Did she ever lie about her orientation or just not talk about it publicly?

I may be wrong here, but wouldn't there be a difference between "being in the closet" and "choosing not to announce your sexuality"? If she had been going around stating that she wasn't gay, then I would think there would be a valid issue. But to the best of my knowledge (and I may be wrong), she has never done so. So why is she cowardly and shameful?

Do you believe that all persons who have graced the silver screen be mandated to announce whether they are gay, straight, trans-gendered, etc? I don't believe that I have ever heard anyone announce that they are straight.

Why is it cowardly? Why is she obligated to be a role model? She didn't chose to be a "celebrity": she chose to be an actress. Those are not the same thing. Her life is as public (or private) as she chooses it to be. She is under no obligation to do anything further than whatever her contract requires. Historically, Jodie Foster has done very little to promote her films and has preferred to avoid the limelight - just make her movie and go home. I'm fine with that and the world should be too.

I rest easy knowing that if my car breaks down anywhere in the vacinity of Jodie Foster, that odds are she will know more about fixing my car than I wil.

Good for her for acknowledging her partner in public.

Yet, is it really any of our business? Was she really "in the closet" or just guarding her private life? What business of ours is it what celebrities do in their private lives? It drives me nuts that the media can think that they can follow people around, tear them down, photograph and criticize them because they are in the public eye. This is a old phenomena that has just gotten out of hand. I had TMZ TV on (my TV was on Fox) and they were just harassing Brittany Spears. Taunting, following her, blocking her path after she asked them to stop and get out of her way. And then they criticized her for having her break-down in public. She was walking into a coffee shop. Now, I am no Brittany defender but leave the poor girl alone. It is obvious she is in a downward spiral. Why do people feel they need to watch it? (and no, I wasn't actively watching what was on the TV. This caught my ear and made me so sad)

Who decided FOR Foster that she is supposed to be anyone's role model? Becoming an actor does NOT mean that your life is suddenly open for the public to know every tiny detail. Besides, who CARES what Foster - or anyone else - does when they have sex? I really don't see the importance one way or another. Now, IF a person decided to make a public announcement and willingly become a flag carrying role model for others, great. That's a personal choice but it doesn't come under "other duties as assigned" in a job description or an actor.

Besides, she wasn't "in the closet". It wasn't like she went about faking everyone out with her elaborate false hetero life.

I think it's Keira Knightly who has been very open about how she is not a role model and she won't be pressured into being one just because she's an actress.

I think she's a great role model. One of the few child star success stories. She went to college. We've never seen her whoo ha. She's conducted her life very privately - all of it. There's nothing wrong with that.

Would it be any different if she were straight and declined to name her companion so as to keep them out of the limelight? It's all franky none of my business.

I love you, KS!

The best actor/actress role models are the ones you almost never hear anything about.

Yeah, I mean who cares about Steadman? No one.

:D