in fact, there are so many homos on HBO – 10 of HBO's 14 original prime-time series "include content reflecting the lives of homosexual, bisexual, and transgender people" – that the afa/onn has posted an online poll: "what is the impact of positive portrayals of homosexuality on network and cable tv?"
your multiple choice answers:
• Desensitization to sinwait, those are the only choices? why so neggy, afa? is there nothing positive about...? oh, wait. i guess that experimentation thing could be...
• Increase in homosexual experimentation
• Marginalization of traditional values
• Increase in Christian outreach to homosexuals
vote in the afa's poll here.
Oh lord. If they feel the possible impacts they present are reasonable, they must all be wondering why decades of hetero box office didn't "cure" homosexuals of their sinful tendencies.
ReplyDeleteRi-freaking-diculous.
I checked out there sight. Wow. Another country heard from...
ReplyDeleteTony, I don't think you and the AFA are that far apart. GLAAD issues report cards and media awards to recognize, and (let's be honest) to promote, the acceptance of homosexuality. The AFA would agree. The difference is, you see this as a good thing, and they don't.
ReplyDeleteMy own problem (and I'm closer to the AFA than to you on this issue) is that, when someone says, "This is who I am," I find it difficult to reply, "But this is wrong" without seeming hard-hearted, mean-spirited, self-righteous, or some combination thereof. And that's just my own internal censor; from others I anticipate being accused of intolerance and homophobia.
I grew up in the performing arts. I work in the performing arts. I'm surrounded by a veritable rainbow every day--people for whom I have genuine affection and respect. You and I might disagree on some pretty fundamental things, but we are both human beings. I hope that gives us substantial common ground.
jon.
ReplyDeletei'm not sure why you would feel the need to reply "but this is wrong" to anyone who says "this is who i am." especially when that person is saying those words in relation to who they love.
by the way, here's glaad's mission statement:
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of people and events in the media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.
their website also includes this:
Fair, accurate and inclusive media images shatter stereotypes. They prove that we are connected through common, human experiences. And these are stories that we -- and the media -- have a responsibility to share.
looks like someone else is trying to find common ground too. i'm not sure you and glaad are so far apart after all.
This post reminds me of the March on Washington back in 1993 (remember that?) and my favorite chant:
ReplyDeleteTEN PERCENT IS NOT ENOUGH!
RECRUIT, RECRUIT, RECRUIT!
(I think the Lesbian Avengers started it, but plenty of others picked it up.)
Maybe my favorite thing about that chant is that you just KNOW that there were American Family Association types who heard that and thought (or said),
"See? See?? They DO recruit!"
I choose to word it differently. "Desensitization to sin" won by a landslide. If we change the words "desensitization" to "acceptance" and "sin" to " difference", I am pretty happy with the poll.
ReplyDelete