By now, I'm sure many of you have heard that tonight is the big episode where Blaine questions whether he's gay or not. I'm not really positive as to what makes him doubt his sexuality, but from the preview of tonight's episode, it looks like it involves alcohol and playing spin the bottle with Rachel Berry. Sorry for the poor video quality:
You would think, as a bi male, I would be thrilled. Well, I'm not. And it's for one simple reason: There is no way this can turn out positive for the gay or the bi community. Let me explain.
When 'Glee' came onto the scene last season, we were introduced to Kurt Hummel. Almost instantly, he became a role model and an idol for young gay youth around the world. Then, in season two, Blaine came into the picture. Not only did he become a role model for young gay men, but a role model for Kurt Hummel. He was confident in his sexuality. He was proud to be a gay man.
For the sake of all of the people that look up to his character for inspiration, you cannot have him doubt his sexuality. Besides, in real life, this doesn't happen. Someone that has known since an early age that they were gay does not suddenly have second thoughts that they might be gay one night. That's not reality. 'Glee is lying to kids, and kids will believe it with all of their hearts.
This is the same reason I didn't like 'The Kids Are Alright'. The main lesbian couple were together for 20+ years, and Julianne Moore's character suddenly decides she needs to start having an affair with a guy? That doesn't happen. I can tell you from my experience in the community, that that is Hollywood and not human sexuality. But, people will watch that movie, and walk out of the movie theater thinking that that's what lesbians do from time to time. It's ridiculous.
There is no possible way for tonight's 'Glee' episode to end positively for the gay community. And, there is no positive way for it to end positively for the bi community either. By the end of the episode, the writers will likely make it look like his bisexual thinking was just a "phase". After all, male bisexuals don't exist, or at least, that's what we're made to believe. We're "confused", or "gay and just don't know it yet". They're going to play on the "confused" angle, I bet, and then, have everything cleared up nicely and have him gay again within the hour.
American primetime television needs bi male characters. If 'Glee' was truly interested in having a genuine bi character on the show, they would have made one of the straight guys bi. Have Sam do a same sex kiss. He was rumored to be gay when the season started, with his dyed blonde hair and all. Or better (best) yet, have the bully Karofsky become bisexual. He has already kissed Kurt. He would be the perfect candidate. Don't mess with the guys that are already gay. When you do, you're playing with fire, and just showing the showing the world that this isn't genuine. It's nothing but a publicity stunt.
You would think, as a bi male, I would be thrilled. Well, I'm not. And it's for one simple reason: There is no way this can turn out positive for the gay or the bi community. Let me explain.
When 'Glee' came onto the scene last season, we were introduced to Kurt Hummel. Almost instantly, he became a role model and an idol for young gay youth around the world. Then, in season two, Blaine came into the picture. Not only did he become a role model for young gay men, but a role model for Kurt Hummel. He was confident in his sexuality. He was proud to be a gay man.
For the sake of all of the people that look up to his character for inspiration, you cannot have him doubt his sexuality. Besides, in real life, this doesn't happen. Someone that has known since an early age that they were gay does not suddenly have second thoughts that they might be gay one night. That's not reality. 'Glee is lying to kids, and kids will believe it with all of their hearts.
This is the same reason I didn't like 'The Kids Are Alright'. The main lesbian couple were together for 20+ years, and Julianne Moore's character suddenly decides she needs to start having an affair with a guy? That doesn't happen. I can tell you from my experience in the community, that that is Hollywood and not human sexuality. But, people will watch that movie, and walk out of the movie theater thinking that that's what lesbians do from time to time. It's ridiculous.
There is no possible way for tonight's 'Glee' episode to end positively for the gay community. And, there is no positive way for it to end positively for the bi community either. By the end of the episode, the writers will likely make it look like his bisexual thinking was just a "phase". After all, male bisexuals don't exist, or at least, that's what we're made to believe. We're "confused", or "gay and just don't know it yet". They're going to play on the "confused" angle, I bet, and then, have everything cleared up nicely and have him gay again within the hour.
American primetime television needs bi male characters. If 'Glee' was truly interested in having a genuine bi character on the show, they would have made one of the straight guys bi. Have Sam do a same sex kiss. He was rumored to be gay when the season started, with his dyed blonde hair and all. Or better (best) yet, have the bully Karofsky become bisexual. He has already kissed Kurt. He would be the perfect candidate. Don't mess with the guys that are already gay. When you do, you're playing with fire, and just showing the showing the world that this isn't genuine. It's nothing but a publicity stunt.
2 comments:
Okay, I agree with you on a lot of your points. I think we need a strong out bisexual character, preferably male because they "aren't supposed to exist" on a show like Glee, or better yet, on Glee. I also agree that it's a bad idea for them to show Blaine questioning his sexuality since he has become such a role model for gay males. I had to comment though, because I DO KNOW people who came out as gay first and then realized they were bisexual. In fact, one of my partners did just that. He came out as gay, was militantly gay for a long time, and then realized it still wasn't quite right and that he liked women too. We have been together for almost 5 years and have a toddler daughter together. I have also know lesbian women who lived as lesbians their whole lives and then have come out as bisexual in their 50s. I think these kinds of coming out stories happen all the time. My problem with Glee is that Ryan Murphy has stated that Blaine is gay and always has been and always will be because he didn't want the gay male community to get up in arms. In his statement, he basically made bisexuals sound like the "other" undesirable sexuality and THAT pisses me off. I think these kinds of stories happen, in youth and when older, but the WAY THEY ARE HANDLED is often done very badly. Sorry for my counterrant, heh. Love the blog!
Looking back, saying that this "never" happens was probably an inappropriate way of wording it. I should have said that it's the exception, not the rule.
I agree, Ryan Murphy has not handled this issue with any of the grace or compassion that some of his characters on the show would have. In fact, he has really dug himself into a hole with a number of people in both the gay and the bi community over this episode. I hope, in his mind, he feels that it was worth it.
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