The fine line between Alliance and Exploitation

This blog post is about Gay Rights.  Not the question of these rights directly but rather a focus on cultural semblance of the Gay Rights Movement.

In particular I would like to focus on pop-stars and singers.  There have been numerous mainstream pop artists who have become Gay Icons and been outspoken Gay Rights Activists.  While I believe many of them would have the best intentions at heart, but can we assume this is true in all cases?

Should Gay Activism automatically provide a large Gay following?  I would assume not as one does not necessarily imply the other but in recent years this trend has been growing and it has made me think - do all the people who gather large Gay followings truly deserve that following?

In this I mean if a singer for instance is a Gay Activist, I do not believe this should require or evoke a large following - their following should be decided by their talent and their natural appeal not appeal garnered through political activity.  Politics should be kept out of Music in this respect in my opinion.

You might argue that some artists who follow this route have both a large following because of their political and also their musical endeavours.  While this may be true for some I have personally witnessed this conversation:

K:  What do you think of X?
N:  Can't stand X, all their Music just sounds the same.
K:  They were on Stonewall's website yesterday gave an interview.  Apparently they are quite involved in Gay Rights Activism.
N:  Oh, I did not know that. . .

[One week later]

N:  Have you heard X's new album?  It's actually not that bad y'know I think I was wrong about them.

Yea, I'm not an idiot, I know the only reason he changed his mind was because of the above conversation.  This expresses my point eloquently - at what point does Alliance become Exploitation?  If the singer had intended to pursue political prominence for the sole purpose of furthering their career they wouldn't exactly be up-front about it now would they?

How can you tell if their motivations are true?  This question of course would be redundant if people didn't 'flock' like sheep.