I Deleted a Gay TV Show

a reply to: Wetpaint72

Sorry, I don't see that. I see him saying that we shouldn't let our personal feelings about something dictate what everyone else does. Don't like something on tv? Don't watch it. That's what I hear him saying. It's the same as saying, I don't believe in gay marriage, so I just won't marry someone of the same gender. Problem solved.

originally posted by: redtic

originally posted by: Benevolent Heretic

originally posted by: redtic
a reply to: Metallicus

I think you'll need to figure out why you're offended and fix that.

I don't recall him saying he was offended... He didn't want to see it. That's OK.

Think you need to re-read the OP - he was pretty clear that he was offended.

So what if he was? Haven't we been told for some time now that the Confederate flag offends people, and that makes it acceptable for stores to ban it, and for it to be removed, for actual graves to be removed, and statues vandalized? All because some people are offended?

Nice double standard, there.

How about, if you don't like that flag, don't look at it?

originally posted by: LadyGreenEyes

originally posted by: redtic

originally posted by: Benevolent Heretic

originally posted by: redtic
a reply to: Metallicus

I think you'll need to figure out why you're offended and fix that.

I don't recall him saying he was offended... He didn't want to see it. That's OK.

Think you need to re-read the OP - he was pretty clear that he was offended.

So what if he was? Haven't we been told for some time now that the Confederate flag offends people, and that makes it acceptable for stores to ban it, and for it to be removed, for actual graves to be removed, and statues vandalized? All because some people are offended?

Nice double standard, there.

How about, if you don't like that flag, don't look at it?

I never said anything about a flag and not sure that comparing a flag to people is appropriate.

But anyhow, if you are offended by people who are different from you, whether that difference be skin color, sexual orientation, etc, my point is that you should look a little harder at yourself first to figure out why that might be.

originally posted by: redtic
Think you need to re-read the OP - he was pretty clear that he was offended.

OK, my mistake. He was "offended".

But he wasn't OFFENDED! to the point of complaining about what was on TV and getting "outraged" that channels are airing something that HE finds personally abhorrent! Like so many people do these days. He simply pushed the delete button and moved on with his life, without complaint.

As I said, I found the hemorrhoid commercial offensive to me, but I'm not becoming outraged and letting it ruin my day.

originally posted by: grandmakdw
I abhor fake gay stereotypes put in a show simply for the purpose of having a gay character.

Stereotypes exist for a reason. Having a stereotypical gay character is not "fake", because some gay people really are like that. The problem comes when someone stereotypes ALL gay people as like that, IMO.

I happen to love me a stereotypical gay character or real person. They have a special place in my heart.

originally posted by: LadyGreenEyes
So what if he was?

Great point! We wouldn't be human if we weren't offended at SOME things! It's OK to be offended. We'll live through it. The problem comes when people think they have a right NOT to be offended!

a reply to: kaylaluv


I would agree with you if he/she had said what you said.

"we shouldn't let our personal feelings about something dictate what everyone else does. Don't like something on tv? Don't watch it."

But it was solely focused on gay/ homosexual "agendas and images.

Coupled with the title, I'm of the opinion, he might be griping a bit.

By the way I'm not offended by any of this, and I agree wholeheartedly with your above quote.

originally posted by: redtic
I never said anything about a flag and not sure that comparing a flag to people is appropriate.

But anyhow, if you are offended by people who are different from you, whether that difference be skin color, sexual orientation, etc, my point is that you should look a little harder at yourself first to figure out why that might be.

No, you stated that there was something wrong with someone being offended by something that doesn't offend you. That is the double standard.

The simple truth is that people will always be offended, but that doesn't mean we should be banning anything and everything. Unless one agrees to ban all television shows that offend large groups of people, they can't demand that a flag be banned, either, or graves moved, and so forth. Fair is fair.

originally posted by: Benevolent Heretic

originally posted by: LadyGreenEyes
So what if he was?

Great point! We wouldn't be human if we weren't offended at SOME things! It's OK to be offended. We'll live through it. The problem comes when people think they have a right NOT to be offended!

Exactly! There are plenty of shows that offend me, so I just don't watch. Some stations, I avoid, because more of what they have is offensive to me than not, but I don't demand they go off the air. People waving rainbow flags bugs me, but they have the same right of free speech that I have.

This push to create a "right" to not be offended is more about eliminating free speech than appeasing anyone's sensibilities, I believe, and that should worry everyone.

Nice to see we can agree on some things!

a reply to: Benevolent Heretic

To me, the stereotype becomes fake when it's the only one you tend to see in popular culture.

How often do you see the African-American who eats fried chicken and watermelon? Nevermind that it's popular soul food and entirely legit and a private school in California got roasted for featuring it as part of their black history month menu ...

My point.

At a certain point, a stereotype is inappropriate even if there are some who are like that. And I'm ready to reach that threshold here. Of course, the alternative where the gay character is so otherwise normal aside from the little things that the writers feel they have to make it a point to have someone on the show pointedly say, "You're gay." at least once per episode as if the audience can't remember it because the character isn't the stereotype is equally annoying.

a reply to: LadyGreenEyes

Really, it's not like we don't have several hundred cable channels. Surely people can find something to watch.

originally posted by: ketsuko
Of course, the alternative where the gay character is so otherwise normal aside from the little things that the writers feel they have to make it a point to have someone on the show pointedly say, "You're gay." at least once per episode as if the audience can't remember it because the character isn't the stereotype is equally annoying.

I see your point, but "otherwise normal"?

The way I see it, our culture is just getting its feet wet with the idea that gay people ARE "normal" and they DO exist and they are just like us. Straight people have different quirks and personalities, various ways of being. You've got your loud mouth, your know-it-all, your drama queen (the straight variety), your shy wall-flower, your macho biker, your control freak, etc. TV shows us characters by using stereotypes.

originally posted by: LadyGreenEyes

originally posted by: redtic
I never said anything about a flag and not sure that comparing a flag to people is appropriate.

But anyhow, if you are offended by people who are different from you, whether that difference be skin color, sexual orientation, etc, my point is that you should look a little harder at yourself first to figure out why that might be.

No, you stated that there was something wrong with someone being offended by something that doesn't offend you. That is the double standard.

The simple truth is that people will always be offended, but that doesn't mean we should be banning anything and everything. Unless one agrees to ban all television shows that offend large groups of people, they can't demand that a flag be banned, either, or graves moved, and so forth. Fair is fair.

Simple question.. Do you think that taking offense to someone *simply* because they have a different sexual orientation than you has the potential to perpetuate homophobia? If so, is that ok?

originally posted by: redtic
Do you think that taking offense to someone *simply* because they have a different sexual orientation than you has the potential to perpetuate homophobia?

That IS homophobia.

If so, is that ok?

Yes. It's not desirable, IMO, but it's OK. Living in a free country, it's OK to be racist, homophobic, anti-whatever. We are a diverse populace and you can't control how people feel. We can only control equal treatment under the law. After a few years of legal acceptance, the people slowly change their views to be more accepting.

originally posted by: Benevolent Heretic

originally posted by: redtic
Do you think that taking offense to someone *simply* because they have a different sexual orientation than you has the potential to perpetuate homophobia?

That IS homophobia.

If so, is that ok?

Yes. It's not desirable, IMO, but it's OK. Living in a free country, it's OK to be racist, homophobic, anti-whatever. We are a diverse populace and you can't control how people feel. We can only control equal treatment under the law. After a few years of legal acceptance, the people slowly change their views to be more accepting.

Agree with everything you say. Perhaps I should have asked "is that good"? Obviously it's not, and that's been my point all along.

a reply to: Benevolent Heretic

You know what I mean - their behavior when it comes to expressing their sexuality is so more or less bland that unless someone points out their orientation, it invites you to fill in the blank. This happens with a lot of hetero characters too. Unless there is a real need for there to be an overt expression of sexuality, it generally gets left out as an unnecessary detail. A good writer who knows the character will know that detail and write from the character's perspective so there will usually be little clues that a perceptive viewer or reader can pick up on that will make you wonder.

But unless the plot calls for an actual expression of orientation for some reason or other, explicitly stating it for either hetero or homo or bi isn't necessary and generally shouldn't be there, just like in writing you don't usually give a total rundown of physical appearance either unless a detail is explicitly important to the overall narrative. It's unnecessary to the plot itself. Now most people generally are going to assume, of course, that a character is going to be hetero simply because, like it or not, around 95% of the population or better is hetero, but that doesn't mean the character has to be or even is just because there is no explicit statement of orientation.

originally posted by: redtic
Agree with everything you say. Perhaps I should have asked "is that good"? Obviously it's not, and that's been my point all along.

Got it. Yeah, according to me, it's not good. I hope we can all come to the point of not being offended by those who are different from us.

I think the OP said it was gay people's "gay behavior" that offended him... I have no idea what that means. I mean, is he watching them make out or something? I don't know.

Hey Metallicus - What's "gay behavior"? And how does it differ from "straight behavior"?

originally posted by: ketsuko
You know what I mean

Yeah, I do. I'm giving you some crap. That's what I meant about us being "new" to showing gay characters on TV. There's bound to be some awkwardness around it until the producers get better at making the show about people instead of sexualities. Ever watch GLEE? They did a great job. Some characters were stereotypical and some weren't so obvious. But it was clearly about the personalities of the characters and not the sexualities.

I'm sure some would disagree with me, but that's because they think ANY show of homosexuality is "spreading an agenda" when all it's doing is being realistic.

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: LadyGreenEyes

Really, it's not like we don't have several hundred cable channels. Surely people can find something to watch.

Exactly. We have cable, and there are plenty of things we enjoy watching,while managing to avoid the stuff we don't. Not always prime time major network shows, but who cares?