Heterosexist views in the media
This evening, I was watching tv, and I got to thinking about the commercials and just tv in general. The tv and other forms of media are constantly in our faces. Whether we like it or not, we ALWAYS see male/female couples, and there isn’t a blink of an eye about it. Everything seems to be politically correct on tv and in magazines. But what would happen, if they showed something that had a gay undertone? Would people be offended by this, most likely yes. Maybe not necessarily offended, but people would be up in arms about it. Anytime anything gay related reaches tv or the media somehow, someone has always got to complain about it. But what about us gay people? Do people ever consider the thought that WE may be offended to see a man and a woman kissing? To many, that is “normal” but really, what is normal? Maybe to me, normal is seeing two women or two men kissing or at least holding hands. When I talk to people, sometimes they get offended when they see gay couples kissing or holding hands in public. But what about us getting offended? I know that regardless of the uproar WE may bring to the table, nothing would ever be done about it.
We live in a heterosexist society, where people are to believe that we are all straight. Or not necessarily that we are all straight, but that we all should be straight. We all know that that is not the case, but any time something is advertised that may have gay undertones, the situation is labeled “controversial.” I remember a commercial for beer, and it took place in a bar. Two women come to the bar, and start checking out the guys. Every time one woman checks out a guy there is always an “excuse” as to why she can’t approach him. The final guy they see, he is alone, and seems very approachable. The women walk up to the guy and he says something to them. As the two women are talking to the guy, another guy comes up and it’s clear that the two men are together. First time I saw that commercial, I was shocked that they actually got away with airing it on tv. I could just see the conservatives jumping out of their seats and trying to get it taken off the air.
I don’t see what the big deal is. People are often afraid of having to explain it to their kids about what it means to be gay. I understand there is a time and a place to be talking to your kids about this sort of thing, but it should be done sooner than later. I say this for the fact that gay people are almost always asked “when did you know you were gay” and many say when they were young kids, in elementary school, sometimes younger. I believe that if it’s not “explained” at an early age, those individuals who do come out at 5-6 or I should say, come to realize they’re not like their recess mates, that there is an explanation for what they feel. I don’t have kids, and I don’t plan on having any. But I don’t see any shame in talking about it to kids. It’s not as if one is trying to force the issue on the children, it’s helping them become more aware of what “differences” there are among people.
I often wonder if the media will ever bring more gay undertones into advertising. I don’t see it as a problem. People may say “why throw it in our face of YOUR lifestyle?” And I can retort back, “why are we thrown YOUR lifestime in our faces??” There is no choice in that, it just happens. People seem to be more gay friendly, look at the success of shows such as Queer as Folk, The L Word, Will and Grace, and Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. They’re all about the gay life, but yet so many people enjoy the shows, both gay and straight. And the shows are not just about the gay lifestyle, but the shows are about “normalizing” what it means to be gay. People may take no notice of the advertising that goes on in our media, but I guess myself, as a gay women, I notice how much it revolves around heterosexuality.
-current mood-TIRED
We live in a heterosexist society, where people are to believe that we are all straight. Or not necessarily that we are all straight, but that we all should be straight. We all know that that is not the case, but any time something is advertised that may have gay undertones, the situation is labeled “controversial.” I remember a commercial for beer, and it took place in a bar. Two women come to the bar, and start checking out the guys. Every time one woman checks out a guy there is always an “excuse” as to why she can’t approach him. The final guy they see, he is alone, and seems very approachable. The women walk up to the guy and he says something to them. As the two women are talking to the guy, another guy comes up and it’s clear that the two men are together. First time I saw that commercial, I was shocked that they actually got away with airing it on tv. I could just see the conservatives jumping out of their seats and trying to get it taken off the air.
I don’t see what the big deal is. People are often afraid of having to explain it to their kids about what it means to be gay. I understand there is a time and a place to be talking to your kids about this sort of thing, but it should be done sooner than later. I say this for the fact that gay people are almost always asked “when did you know you were gay” and many say when they were young kids, in elementary school, sometimes younger. I believe that if it’s not “explained” at an early age, those individuals who do come out at 5-6 or I should say, come to realize they’re not like their recess mates, that there is an explanation for what they feel. I don’t have kids, and I don’t plan on having any. But I don’t see any shame in talking about it to kids. It’s not as if one is trying to force the issue on the children, it’s helping them become more aware of what “differences” there are among people.
I often wonder if the media will ever bring more gay undertones into advertising. I don’t see it as a problem. People may say “why throw it in our face of YOUR lifestyle?” And I can retort back, “why are we thrown YOUR lifestime in our faces??” There is no choice in that, it just happens. People seem to be more gay friendly, look at the success of shows such as Queer as Folk, The L Word, Will and Grace, and Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. They’re all about the gay life, but yet so many people enjoy the shows, both gay and straight. And the shows are not just about the gay lifestyle, but the shows are about “normalizing” what it means to be gay. People may take no notice of the advertising that goes on in our media, but I guess myself, as a gay women, I notice how much it revolves around heterosexuality.
-current mood-TIRED
posted by Gaylicious© at Sunday, August 28, 2005
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