7.20.12 Endfest - more from OC Fair! More news!!
Jul 20, 2012 20:29:00 GMT -5
Post by mszue on Jul 20, 2012 20:29:00 GMT -5
1) About the review: I agree with a few others: "limp-wristed" is a slur. It doesn't matter if it was a positive review, and it doesn't matter if Adam was camping it up with the best of 'em on stage last night--using a word so firmly and traditionally rooted in negative and bigoted stereotyping of gays is offensive. Placing the word, as it was, in a sentence harping on his "caked on make-up" and "poof-y hair" (um, yeaaah) only makes it more blatant.
I'd have no problem with a reviewer pointing out that Adam's sexuality contributed to his winning performance last night. This may win me scowls from some people here, but I'd be fine with a reviewer commenting that, in his campiness, Adam was bringing some traditionally-gay sass and charm to a typically mainstream stage. But as far as I'm concerned, using a slur is offensive, plain and simple. The only way you get a pass in my book is if you are gay yourself and are taking over offensive language for your own purposes--the rest of us don't have a clue, and have no right to that word.
I was going to unleash some Old Testament wrath about this but as I kept reading I saw the always articulate MWP and Bridget had already taken it on - my truly heartfelt thanks to them and Nica and anyone else who actually 'gets it'. (And apologies to those I missed who took issue earlier - I just can't re-read - but thank you too.)
This language is not okay, not a poor choice of words. Also, 'Hey, Adam actually was 'limp-wristed' - well, I'm not even going near that one. And, for the record, I don't even know what the hell 'politically correct' means since pretty much every time I see it being used it's as an excuse for someone to use language offensive to some group but who doesn't want to give any credibility to the offended person(s) feelings.
Why does it matter? Well, (sigh) for so many damned reasons. This is hateful language - however cute or merely ill-advised you may find it - trust me on this one (despite what your reported gay (friend, hairdresser, cousin, etc.) may say.
And the impact? Well, how about how a gay man or, more important, boy feels upon reading it? A recent study on homeless LGBT young people (I don't have it in front of me -- see GLAAD site or I'll be happy to provide a link) found a shocking percentage (around 40% I believe) of homeless, at-risk youth self identify as LGBT -- and the two dominant reasons they give for leaving home: fear of social rejection - esp by family and/or actually having been rejected - even kicked out of their homes.
When I finished reading that sad report (as someone who once worked w/homeless young people yrs ago), I was shocked - I really thought the numbers would not be so high at this point, I thought about Adam (and others like Chris Colfer) and how he IS making a difference just being in middle America's awareness, speaking up, building bridges, and nurturing understanding.
When a young person (or anyone really but older people build up a shell) reads this sort of degrading language directed at a successful person like Adam, it boosts fears that someone so successful and mainstream can be derided without the objection of even supposed 'allies' - because it's 'not that bad'. (BTW - Trans kids have the worst time of all so defending Adam by defending his 'alpha' masculinity kind of misses the point.)
It's not okay just because s/he didn't use the word f*ggot - given the contempt it was implied. Doesn't matter if s/he is gay - lots of self-hate out there. Doesn't matter if you don't consider this homophobic or think we need to overlook it because it was an otherwise good review - it still uses the same terminology regularly used to demean gay men and set them apart as 'other' and 'lesser'. (I also think it's misogynistic as it's the use of supposed feminine characteristics to insult a man, but I'll leave that to you.)
Sorry to be a downer - I'm sure most think I should lighten up. (Not likely to happen on this topic - sorry.) Please return to your regularly scheduled programming. But let me end by again saying thank you to those who did speak out (against the tide it seemed) - your comments really made me feel much better.
Mika....THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU....you have such a keen intellect and awesome courage and ability to cut through the peripheral straight to the quick of the matter. Spot on, on every count.
