Why I don't have any gay friends

I don't have any gay friends, or work friends, or coffee friends.... I just have friends.  I don't feel the need to label people I know by how we met, how I know them or a particular feature they have.  Once someone is my friend, I would rather think "that is my friend, Esme".  End of.  I don't think "that's my straight friend, Esme", or "I used to work alongside Esme and we had great conversations and spent hour after hour together at work" or even "oh, Esme, remember that time you emailed our boss a picture of your.."... never mind.... 

Actually, I don't think I have any friends named Esme. If you know an Esme whom you think I would get along with, please let me know.

I find the labels people are given to be of an odd significance.  For example, if I were to achieve greatness, sorry WHEN I achieve greatness (as soon as interpretive dance is an Olympic sport, I'm in) I would be disappointed to be referred to as "Straight White Brown Eyed Interpretive Dancer".  The gender of the person I am in love with and the colour of my skin and eyes are irrelevant to my given talents and profession.  They most certainly shouldn't be credited first.

When Ian Thorpe came out publicly about his sexuality, he instantly went from Five Times Olympic Gold Medalist to Gay Swimmer.  Why do we do that?  Oprah was an African American Talk Show Host and now Ellen is a Lesbian Talk Show Host.  How far does it need to go?  Will we start changing our email signatures and business cards to point these details out?

I don't want to downplay the positive aspects of people in the public eye being honest about their private lives - if they choose to do so.  If they can make the road less bumpy for others to travel, that's wonderful.  It just seems to me that perhaps the focus is constantly on a trait which is not necessarily what makes them a person.  Just my humble opinion.