I watched Clay on American Idol Season 2 and fell in love with his voice and his persona. He was a nice guy who could sing his ass off. It wasn’t until I went on the internet did I realize how many homophobic jokes there were. About Clay. About Tom Cruise. About Keanu Reeves. About Kevin Spacey. And now about Taylor Hicks. The list goes on and on. What the hell was going on?
I watched some of the late night talk shows and heard sophomoric, bathroom, frathouse jokes about being gay. Unfortunately, these weren’t even funny jokes. Do people really laugh at Conan? Why? That is the most unfunny man I’ve ever seen. His ‘humor’ is what I laughed at when I was in 6th grade. I’ve grown up, hasn’t he?
I used to love Howard Stern in my 20’s but I’ve grown up. Hasn’t he? One thing I have to say about Howard is at least he’s an equal opportunity basher. Doesn’t matter if one is gay or a horn dog, he’ll bash it.
I guess I just don’t understand what is so funny about being gay. What is so funny about living a lifestyle where one is mocked, ridiculed, doesn’t have equal rights under the law as their straight peers do, can’t get married, can’t share their partner’s health care insurance? It’s not funny, it’s pathetically sad that in this country, arguably one of the most progressive countries in the world, we still mock and ridicule gays.
Why? That’s the million dollar question. Is it because being gay is funny? Is it titillating? I think, without any degrees to back me up, that the people who mock gays are so insecure in their own skin that they have to put up a front, they have to mock, they have to bully, in order to make them feel good about themselves. In fact, it’s no different than schoolyard bullies, except the stakes are higher.Clay Aiken, Tom Cruise, Keanu Reeves, they’ve all said they’re straight. Why can’t we let them self-identify? Why don’t we take their word for it? Could it be because some people find it fun to call them names? Do they get attention for making fun of them? Are they that insecure that the only way they can feel good about themselves is to make fun of other people?
That’s sad. That’s pathetically sad. With the Congress all set to vote on a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriages, our illustrious President is making speeches supporting the amendment. Good call, Bush, spend time debating this issue and let the gas prices rise higher and higher, let our senior citizens live in poverty, let our children go without health care.All because America is homophobic.
It’s disgusting.
Related Tags: Clay Aiken, Tom Cruise, Keanu Reeves, Kevin Spacey, Taylor Hicks, Conan O'Brien, Howard Stern, Gays, Bullies, Congress, President Bush, Homophobia
5 comments:
*applause*
Brava Shady!. I heard about this playwright who had written to Jay Leno - and, although I never really write letters, in this case felt it was important. Here's what I wrote:
Dear Mr. Leno:
I know that Jeff Whitty has expressed his concern and displeasure to you about the endless stream of gay jokes. I have to agree. I come from a different point of view. I am a straight married woman. I have lost many gay friends over the years. I have seen their battles reduced to winks and innuendo and jokes. I have seen teenagers and young adults who watch the late night shows taught that it's fine to call someone a "faggot" or a "pussy". Gay is an insult. Where did they learn that this is acceptable? By people like you who make it a joke. Being gay is no different than being heterosexual. Where are the endless het jokes? Is being gay something to be ashamed of? Is it like being a murderer? A liar? An incompetant politican?
Pointing out absurdities is certainly funny. And even within the gay community there are things that are very funny. But when the punchline is simply "he's gay *wink" - I fail to see any humor. And certainly implying that people are gay who are not out of the closet is giving new meaning to cheap shot. Unless you are sleeping with someone yourself (and in that case, you might as well come out and admit to your homosexual affair like a man) you have no idea if someone is gay or not if they haven't expressed their own sexual orientation.
You're a smart man. You've got good writers. Stop being lazy. Stop teaching people that it's ok to tease someone about their sexual identity. Stop teaching people that being gay is a joke. Stop making it "cool" to be cruel about something that is neither a choice or a shame. It is simply who they are.
Thank you.
Maybe more of us need to take a stand. Thank you for this blog.
Preach it, sister, preach it!
This is from Ivy, who couldn't get it to post:
The comics today aren't that funny. I rarely laugh and after they start dissing gays or throw out some bathroom humor or other cruel, inane jokes, I change the channel. Come on just because you can us bad language in your routine or insult others, doesn't make your act funny. Lately I've been surprised at how many people comment without any prompting from me that it is so sad that there are no longer any really great comics out there today.
~Ivy
Hear! Hear! *MASSIVE applause*
Firstly - why would a person's sexual orientation have any bearing on my appreciation of their talents, whether it be singing, acting or whatever - or on how I see them as a person?
Secondly - unless you're in a relationship with someone - their sexual preferences are none.of.your.damned.business.
Thirdly - don't get me started on Bush and his latest attempt to pander to the ultra-conservative, ultra-right-wing, uber-religious "backwash". With all the things that need fixing in the US right now, that man has to focus on what people do in the privacy of their own bedrooms??? Give me a break. It's nothing more than a cynical attempt to shore up his incompetent presidency. It makes me sick.
/rant
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