TV’s most gay-friendly show is sending out a terrible message to viewers and doing a huge disservice to the gay community.
And the writers and producers of “Glee” are oblivious to it.
Regrettably, the show’s message of acceptance has been so distorted it’s unrecognizable. Not once, not twice, but three times gay characters in the show have gotten away with behavior that wouldn’t have been tolerated from straight characters.
In Season 1, gay character Kurt (Chris Colfer) repeatedly sexually harassed Finn (Cory Monteith) and went unpunished.
And while the Kurt-gets-bullied storyline has been ongoing for 2½ seasons, Rachel (Lea Michelle) being bullied in episode after episode doesn’t have anywhere near the same resonance.
In Season 2, closeted gay David Karofsky (Max Adler) bullied, threatened and even physically assaulted Kurt. David, too, was portrayed sympathetically, his behavior excused because of his struggle with admitting his sexuality.
And now in Season 3, unremitting and unrepentant bully Santana (Naya Rivera) is the sympathetic one because she’s been outed as a lesbian.
In the most recent episode of “Glee,” Santana confronted and insulted Finn in the school hallway. After taking her abuse, Finn told Santana he felt sorry for her because she couldn’t be herself. That she’s so angry because she can’t admit she’s in love with Brittany (Heather Morris) and fears Brittany won’t love her back.
You could argue — and some have — that Finn shouldn’t have said what he did where others could overhear. There’s a point to be made there.
But what Santana apologists ignore is that she has unceasingly tormented her classmates, and that has been played for laughs.
No matter the provocation, there’s no excuse for Santana physically assaulting Finn as she did when, later in the episode, she hauled off and slapped him. Hard.
Is that what executive producer Ryan Murphy is talking about when he insists that “Glee” is about sending positive messages?
But — and here’s a spoiler alert — Finn is going to forgive Santana (Wednesday, Nov. 30, 7 p.m. on Channel 13) because he feels sorry for her.
I am completely on board with any effort to make high school a safe place for gay kids. No one should be treated badly or even differently because of sexual orientation.
But in the world that Murphy & Co. have created — a world that millions of kids and teens visit every week — characters are clearly being treated differently solely because of their sexual orientation.
That’s not equality. That’s not a positive message. That’s not productive — it’s destructive.
source: Salt Lake Tribune.com
3 commenti:
I completely agree. I hate the fact that all the gay Glee characters are becoming so unlikeable! They used to be my favorites... :/
I'm sorry but I don't agree. All glee chacters have done something that you can consider a unforgivable things and the go whit it. Puck and Finn were bullies too (and Puck still or at least in the fist season), Rachel sent Sunshine to a crackhouse, Quinn try to get Shelby into jail. Ok maybe the had their reason (no Rachel, she was just been selfish, neither Puck and Finn) but in a school like that were the football club can hit whoever they want whitout any consequence, what is a slap? (by the way Quinn slapped Rachel once and she had no reason). About Karofsky well that was not a reason but again he didn't have any punish because of the school. And about Kurt repeatedly sexually harassed Finn, well, you are right there but like I said almost EVERY chapter have done somthing "bad" and go with it (Rachel the most and you can't compare the bulling that she suffers and the one thet Kurt did.
Um, no mention of Blaine trying to force himself on Kurt? If a guy did that to a girl there's no way it would have been excused. Not to mention the girl would have never slept with the guy a day later.
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