There’s been debate on the news about the amazingly popular TV show Glee. If anyone sees my tumblr, it’s no secret that I’m crazy about it. I just have to see the word and it makes me happy! “By its very definition, glee is about opening yourself up to joy.” WORRRRRD.
But on a serious note, certain Christian “Family” organizations are criticizing FOX because glee seems to “glamorize homosexuality.” Apart from the religious assumptions of homosexuality being wrong, these groups claim that glee promotes an unhealthy lifestyle that should not be depicted on television especially because of the young viewers. While this argument seems valid on the surface considering HIV victims are largely homosexual, it lacks any other significant points concerning the maladies of a gay life (other than having to deal with certain religious groups such as these). And to address the HIV statement, homosexuality does not lead to HIV infection; UNPROTECTED SEX does. And contrary to what those Christian groups think, I believe that homosexual individuals represented on television is more of a necessity than a problem on the issue of the spreading of HIV/AIDS. This may not make sense immediately, but my explanation comes in layers. Here’s my theorized summary of events that may occur—
- Homosexuals represented on TV (straight people mad, gay people happy)
- People get educated about homosexuals (straight and gay people learning!)
- Closeted homosexuals see characters like themselves on TV and are inspired to come out (straight people may be shocked, gay people happy)
- EVERYONE is educated about SAFE SEX, especially the gays.
There’s no question that television has a very big responsibility. While education tests our cognitive and intellectual abilities, entertainment acts as a sort of objective learning experience for real-life situations. We connect with characters we see on screen and think to ourselves what we may do if we were put in a character’s position, or what it might feel like. Basically, seeing things from different points of view will help people SEE FROM DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW.
While many straight people who are not fans of the rainbow will no doubt remain, the same goes for homosexuals. As the saying goes, “we’re here and we’re queer.” I do not see any armistice in the near future between the homo-hating heteros and the homos. But we have made some progress for the gay population. Vermont, and several other states have legalized same-sex marriage. Don’t Ask Don’t Tell was repealed. The gays are on their way! Much credit goes to the gay activists and advocating legislators that made all those great things possible. While responsible voting citizens and politicians have the power to change laws, television has the power of entering the living rooms of millions of people and changing the hearts and minds of ignorant or homophobic or indifferent people.
Television is a major catalyst for engaging in dialogue concerning homosexuality. Seeing gay individuals in the media goes a long way in giving people insight into something they may have blindly hated. Glee has done an amazing job of depicting Kurt. He does not hide who he is, his personality is simply adorable, and his courage and self-esteem are just a treat to watch. He’s sort of a gay hero and has been selected as one of TIME’s 100 most influential people! Santana is another central character that has recently realized her inner lesbianism. It’s great. But instead of mentioning her right now, I think I’ll just dedicate an entire post dedicated to her later on.
Glee has attracted tons of fans because of its universal message of self-acceptance and its spirit of embracing the sides of ourselves that may or may not be the mainstream idea of what is good or “cool.” The gay aspect of the show is just a part of that bigger picture. Nonetheless, Glee has done wonders for promoting love and equality, especially for the gay community. I really do think that shows like this and the people who make shows like this deserve more than Emmy’s or Golden Globes or GLAAD awards. We can thank them for representing us and communicating our stories with the public. In the long run, I truly believe that positive images of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and trans people will help non-LGBT people gain a better understanding of other PEOPLE.
everybody love everybody!
p.s. sorry for the total disorganization of this post.
