In fact he spoke about his love in the courtroom. He could have gotten off with his many connections but could not deny his love.
It is not about promoting an orientation it is about being accepted for what a person is. If homosexuality was accepted and not ridiculed or people ostracised for it, it would not be an issue. That is what I would like to see. Regarding relationships, just as heterosexuals date or have "serial monogamous relationships" so do gays and some lesbians. There are however those who choose to have a monogamous relationship. I think more would opt for that if it did not have a history of criminalization or being ostracised simply for who you love or date.

Oscar also had a family and children. But his love interest was homosexual. It was illegal at that time and he was thrown in prison for it and did hard labor for quite some time.

People in the past guarded their sexuality because of criminalization of it. Now people sometimes still guard it because of not wanting to be ostracised by society. Because many prominent people are safe to come "out" now, they are doing so. Major cities have people in office in high positions that are openly gay. Also in government in countries around the world including the USA.

They are coming out to help get rid of a stigma that has been put upon the lifestyle by hateful people and in some cases people who mean well but demonize a person for living a gay or lesbian lifestyle. The day that all people are accepted by their families as worthy human beings regardless of their natural sexual orientation, and they feel safe to walk down the street of a small town holding hands without worrying if someone sees them and without thinking twice about it or being at risk for being harmed even, that is the day it won't be an issue anymore.

> I think in some cases you are right, that
> there is fear involved.

> But for me, I just think it is a useless
> excerise in trying to promote people as
> being homosexual when there are no facts to
> support it.

> Even in Oscar Wildes case, although he was
> convicted, he always denied it. So for me
> whether he was or wasn't isn't proveable,
> and doesn't matter, because his works are
> wonderful.

> But to try and out historical figures in the
> classroom, needs absolute proof.

> Not like some book did about Abe Lincoln,
> implying he was homosexual, or Walt Whitman,
> because of the poems he wrote about him.

> It's this I object to.