In his new book Transparent – CNN correspondent and achor Don Lemon reveal that he is in fact gay.  The details of his personal life are outlined in the new book as well as an interview that he did with the New York Times this past weekend.  Here are some excerpts from the interview:

“It’s quite different for an African-American male,” he said. “It’s about the worst thing you can be in black culture. You’re taught you have to be a man; you have to be masculine. In the black community they think you can pray the gay away.” He said he believed the negative reaction to male homosexuality had to do with the history of discrimination that still affects many black Americans, as well as the attitudes of some black women.

“You’re afraid that black women will say the same things they do about how black men should be dating black women.” He added, “I guess this makes me a double minority now.”

So why do it? It really came down to the act of writing the book. Mr. Lemon said he had been on a panel a couple of years ago called “The Black Man in the Age of Obama,” and was approached afterward by a publisher’s representative about writing an inspirational book.

In 2007, Out magazine ranked another CNN anchor – Anderson Cooper on their list of “Most Powerful Gay Men And Women In America,” with bar owner Benjamin Maisani rumored to be his boyfriend.

Tagged as: Anchor, Book, CNN, Don Lemon, Gay, Transparent