SPOTLIGHT
most of the city’s LGBT population had dispersed, as the historically gay “south end” became “less gay” and “more rich” as the neighborhood priced out of most people’s reach. The same broadcast discussed the disappearance of many “gay bars” as the social scene became more integrated. During the broadcast, callers chimed in to support the idea of integration into a post-gay world, while acknowledging that there was still a long way to go. Studio guest Arlene Issacson pointed out the redistribution of LGBT people but said, “We are both very assimilated and not quite there at the same time.” Like it or not, we are en-
tering a post-gay world. We may not be there yet, and all parts of the country aren’t moving at the same pace. But think of it, even the few bigots left in the world are too smart
to make racist statements in mixed company. It will soon be-
come gauche for homophobes to use terms like “faggot” and “dyke.” If we aren’t in a post-gay world now,
it is just around the corner. As older generations die off and are replaced, eventually the haters will become the ones left in the closet.
Quiz Time
ARE YOU READY FOR THE “POST-GAY” ERA? Take the quiz below. For every answer of “false” add one point to your “post-gay” quotient.
My circle of friends is almost exclusively LGBT (Fruit Flies and Fag Hags count as honorary gays). True or False?
When I go out I only like going to gay bars. True or False?
When my friends and I get together it is usually in the “gayborhood”. True or False?
I am afraid to be myself when I am in non-gay establishments. True or False?
My involvement in politics is mostly limited to issues of LGBT rights. True or False?
How HOLLYWOOD is leading us toward the post-gay future:
Just as I-Spy and The Cosby Show had an effect on the changing social opinions on race, film and television are changing people’s opinions on the queer population. With the advent of cable and satellite television stations, this is even truer today than it was in previous genera- tions. Today, children and parents in red states and blue states alike are exposed to programs that allow them to see us as just plain folks.
Here are some prime examples:
Ellen DeGeneres is currently the host of a leading daytime talk show. She is open and forthright about her sexuality without letting it define her. When then Senator Obama was campaigning for president, one of his stops was the Ellen show, where he scored points by dancing with Ellen as he was introduced.
Fox’s hit show Glee only has one gay main character, but
the show has dealt with the issue of Kurt’s sexuality in a very matter-of-fact manner. He’s gay, the other mem- bers of Glee know it, and when he came out to them, it was a non-issue.
ABC’s Modern Family includes a male couple raising a daughter. Cameron is a flamboyant gay man living with his more even-tempered and subdued partner Mitchell. Together they are a positive portrayal of same-sex parents.
On NBC’s hit show Will & Grace, the flamboyant ste- reotypical Jack was balanced by the non-stereotypical portrayal of Will. Taken as a whole it exposed a whole generation to gay characters for the first time and showed that gay people deal with the same problems everyone else faces such as finding a job, looking for an apartment, dealing with relationships and maintaining friendships.
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RAGE monthly | FEBRUARY 2011
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