How to out yourself as a foolish magazine

An American gay lifestyle magazine has controversially "outed" two celebrities including the film star Jodie Foster.

Out, published by PlanetOut the Nasdaq quoted company that also owns the slightly smutty gay.com dating and "news" website has also outed the CNN "star" Anderson Cooper

The magazine has also published its list of America's top gays, rather like the Independent on Sunday's annual Pink List.

"I would be lying if I told you I wasn't aware of your list," Aaron Hicklin, editor of Out told yesterday's Independent on Sunday.  "We wanted to do a little of what the Independent does, to have a dynamic list where people are ranked and where people are rising and falling on an annual basis."

PinkNews.co.uk doesn't like outing people unless there's very good reason to, perhaps only if they are a politician who has consistently voted against gay rights. So we're rather confused how you justify outing Ms Foster and the CNN anchor most of us here in Britain have never heard of.

We prefer the Independent on Sunday's approach to gay lists, only listing those who want to be out.

Maybe this year, it could even include Benjamin Cohen the founder and former editor of PinkNews.co.uk . He now graces our screens a couple of nights a week explaining (all be it somewhat camply) the latest business or technology developments on Channel 4 News.