Tori Gabor
The single story for gay men in the American media is that they are all young, partying, and sex-crazed. They all dress the same- tight clubwear, even during the day- and they all have the same hobbies- drinking, gossiping about boys, and making themselves beautiful. Oh, and they all have AIDS. In doing some basic research, it turns out that these messages are being sent out on all aspects of media. A simple search of 'gay music' brings up results of trashy club music. Even a google search of 'young gay man' first brings up an article from Daily Mail about gay men with AIDS. A picture search of gay men presents men that are fit, hairless, and in speedos or dancing in a nightclub with some kind of fruity cocktail in hand. It is also a common story that gay men find female anatomy repulsive. This story of a gay man has nothing to do with what the actual definition of what a gay man is.
This story is very limiting and honestly quite offensive. It is unfair to group all men who are attracted to other men into this narrow representation. Sexual orientation has nothing to do with hobbies, musical preference, or clothing choices. And it certainly has nothing to do with age. Not all gay men are young and 'flamboyant' like the media makes them out to be. Older gay men have little or no representation in the media, and I think this is very oppressing. This impression is very off-putting, and it misrepresents a public by portraying them as irresponsible or menaces to society, when in reality gay men have just as much ability to contribute to society as anyone else. Gay men can be sober. Gay men can appreciate women's bodies. Gay men don't have to care about their appearance. It is incorrect to assume that men who are gay love to talk about fashion and get drunk. But it is also incorrect to assume that men who love to talk about fashion and get drunk are gay.
My analysis is that the media has a very superficial and shallow interpretation of what it means to be a gay man. And this base interpretation is much to far reaching. There was not much positive information about how diversity within this minority group exists. I think it would be really hard to grow up gay, feeling like that was the mold I had to fit into. And I am also surprised that there isn't more positive or diverse information readily accessible, just because of how relevant LGBT representation and equality has been in our current society. Due to the single-story aspect of gay men being sex crazed, much of the media that comes up is wildly sexualized. I don't think this is fair, because it takes it takes away all intelligent substance from them as humans. But for this reason, I had to be more careful and selective in which of the artifacts I could include in my analysis.
I totally agree with you. The media has showcased gay men as something so superficial. I know so many gay men who are the total opposite of what the single story may depict of them. There are many gay men who are older with successful careers and lives and no one ever seems to talk about those ones and it truly is unfair.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this as well. The media portrays gay men as one way and it is so difficult to comprehend when people meet gay men in real life.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, too. I know a lot of gay men who do not encompass any of the traits the media draws out for them.
ReplyDeleteNo matter who you are, it is unfair to stereotype another group of people so harshly. Fortunately, I think this is becoming less of a problem as the issue becomes less taboo in today's society.
ReplyDeleteYou are right Sydney. It is not fair to stereotype people, and there is also danger of a single story.
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