On Gay Stereotypes

This one will go to, and possibly tumble over the edge of controversy.

Recently I read a reblog on how we should have a TV show with every character being gay and one person being stereotypically straight and going into bars and getting women and so on. This made me upset. First of all, the show would be economically unfeasible, as it would not appeal to the majority demographic. Second, in a sense, it already exists. 

Have you ever heard of any of the following shows: Modern Family (Remember this one), How I Met Your Mother, Hogan’s Heroes, Gilligan’s Island, The Simpsons (remember this one too)? I mentioned two very old TV to use. I’ll start with them. Even without a gay character, these TV shows portray “straight guy” stereotypes as you like to call them. Being distracted by beautiful women, wanting to be drunk, reacting violently to bad situations. Most people just don’t realize that those are stereotypes, they think they are the norm - but wait, isn’t that the definition of stereotype? As a guy who (a) would never set foot in a bar to save my life, (b) will never touch a drop of alcohol, (c) isn’t attracted to every girl, (d) I don’t react violently (anymore) to bad situations, shouldn’t I get all offended and shit and start a campaign for fairness for straight people? Hell no. That wouldn’t make sense. Let’s take a look at the Simpsons.

The show the Simpsons aired on December 17th, 1989, and since its pilot episode, has been based around the concept of stereotypes. No one, as far as I know, has ever taken the creators to court over racism, sexism, homophobia, or any other “problem.” It’s because people are willing to laugh at problems. Also, the show is a cartoon, which is blandly unrealistic and in my humble opinion not that great a show, but that has absolutely nothing to do with this rant: it’s popular, that’s all that matters. But something that’s not a cartoon?

We change the stage to Modern Family, a rather decently acted but poorly scripted and shot sitcom that I was forcibly exposed to by a now ex-girlfriend. There is a gay couple in it. They are “stereotypically” gay. Guess what? There are also two “stereotypically” straight families in it too. The younger family with kids includes a mum and dad who argue non stop and the woman is always over-reacting to everything he says, which is a stereotype. In the older couple, the man always just wants to spend time out with his friends drinking or gambling or just generally not being around his stereotypically annoying as hell South American wife. People laugh. And they don’t realize it, but they are actually laughing at heterosexual stereotypes.

So before you make some brilliant comment about stereotypes and racism and segregation, look at the realistic and logical side of things - perhaps where people don’t always look. Don’t get so caught up in political correctness that it actually hurts you.