anyone.

I am not suggesting that he has a problem or should adjust himself at all. If a person is in the spotlight as a role model, then they are also up for scrutiny by observers. In this framework, what do we do if the interviewers and the audience gets uncomfortable for the wrong reasons? Or are they wrong?

I don't know if denial solves anything. From what I can see, however, denial, perpetuates problems of prejudice rather than facing them and sifting through them. I am not suggesting an assimilationist approach either.

The irony is that Mardi Gras perpetuates every stereotype in the book. Many male school teachers are teased after Mardi Gras not because they are gay, but because they are not yet married or are not in the "in crowd".

Once you face the prejudices and unpack some of the images that cause a reaction, we dig deeper to see what is going on. If you want me to be silenced, this indicates an insecurity. What are you affraid of?

When I mentioned that this has nothing to do with whether or not they are gay, per se, I was referring to the problem of the Edwards being targeted by homophobic biggots for his effeminate mannerisms, not because of his sexual orientation. Ann Coulter actually called him a fa**ot, therefore, not suitable to be President.

If you are thinking of grabbing the bull by the horns, the implications of this are worthy of thought. When a man has mannerism x + y, people immediately say this equals Z. What is wrong with x and y, and you want to ask, what is wrong with z.

It is not going away.

Denying this solves nothing.

I don’t know Noddy and Big-Ears, or Bill and Ben the Flower Pot Men.
I also don’t understand why you started this post.
So far I've gathered that when people in the public eye exhibit behavioral characteristics you deem to be ‘camp’, you are amused because you associate prissiness etc. with homosexuality, and wonder what effect this might have on those who admire them.
I wrote that you only associate the behaviour you mentioned with queers, because of stereotyping carried out by homophobes. In reality, there as just as many prissy, fussy, limp-wristed, camp old and young queens who are heterosexual, as gay. Just as the majority of cross-dressers are heterosexuals. It has nothing to do with sexual orientation. I find most heterosexual men to be wimps as soon as they are alone.
I have read your posts on another forum in which you perpetuate stereotypes by stating – perhaps tongue in cheek – that your gay friends demanded your company at Mardigras promising all sorts of drugs. I also noted your deliberate announcement that you were not gay. Why would you care if we thought you were gay? Mardigras presents every type of human, thus countering the stereotypes, not reinforcing them. I don’t want you to be silenced – on the contrary, I suggested you use your curious interest in homosexuality to demolish stereotypes instead of reinforcing them. What am I afraid of? I am afraid of having my house fire-bombed. Of being set upon by local school kids, of having insults shouted at me in the street, of being bashed or murdered by homophobes. We live in Australia where more than 10,000 assaults and a dozen hate murders are committed every year by people who are taught hate by religion and have this reinforced by laws that state gays are second-class citizens.
There is nothing wrong with Z. The lies perpetrated by the likes of BOAZ are what is wrong.