WHO KNEW I WAS SUFFERING FROM POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER? BUT IT EXPLAINS A LOT...
In last week's column, I discussed Glee and how some of the characters felt as if they bordered a little close to being stereotypes. I said:
Created by out writer Ryan Murphy (Nip/Tuck)
the show includes much for a good gay boy to love including an out gay
character. And some of the musical numbers are flat out brilliant. But
I thought the first half of the pilot was actually bad and some of the
characterizations — sassy, chunky black girl, fashion-obsessed gay boy
— sometimes veered too close to stereotypes. Much will depend on how
those characters evolve and whether the writing holds up .
In the comments, a number of readers shared different thoughts on what I said (or thought I was saying). So this week, given Glee's popularity (and the thread going on about the show here), I thought I'd turn the first part of the column over to a discussion about the show.
BTW, below you'll find some pivotal information about Kurt so stop reading if you don't want to know more!
Orpheuscrew wrote:
Michael, just read your comments on Glee. I had a real problem with the
part that said that the "sassy, chunky black girl, fashion-obsessed gay
boy — sometimes veered too close to stereotypes". I was that boy and
knew that girl very well. To me and others it's not a stereotype it's
our experience. Maybe if you spent less time looking for subtext or an
agenda you might see that. As long as they don't denigrate those
characters,someone might feel represented. That is a good thing, Right?
Mercer74 wrote:
I love this site, and i love this column...but we've got to find some
middle ground on this whole "policing the stereotypes" thing. Yes, in
cinema and TV history, there has been plenty of gay stereotyping that
all of us can look at and groan about. But now it seems as if we're
cutting off our nose to spite our collective face. Guess what
everyone...THERE ARE FEMININE MEN OUT THERE...AND THEY'RE GAY!!! By
demonizing every swishy gay person on television, we're essentially
telling gay people (youths in particualr) to "butch up, because you're
making us look bad by being yourself". I'm a guy, masculine AND
feminine, and I have a sharp wit...if I were on tv, your site would
probably call me a stereotype, but I don't feel that way.
Crawfish Po Boy wrote:
I think we as gay viewers need to try to get past our pop culture trauma
about how we have been represented in the past and really try to see
and acknowledge the diversity of the last 10 years when it comes to
representations of gays on US TV.
That terror of being "stereotyped" reaction is like some kind of PTSD response.
Anyone well versed in gay pop culture knows the issue of gay stereotypes, and especially those concerning effeminacy, is a touchy and complicated subject for a lot of folks. And it's a subject we wrote about recently in an article that generated a lot of reader feedback.
Let me start off by stating that I have no problem with effeminate men or characters whatsoever. Trust me, growing up, no one ever called me 'butch' and whenever Brent and I go to a bar, you can rest assured that I'll be the one ordering the fruity drink with the umbrella.
Ooh, sparkly! Gimme, gimme, gimme!
In fact, I'm drinking one now.
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