As a communication major at Clarion, one of John Casey’s many activities was involvement with The Clarion Call student newspaper. In his senior year, the newspaper introduced a feature: Senior Spotlight.

“I was the impetus for the idea, because I was ever-present, everywhere on campus,” said Casey ’96. “(In my Senior Spotlight) I said I’d go to Capitol Hill, be a press secretary, and go to Hollywood. I did that. I said I’d take over for Johnny Carson – big fail.”

Between his junior and senior years, Casey had interned for Congressman Austin Murphy from Pittsburgh.

On the final day of his internship, Casey attended an all-day staff party, where he overindulged and eventually became ill. He feared his career was over.

In September, back at Clarion, he contacted Murphy to apologize. The congressman said not to worry about it and to call him when he graduates. Casey made that call in spring 1986, and he was hired to work in Murphy’s Washington, Pennsylvania, district office.

“That launched my career,” Casey said.

One Thursday evening, Casey was watching "The Cosby Show" with his parents when Murphy called with an even bigger offer.

“He said, ‘Casey, if you still want to be my press secretary, get to Washington, D.C., by 8 a.m.’ He was being reprimanded by Congress,” Casey said.

Casey served as press secretary through Murphy’s 1992 election, steering him through exposure of having a child out of wedlock and a federal grand jury investigation.

“If you’ve never been subpoenaed to testify in front of a grand jury, you’re not missing anything,” Casey said. “By the 1994 election, I needed to get out of there.”

In pursuit of fame, he went to New York City to attend acting school. While he was part of several stage productions in Manhattan and starred in a short film that garnered “Best Short” awards at the Edinburgh, Chicago and San Francisco Film Festivals, his acting aspirations didn’t pan out. He wasn’t ready to give up.

“I came to New York to be famous … I knew I’d be famous at something,” said Casey, who still lives in the Empire State. “I lost my dad when I was 12, and through my whole life, I’ve felt his wind behind my back.”

He served as public relations director at Nielsen, where led the introduction of Nielson ONE, the future of audience measurement. He had PR/media relations stints with the Nobel Prize-winning United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, United Nations Envoy Mike Bloomberg, Toys "R" Us, Sears Holdings and Macy's, and media holding companies Publicis and Havas. During his off hours, he produced a couple of films and co-wrote an award-winning children’s interactive book app.

Now a full-time contributor and senior editor of The Advocate, the world’s largest source of LGBTQ+ news, Casey has found the fame he sought.

Casey (right) with actor and good friend Colman Domingo

For several years, he’s been writing a twice-weekly column featuring discussions with leading news makers and LGBTQ+ leaders on issues affecting the community. Previous guests include Nancy Pelosi, Ellen DeGeneres, Shirley MacLaine, Johnny Mathis, Neil Patrick Harris, CIA director Leon Panetta and Senator John Fetterman.

“The column consistently racks up tens of thousands of pageviews and gets the community thinking and talking,” said Neal Broverman, editorial director for equalpride, publisher/producer of Out, The Advocate, Plus, and Advocate Channel.

“It’s nice to have my writing read by countless people from all over the world,” Casey said. “I hear from an extraordinary number of people from all walks of life.”

His columns are available at https://www.advocate.com/authors/john-casey.

Being a voice for the LGBTQ+ community represents a full circle for him. As a college student in the early to mid-1980s, Casey lived in fear that someone would find out he was gay. It was a secret he kept from even his closest friends.

“There was absolutely no way that I could come out. Most of my friends were athletes. I was pretty popular, and I was afraid that if I came out, I wouldn’t have been popular anymore,” Casey said. “It was a completely different time.”

Discrimination and homophobia were prevalent during the AIDS crisis in the late 80s and early 90s

“For my entire life, I’d had difficulty accepting my sexuality,” Casey said. “In 2015, I spent a year on disability for severe depression. A good chunk of it was that I had repressed my sexuality through so much of my life. I tried to commit suicide – I’m very open about that. I learned a lot during that year.”

For Casey, drinking was a significant part of his depression. He wasn’t an alcoholic, but when he drank, he drank heavily.

When he began working in public relations for Sears and Kmart, he started to be a little more open.

“One of the reasons was lifelong friendship with Jaclyn Smith. She’s the most amazing person,” Casey said. “I remember talking to her pretty openly about my sexuality. She was very encouraging, and I slowly started to be a lot more open.”

In many ways, time has been a friend to the LGBTQ+ community, including Casey. About five years after graduating from Clarion, he and his college friends took their annual trip to a cabin in Cook Forest, and he told them he is gay.

“They all piled on me. They were completely fine,” Casey said.

More than 30 years later, much has changed.

“Nobody cares anymore if you’re gay. For me, it’s ironic. When I started my career, I thought that being a gay man would have destroyed my career; now it’s my biggest advantage. Going that whole trajectory is kind of crazy to think about it,” Casey said. “I’m glad I’m gay. I wouldn’t have had these opportunities. Being gay is a blessing, particularly at this point of my life. I’ve had a wonderful partner for 15 years. Since I stopped drinking and dealt with a lot of demons, I’m very comfortable as a gay man.”

While the improvements for LGBTQ+ people are encouraging, he is disheartened by a resurgence of toxic attitudes.

“A couple of years ago, after gay marriage (legislation) passed, (LGBTQ+ advocates) took a breath, and you can’t do that,” Casey said. “Hate crimes are up 400 percent against transgender people. LGBTQ youth are 40 percent more likely to commit suicide.”

He said legislation such as Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill takes away the opportunity to express sexuality. In April, he wrote The Advocate’s cover story, “Clown Show: Why Rep. George Santos and the Idea of LGBTQ+ Republicans is Still a Joke.”

“My hope is that the next generation is more open and accepting,” he said. “Ten years ago, Gen Z was at 11 percent LGBTQ, and now they’re at 25. That generation is doing a lot of good and making some good changes.”

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