This is just something that has been bothering me lately. Everyone is always telling me that being a gay chick is more accepted than being a gay guy. To which I loudly declare, "Bullshit!" And go on a ten minute rant.
The truth is that it's not more accepted. Sure you do hear people bitching about two guys kissing more than two women doing so, but that is because the two guys kissing is taken seriously.
People only get upset when they think that something is a threat. Two guys kissing equals threat. Two women kissing equals entertainment. You have to admit there is a good deal of thought process behind women kissing that goes along the lines of, "they're doing it to impress guys." That thought process does not exist when it comes to two guys kissing. They're not doing it to impress girls they are just gay.
Let's look at media. Despite the fact that a shit ton of LGBT media is incredibly depressing (a rant for another time) there is always more graphic sex scenes in the movies about two women. Exhibit A: Brokeback Mountain vs. Black Swan. Both won Oscars and to be fair they aren't really the same thing, but think about it. Mila Kunis and Natalie Portman together was a far more graphic sex scene than Jake Gillenhall and Heath Ledger. In films about gay guys, the sex bit is danced around whereas just about any film ever with two woman it is played up as much as possible.
Another thing you will notice is that in films about gay men, they don't pull the whole well actually he's bi thing. I have read and seen a few to many books, movies, and TV shows where they pull that card to create drama or they pull the whole it was just a phase thing. Sure sexuality can be pretty fluid, but dear God, it's the same for men. Can we please stop seeing this plot twist or show at least one show in which that "gay" guy somehow falls for the chick. Please?
Then there is the one thing that bothers me just in general. Will and Grace. (Gasp Spasm!) I know I just blasphemed over the entire world of the gay best friend obsessed, but come on. I've seen episodes of Will and Grace, so I'm not just spouting from ignorance here and I will admit some of the jokes are fabulous. They just make them to much and if I watch more than an episode at a time I get monumentally annoyed. I actually did a little math. (Yes I'm a nerd. Moving on.)
After watching a few shows, I came to an average of about seven gay jokes per episode. In a television show that averages 22 minutes once you cut out commercials that leaves you with a gay joke every 3 minutes-ish. (If you want to get down to the second do the math yourself.) I don't know about you, but my sexuality is talked about not often actually. I do other stuff in my day to day life besides just be gay or do things gayly. (Gasp Spasm!)
Yes it does come up so I don't expect it to never be mentioned, but dear lord every three minutes is a bit much. There are about three television shows I can think of where these people (yes normal average people) actually act like they are normal average people. Pretty Little Liars, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, and Lost Girl. (I especially love Lost Girl for the fact that they don't label any of the sexuality stuff. It's just this dude has a husband and this chick has a girlfriend. Moving on.)
While other shows have gay characters they spend a bit too much time talking about being gay. Greek (which has great dialog and humor for the most part, but a shoddy plot) actually has a character that pretty much just complains about the fact that when you're gay all anyone talks about is your being gay. While I get your point, shut up already! You're not helping the cause!
Every single plot point for that character, of course, revolves around his being gay. The other more hetero characters have plot points about well stuff like failing classes, partying to much, or even the obligatory pissing off of the parents. Not the gay guy though he just gets to struggle with the ins and out of being gay. Like having a crush on your roommate or loving musicals and decorating, but not being able to admit it. (The true challenge of all gay men, apparently.)
Into that same show there is a plot point where a chick declares she's a lesbian and goes on the "obligatory" college lesbian fling, but then decides she was wrong. She's not gay. While I get annoyed with the way the gay guy was portrayed, the gay chick thing was far more obnoxious. The gay guy character was a gay guy. The gay chick character was a three episode story arch in which she was just going through a phase.
So, that would be my rant for this evening brought on by an abundance of free time due to illness and watching feminist documentaries in that free time.
I don't think it is easier, but I think that it is more "acceptable" as a society. The reason being is that gay men are often equated with being "feminine and womanly" though of course they're not. Therefore there tends to be more hate spread with it. I think both sides have a lot of battles but people are usually MORE uncomfortable with gay men. BUT the good news is that we are in a time where more and more people just don't care anymore and think of it the same as any heterosexual couple.
ReplyDeleteAs far as TV I think that stories are getting there with having more story lines where people are people, and who they decide to sleep with has little to do with it. I think Orange is the New Black is a good example.