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Like my reason posts on popular culture, this is focused on Glee. In last week's episode, Kurt came out to his dad, after joining the football team and scoring the winning field goal. It's striking that the usual story of a painful coming out followed by endless abuse and mocking is here replaced with coming out as an inner torment that is greeted with support by surrounding characters. In other words, the focus is less on presenting gay characters who can serve as role models to gay youth, and more on presenting positive straight characters who can offer a welcoming environment to the kid coming out. These characters present new role models for straight people.
In the first clip below (advance to the .55 second mark), Kurt pulls Finn aside to ask a question. Finn, not realizing that Kurt is asking for help with football, intercedes and says: "Thanks, but I already have a date to the prom. But I'm flattered, I know how important dances are to teen gays." Although Finn makes the wrong assumption about Kurt's request, he nevertheless declares his support for Kurt's sexuality. There's no sign of homophobia in the response. Finn then, in the next scene, helps Kurt in joining the football team, despite concerns from his teammates--concerns that seem to derive from perceptions of Kurt's sexuality.
Later in the episode (clip unavailable), Kurt comes out to his dad. His father responds that he's always known his son was gay and that it doesn't make him love Kurt any less. This is a father who embodies working class masculinity and manages to present a gay-positive role model without undermining that masculinity.
A similar image was seen in the premier of Modern Family. When the gay couple on the show introduces their newly adopted daughter to their extended family, the father--who had previously shown discomfort with the gay relationship and with the idea of a gay couple raising a child--declares his full support for the growing family (second clip below).
These images of male heterosexuality are a new and positive development for televised representation.
Like my reason posts on popular culture, this is focused on Glee. In last week's episode, Kurt came out to his dad, after joining the football team and scoring the winning field goal. It's striking that the usual story of a painful coming out followed by endless abuse and mocking is here replaced with coming out as an inner torment that is greeted with support by surrounding characters. In other words, the focus is less on presenting gay characters who can serve as role models to gay youth, and more on presenting positive straight characters who can offer a welcoming environment to the kid coming out. These characters present new role models for straight people.
In the first clip below (advance to the .55 second mark), Kurt pulls Finn aside to ask a question. Finn, not realizing that Kurt is asking for help with football, intercedes and says: "Thanks, but I already have a date to the prom. But I'm flattered, I know how important dances are to teen gays." Although Finn makes the wrong assumption about Kurt's request, he nevertheless declares his support for Kurt's sexuality. There's no sign of homophobia in the response. Finn then, in the next scene, helps Kurt in joining the football team, despite concerns from his teammates--concerns that seem to derive from perceptions of Kurt's sexuality.
Later in the episode (clip unavailable), Kurt comes out to his dad. His father responds that he's always known his son was gay and that it doesn't make him love Kurt any less. This is a father who embodies working class masculinity and manages to present a gay-positive role model without undermining that masculinity.
A similar image was seen in the premier of Modern Family. When the gay couple on the show introduces their newly adopted daughter to their extended family, the father--who had previously shown discomfort with the gay relationship and with the idea of a gay couple raising a child--declares his full support for the growing family (second clip below).
These images of male heterosexuality are a new and positive development for televised representation.
Full episode of Glee:
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