IMHO: "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" (2.8) "A New Kind of Green"

I too, found the depiction of Griffin to be unrealistic. I work in the public schools, and a freshman who announced he was gay on the first day would quickly become the target of bullying, or worse. Even in our ELEMENTRY schools, the worst put-down a student can give a boy is to call him "gay." In addition, as I watched Griffin's almost flirty behavior last night (with Ashley and her father, not with the boy in the hall), I started to get the awful feeling that this storyline is going to end up with Griffin either (a) falling in love with Ashley and converting to straight or (B) being straight all along, and using the "I'm gay" ruse as a pick up line to get girls (and their fathers) to let down their defenses. I hope I'm wrong!

loads of out teens even 8yr olds

mean girls: too gay to function

the kid that won prom queen

maxxie skins

facebook <out on the net>

gsa's

queer youth centres/groups

(homosexuals isn't a word)

i'd prefer him to be out then reinforcing gay = getting bullied

I hulu'd this show for my first viewing just 'cause that Brando Easton is superhot.  I hated almost every minute leading up to his scene.  When he finally showed up, I was just exhausted from the crapfest Ed talks about: horny teenage characters (that somehow fulfill every sexual desire they could ever want) I could care less about, bland and boring script, a Molly Ringwald that should fire her agent, etc.  IMO, the pics on this site are all you need to get your fix of Brando Easton, 'cause believe me, the sludge you have to swim through, to get to his scenes on this show, will make you feel like you're drowning.  Brando himself couldn't stroke that arrow back up.

I used to watch this show as a sort of guilty pleasure, but there were just too many things wrong with it that I couldn't handle it. It has cheesy, awkward writing that can't help but be acted poorly, none of the characters are particularly likeable, and the situations they end up in are completely ridiculous and cringeworthy.

It was hard to give up on the show, because I wanted it to be good. I thought Ricky and Adrienne were actually fairly interesting, and Ashley was kind of amazing with her monotone quips, but the show just didn't work. I stopped watching right before the baby was born, but from what you say the Griffin character fits right in with the other failures of the show. 

 

that the show really has gotten worse - I agree that very few of the characters are really likeable. On the other hand the other ABC Family show "10 Things I Hate About You" is actually much better - somehow gayer without any official gay.

Actually, there was a freshman in my high school who acted exactly like Griffin (except this freshman was not hot at all). A teacher I had said that he would actually introduce himself and include that he was gay. Unfortunately people didn't like him because he would cause drama and was incredibly annoying.

But it is somewhat realistic for someone to be that open by freshman year. For example, how about Lawrence King (RIP) who wasn't even in high school yet.

I will continue to watch the show---when my partner who LOATHES it isn’t around. I like it for it’s “After School Special on Bizzaro World” quality: the cheesy after-school kind of music (I keep waiting for a public service announcement to pop up---and it does!--at the end of every episode), the wooden acting which devolves into BIG and SHRILL excitement. The appearances by actors well known for their other rolls (Skipper from “Sex in the City”, Janice’s put upon hubby from “The Sopranos”, Stiffler’s mom etc) and who doesn’t love to watch Molly Ringwald slum it? It’s all very weird and oddly relaxing. The girl who plays Ashley is probably going to be a big star when she lands somewhere else--love her timing and delivery.

those aren't wrinkles.  23 yr-olds don't have wrinkles. 

 

and also for the record, i don't watch this show, partially because it's awful.  but maybe it's nice to depict a gay young man as angst-free for once?  you know, just for contrast?  it IS fiction, after all. 

Quote: "I don’t find him to be real. I don’t believe he walks up to people saying “Hi, I’m Griffin and I’m gay.” I don’t believe there’s a high school in the world where gay freshmen are openly hitting on each other in the hallway. I just find the character to be such a ridiculous construct, and the openness of the high school to be so over-the-rainbow I can’t buy in."Unquote

I think the demographic for this show is very similar to the demographis for Degrassi TNG (which I think is a slightly younger, less sophistocated demographic than Gossip Girl).  This is more the Gilmore Girls crown.    

Funny quirky characters who are all witty and quick on their feet beyond normal human capabilities.

As to your quote above, I'm not sure that's fair.   You may not want to believe it but I don't think that means it doesn't exist. It would be intersting to consult GLSEN who I know keeps records of all the GSA's in the country.

The experience of going to high school as a gay teen in 2009 depends completely upon where you live, what kind of community you're from and the demographics of your high school.  Many teens come out in junior high and are already involved with gay activities and have already started dating before they even get to high school.

Yes some teens get ridiculously bullied (and we don't yet know that Griffin won't get bullied) but they are still out and open about being gay.

Realistically, some teens don't get bullied at all and actually date and participate in school activities as out gay teens. That's the reality.

People will assume you are straight unless you tell them you're gay because the world is heterosexist so I think Griffin's approach makes sense (and just makes him a bit socially awkward which I think balances out his prettyness).  He's cute, he'll get hit on a lot by any gay guys or girls so he just get's it out of the way.  "Hi, I'm gay. Next."

The one thing I will say I've noticed is that if you are gay and out in high school, every other kid in your school will know by the end of your first day so I'm sure any other gay or bisexual guys in that school heard about Griffin by lunch time.

That said, none of the shows are particulalry "realistic" vis a vis actual teens unless you put all of the gorgeous, well-spoken, talented, smarty-pants, atheletic teens all in one high school.

The teenage experience of out gay and lesbians IS very, very different now than it was even 10 years ago.

This doesn't mean that teens in rural, isolated or non-gay friendly urban committies and suburbs don't suffer discrimation but a lot less of them are closeted regardless of the circumstances.

I don't think Griffin's being out and seemingly well-adjusted and flirty is any more outrageous than some of the other characterizations of the other teens.

I am a teacher at the real Grant HS.  Our campus is used for the exterior shots and the hallways scenes are similar to our hallways, but not exactly.  We have the orange lockers but not the soda machine.

I have found a new comfortability with gayness among teens.  At other schools, such openness might exist, but not at this high school.  The rainbow flag image against the backdrop of our school cracks me up.  I wish.  I am one of the sponsors of our gay club and we cannot get boys to show up.  Our school has a huge Armenian population and the males are very homophobic.  Our male students are very intimidated.   A year ago, during the National Day of Silence, most of the Armenians ditched school, because a Armenian radio show had proclamied that gays would be recruiting on that day.

I will keep an eye out for "Griffin" the next time they have a shoot on campus.