Emotional invalidation is, unfortunately, merely one example of a multitude of unjust actions done under the guise of GBF phenomena. For example, we are inherently expected to be available at our master’s every beck and call. “A few years ago, all the popular, pretty girls were walking hand in hand with a preppy jock. Now you’ll see them in the hallways with a Mulberry bag on one arm and a Johnny Weir look-alike on the other” (“Hot Topic: Gay Best Friend”). This article says in a nutshell that gay best friends have the mobility and function of a purse. Not to put down a perfect statement accessory, but I do not find it radical to claim gay men are worth more than a handbag. A systemically heteronormative society, unfortunately, begs to differ. …show more content…
Adding the label “gay” onto one’s identity as a best friend distances him from the rest of the world. He is not a best friend in the way girls are best friends with each other, but rather singled out, different, and inherently alone. I promise you, it is disheartening to realize, growing up in binary heteronormative society, that one does not belong fully to either the straight male community or the female community. It is emotionally devastating, however, to have to resort to being an accessory to finally feel …show more content…
Inherent in being a gay best friend is the assumption that the straight white girl comes first and the gay community comes second…if at all. Examine classic GBF characters such as Elijah from the HBO series Girls, Kurt from Glee, or, perhaps best, the Sassy Gay Friend from the popular YouTube series by the same title. Actor and comedian Brian Gallivan portrays this over-the-top scarf-wearing character who interacts with characters from classic literature such as plays by William Shakespeare, exhibiting how “[their] fate[s] could have been avoided if [they] had a sassy gay friend” (“Sassy Gay Friend”). Cue the upbeat music of a stereotypical gay nightclub, complete with Gallivan’s character swiveling his hips and making sassy faces at the camera. In each of the many comedic 3-minute videos, Gallivan interrupts a character’s poor decision with a series of banter that inevitably steers the character down a better path. However, the Sassy Gay Friend is always only a supporting character (in his own series, no less!) designed to benefit the given protagonist. Whether he is saving Desdemona from murder at the hands of Othello, or helping Miss Havisham put her traumatic past behind her, the Sassy Gay Friend is only valuable in what he does for others. I understand, of course, that this
I reached many other people since last week, some of them did not show much interest in doing the interview when they heard it was about homosexual representation analysis; the other people were unable to do the interview because the lack of time or other reasons. Anyway, diverse interviewees were picked to convey a considerably fair research for the attitudes toward the homosexual representation in the show Glee. These three chosen interview subjects not only vary in race (Both my boss and my roommate are Asian-American and my friend’s sister Lily is Caucasian) but also in gender (My boss is male and the other two are female). Because the main focus of the show Glee is about daily life of a group of high school students who attend their school glee club, the audience’s age range is unavoidably narrow. Despite the fact
The Lack of Male Intimacy As I sit in the auditorium of the school I attend, I listen to the speaker of the day make his fatal mistake. He has done well up until now, relating to us only facts and ideas. Now, he has suffered from a lapse in judgment, and seems to have forgotten his surroundings - an all male audience. He has the audacity to display genuine, vulnerable emotion. I wait for the response I know he will get.
Furthermore, a few of his plays are written about drag queens and others about being gay. Mr. Fierstein grew up in a time when being gay was a very hard lifestyle to be open about. Over the decades the support group lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community or better known as LGBT, has supported the mass movement worldwide. Mr. Fierstein set out to illustrate to the world that it is ok to be yourself and that the LGBT community will not accept any more bigotry. His plays focus on the hardships faced by the oppressed and the tyrants.
On television, I watched characters such as Marco del Rossi and Paige Michalchuk on the Canadian teen-drama Degrassi. These were the first positive experiences I had of what gay culture was like. Of what I saw, I did not feel like I fit into that lifestyle/group. On the other hand, the movie The Matthew Shepard Story shared the violent side of homosexuality’s history in the retelling of Matthew Shepard’s murder.
In the past decades, the struggle for gay rights in the Unites States has taken many forms. Previously, homosexuality was viewed as immoral. Many people also viewed it as pathologic because the American Psychiatric Association classified it as a psychiatric disorder. As a result, many people remained in ‘the closet’ because they were afraid of losing their jobs or being discriminated against in the society. According to David Allyn, though most gays could pass in the heterosexual world, they tended to live in fear and lies because they could not look towards their families for support. At the same time, openly gay establishments were often shut down to keep openly gay people under close scrutiny (Allyn 146). But since the 1960s, people have dedicated themselves in fighting for
gay people are not as worthy of respect, dignity and honor as the lives of
Although homosexuality is not a mental disorder in and of itself, gay men and other men who have sex with men can present with poorer mental health outcomes as a result of social discrimination, rejection, isolation and marginalization.3 4, 5 According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, gay men and other MSM are at increased risk for major depression, bipolar disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder, the common basis of which is likely homophobia.6 Sustained stress from this can also lead MSM to contemplate suicide or cope through substance use.7 Although providing appropriate mental health support for gay men and other MSM from a clinical perspective is similar to treating anyone else with mental challenges, it is critical to recognize the role that structural and social barriers play in exacerbating negative mental health outcomes among these individuals.
Discrimination has always been prominent in mainstream society. Judgments are quickly formed based on one’s race, class, or gender. The idea that an individual’s self-worth is measured by their ethnicity or sexual preference has impacted the lives of many Americans. During the early colonial period, a social hierarchy was established with white landowners at the top and African-American slaves at the bottom. As equality movements have transpired, victims of discrimination have varied. In the late 1980’s when Paris is Burning was filmed, gay rights were still controversial in society. The lack of acceptance in conventional society created hardships in the lives of transgender women and gay men.
Homosexuality has existed since the beginning of recorded human history and yet, attitudes towards gay and lesbian individuals vary extensively. Some societies tolerate them; others openly welcome and encourage them; and most blatantly condemn them (Bates, 46). Throughout our country’s history, homosexuals have been misunderstood and discriminated against, leading many to acquire an irrational fear of gays and lesbians. Known as homophobia, this fear has prompted heterosexual individuals with a feeling a superiority and authority when using the word “homosexual” interchangeably with the words pervert, faggot, sodomite, and so on. Homophobes typically perceive homosexuality as a threat to society. Nonetheless, the Gay Rights Movement has achieved impressive progress since 1973 when the American Psychological Association (APA) eradi...
Since the society is more accepting these days, “straight men are liberating themselves from homophobia, leaving themselves open to gay influence, and thus to a more expansive idea of what it means to be a man” (Nutter). Homosexual men taking masculinity concept to the next level where they actually do more things that extremely against the definition of masculinity. Instead of being just open up and express the feelings of themselves, they do things like women does. For example, the article written by Nutter had stated that “much more than a matter of heterosexual men simply working out, waxing, and wearing Prada.” The moment when homosexual was introduced, it was not welcome by the society, because men are expected to be highly strict, manly and masculine. The movement when the homophobia men tried to express and liberate themselves, according to Nutter “homosexuals were regularly thrown in jail, fired, kicked out of their homes, and given shock treatments as "cures,".” This changing concept of masculinity is effecting men a lot, because religious men are denied from churches. Young men were taught to look down at homosexuality and separate themselves from it to protect their sense of secure masculinity. Ayers later learned that homosexuality people still look for love and compassion just like everyone else (Ayers). Even though the concept of masculinity had changed enormous, from
“The unprecedented growth of the gay community in recent history has transformed our culture and consciousness, creating radically new possibilities for people to ‘come out’ and live more openly as homosexuals”(Herdt 2). Before the 1969 Stonewall riot in New York, homosexuality was a taboo subject. Research concerning homosexuality emphasized the etiology, treatment, and psychological adjustment of homosexuals. Times have changed since 1969. Homosexuals have gained great attention in arts, entertainment, media, and politics. Yesterday’s research on homosexuality has expanded to include trying to understand the different experiences and situations of homosexuals (Ben-Ari 89-90).
The 1990s saw a surge of gay characters in both television and movies. From Ellen Degeneres and her character Ellen Morgan coming out under much scrutiny on the TV show ‘Ellen,’ to Julia Roberts and Rupert Everett comedically playing off each other in the motion picture ‘My Best Friend’s Wedding.’ Sure, gays and lesbians have been around forever, especially in Hollywood. But never has there been a time to be more out. With the popularity of shows like Will and Grace, which feature leading gay characters, as well as Dawson’s Creek
“Self pity becomes your oxygen. But you learned to breathe it without a gasp. So, nobody even notices you're hurting.” Every person who identifies as any of LGBTQPIA, (or Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans*, Queer, Questioning, Pansexual, Intersex, and Asexual) can connect directly to this quote by Paul Monette, who wrote it specifically for this group of people. Thousands of people daily are shamed for being a part of it. They are taught to despise themselves for who they are. “Gay Pride” is a common LGBT phrase for a reason: to teach people who are a part of the LGBTQPIA community that they don’t have to be ashamed of themselves. LGBT rights need a lot of work, but before we can make the commitment to do so, we need to make these groups accepted in all of America, not in only a few rare “safe places.”
Choosing a sexual preference is considered one of the biggest decisions of one’s life. Among the human race, heterosexuality (the attraction to persons of the opposite sex) is considered normal. However, over the years, homosexuality (the attraction to persons of the same sex) has become more common. The origin of homosexuality dates back as far as the 5th century B.C. Homosexuality became very popular in ancient Greece. The Greeks approved of same-sex relationships. When homosexuality first became popular though, the relationships were rarely sexual. Most relationships were usually between older men and younger boys. These relationships were more of courtship rituals than anything. In other parts of the world though, homosexuality was kept a secret among couples for many years. Unbelievably, it is still hidden today. It is kept a secret because in society, homosexuality is not considered normal. Therefore, to avoid being judged, ridiculed and belittled, homosexuality is conducted in secrecy. Over the years however, homosexuals have grown tired of not being able to do what they believe in, when and where they pleased. Many homosexuals began to fight for their rights to do as they pleased. What non-supporters of homosexuality thought or said about homosexuals no longer affected the homosexual community. Although many people still disagree with homosexuality, our society today has begun to accept homosexuals as a norm.
Friendships are one of the most important things you can get out of life. It’s something that everyone has to have because without it we would all go insane. Just think if no one talked to each other and we never made friends, this world would be a ticking time bomb. Studies say human need friendships and love to survive. So friendship is a big part of your life.