A suit of mirrors and feathery wings…

Comments

1. DaveNpa on Jun 26, 2007 8:59:39 AM:

   I'll repeat what I said in the CNN I-Reports post: "The unfortunate part is that CNN will probably only show the gay stories that are stereotypical of the gay population. You know they'll have a lispy, flamer gay dressed in a pink oxford with a small yappy dog on his lap talking about cutting hair or making window treatments. Like they do every year during pride month, the mainstream media will only focus on those in our community that are the most extreme and flamboyant rather than show those of us who blend into society and seem to lead happy lives. "

   And this images add all that more fire to the religious zealots who think we all live such derranged and deviant lives. Now, don't get me wrong, I love being gay and taking part in pride, but middle Amerika doesn't understand that for most of us this is one weekend/one month a year that we "Dress up" and "put on a show" 85% of the other time we are living "normal/average" lives.

1. RHH on Jun 27, 2007 3:09:46 PM:

   Whaddaya mean "normal looking folk"? Isn't everyone who shows up for Pride "normal" in his/her/its own way? Talk about being judgmental!

1. North Dallas Thirty on Jun 28, 2007 11:57:32 AM:

   "Colorful and unconventional participants play an important role in Pride events and celebrations, but GLAAD encourages journalists to avoid the tendency to ignore the diversity that exists at Pride events."

   Is there an award out there for most schizophrenic sentence?

1. laconic1 on Jun 28, 2007 8:00:31 PM:

   Ditto what RHH said.

   Does it occur to you that many straight people can look at Pride pictures in the carnivalesque way they look at, say, Mardi Gras, without drawing a conclusion about all heterosexuals.

   Meanwhile, take a look at your Sao Paulo Pride pictures. You focus on good looking boys, and gush about the dance event. Do I care? No. Do I think this makes you a looksist disco queen who misrepresents all Brazilian gay people? No.

   Try such an attitude on.

1. North Dallas Thirty on Jun 28, 2007 8:13:25 PM:

   "Does it occur to you that many straight people can look at Pride pictures in the carnivalesque way they look at, say, Mardi Gras, without drawing a conclusion about all heterosexuals."

   That would be because it's made pretty obvious that disapproving of what goes on at Mardi Gras won't get you thrown out of the heterosexual community -- and that, in fact, a goodly number of heterosexuals DO criticize what goes on at Mardi Gras and suggest it be toned down without anyone namecalling them.

   But do the same for Pride celebrations and you get screamed down as "judgmental". I have yet to see a single person make a criticism of what goes on with Pride without other gays swooping down and threatening to rip up their license to practice homosexualism.

   My straight friends assure me that that does NOT happen if you criticize Mardi Gras, nor is Mardi Gras expected to be "representative" of the entire heterosexual population.

   
   

1. Citizen Crain on Jun 28, 2007 8:22:27 PM:

   To RHH: Pride does mean being yourself, but 99.9 percent of those dressed in outlandish fashion do NOT look like that the other 364 days of the year. Are they truly themselves only at Pride?

   I appreciate as much as the next gay a truly clever drag queen or colorful costume (and some of the ones photographed would qualify). But the vast majority of glammed-out costumes are simply playing to tired stereotypes for a little bit of attention.

   To my pal "laconic1": I'm sure some folks look at Pride photos that way, but you'll note that my post did not take issue with how the photos are viewed. I took issue with whether the press does an accurate job of reporting the event.

   As for São Paulo Pride, my blog never set itself up to report events in a complete way. It's a personal venue to talk about the things that interest me. And let me just say, on that score, I did rather well! :)

1. DCJRB on Jun 29, 2007 6:25:02 PM:

   Regular everyday gay people on your television at pride doesn't make for ratings. News media is a business and as such seeks to highlight the outlandish and interesting to attract more viewers and get more ad dollars. Let's face it, a 6'5" foot Judy Garland is a lot more exciting than a gay middle aged insurance man from Dubuque. The tragedy is that the outrageous becomes the mass image and does our community no good as we fight for the right to be treated like everyone else. So while I can say " Shame on you news media!" I can't blame them for focusing on the colorful characters. Until as a community we can show our commonalities with the larger population we will always be treated as the side show.

1. laconic1 on Jun 30, 2007 10:36:54 AM:

   Oh sure, Dallas. I'm sure you have made a survey of your friends about Mardi Gras.

   And the logic of your argument is so faulty it doesn't even bear analysis. I did not argue that anyone discontinue their criticism or be excommunicated. I'm making the point that I think people exaggerate and distort the effect Pride's representation has on the general culture.

   I don't know that the media is under any obligation to report a parade in the way you would report a political conference, Chris. Pride celebrations are carnivals, parties, not political demonstrations. While their inspiration is commemorative, their main function is to serve the desire of the participants, not to make a point to the general public about how much like them we are. It's about transforming a city into a gay one for a weekend.

   The idea that straight people rely on Pride images to form their opinion of gay people is ludicrous. The images may reinforce the bigoted, but their function is not PR. If you saw the recent poll on younger Americans and their attitudes toward gay rights and compare them to those of older people, it's obvious we're doing something right. And the tedious canard about media misrepresentation having some serious effect is just soooooo After=the-Ball yesterday.

1. Citizen Crain on Jun 30, 2007 5:26:01 PM:

   You're trying to have it both ways, "laconic1" (what's with the name anyway?). On the one hand you shoot NDT down for insinuating Pride is about visibility, but then you would hijack it just as completely, claiming it's all about celebration.

   Any Pride event I've been to is about both: visibility and celebration. Of course the most colorful folk will get some media attention. But we've all seen for years how parade/festival photos are not just of colorful participants but also of the iconic folk on the sidelines.

   The latter is missing from Gay Pride coverage generally.

1. North Dallas Thirty on Jul 3, 2007 3:21:08 AM:

   "The idea that straight people rely on Pride images to form their opinion of gay people is ludicrous."

   Ummm.....didn't you just SAY that was our image?

   "It's about transforming a city into a gay one for a weekend."

   I suppose denying that there's a problem is much simpler than dealing with the public sex, outlandish costuming, and behaviors that are part of a "gay city".

1. David Ryder on Oct 4, 2007 12:21:48 PM:

   Personally I will never not waste one minute of time trying to live up to standards set by a moral minority, or a certain self loathing demographic within the GLBT community. The tapestry that is produced by the varying experiences and realities of all members of our collective community is what should be celebrated, what we should be "proud" of. It would seem the idea of "normal" brings about conformist pandering to the minority we should be striving to identify our marvelous and unique "culture" to. Pride should represent that culture and all of its facets. If needed, I encourage everyone who feels under represented at Pride functions to get actively involved with the organization of next years events. Then you can personally tell a body builder in a bathing suit, an overweight performer in a mini skirt, a drag queen, or a transgendered person that they are not welcome in pride photography. Pretty soon the idea of cultural diversity among a sea of "normal" will be a unique thought indeed.