Gays of our Lives (December 9, 2008)

Gays of Our Lives Presents:

Til The Wedding

Here comes the first crisis between our couple when Harel learns that his new love is still in the closet. Given the heated nature of their relationship, it was a surprising twist. But a realistic one, showing what your lover can hide from you … even when you’re looking right at him.

One thing that the clip shows is that for many men, coming out and living as a gay man is still a struggle, even in a city like Tel Aviv, which is surprisingly progressive when it comes to gay issues.

Harel’s uncertainty about Amir leads to this next clip when he decides that maybe another guy can make him feel better (typical gay boy!). When that doesn’t work, he takes advice from his lesbian sister. Which makes one ask: Did they come out to their parents at the same time, like a two for one deal?

Learning that Harel had a lesbian sister raised questions in my mind about his family, what they are like, how they feel about having two gay children. These issues are never really addressed and it would be nice if they were, if only to add texture and depth to the drama and the characters’ lives.

Ah, progress! We’re finally getting to meet the parents. The father restores furniture. And there’s nothing more exciting than talking about working some wood and getting nailed . . .

This is probably one of the few scenes where we get insight into either man outside of their relationship and in an unusual twist, it’s through the father we learn about Harel and Amir. That’s not something we see often. I do hope we get more of that as the series moves along, even if our focus is on their romantic relationship. After all, we do exist outside of whom we love and it’s important that we see that.

THE GOOL NEWSBEAT

Fans of As The World Turns gay supercouple Luke and Noah have begun the second annual Project Holiday Spirit, a fundraising campaign in support of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.