Emproph
04-01-2006, 08:19 AM
{I didn’t know any of this ‘til composing this thread, when “Remember the Alamo” popped into my head: -1836, a battle which helped to galvanize the Texan independence movement. Formerly divided leaders then joined in a common cause, realizing that only united action would achieve their end. Soon after and under the cry of “Remember the Alamo,” Texan forces won a stunning and decisive victory at San Jacinto, reclaiming stolen Texas territory.}
I recently had an epiphany, in the midst of and in regard to my often overwhelming frustration. Essentially that shows like Will and Grace cannot be unlearned. I think I’m concentrating more on TV here as opposed to movies. You can choose not to go to the theater, but if you've got cable, like it or not you’re going to be exposed to promo’s for shows like Ellen and Will and Grace.
It was profound enough to affect my overview in regard to the pronounced injustice occurring, the “war on gays” so to speak. I realized that equality can’t be unlearned any more than memory can be forgotten. In this case, it's the memory of freedom. Something we now have a lock on.
This is especially meant for people like me who get so angry sometimes about the injustice of the slander and malignment being done to us and especially the GLBT kids growing up today. It’s so frustrating not being able to combat the lies and protect young people from having to go through the hell I went through.
I think it’s also important to realize that it’s a new type of freedom we’re fighting for. It’s a challenge in the sense that orientation or what ever you want to call it, is unseen as opposed to a physical trait, but also a qualification as to why equal rights may seem to be taking longer than necessary to achieve.
We’re opening a new door for many other unseeable minorities and their rights to equality. To that extent we could see our efforts as trail blazing or pioneering above and beyond that which they already are. On the ‘pro’ side of our minority status being unseeable, many as yet in the closet, are functional advocates “on the inside,” doing their part to help win hearts and minds.
The goal of course and eventually, minority status/equal rights won’t be an issue or necessary. Until then though, no matter how much worse it is today for GLBT kids growing up because of radical religious right vitriolic mis- and dis-information, shows like Will and Grace are forever changing the mental landscape of humanity.
They continue to show GLBT kids and adults still in the closet, that others like them know fear no more and perhaps more importantly, that most everyone else now knows this too. In other words, even if people don’t accept it, most everybody now knows that discrimination against GLBT people either is prejudice, or is seen as prejudice. The implications of that alone are a profound and significant accomplishment. Thank God. :pray:
Remember the days when all we had was Steven Carrington on Dynasty and what a “Shock” it was to find out Rock Hudson was gay (who also a had a bit role on Dynasty). For years afterward the introduction of gay characters in shows and movies were life changing events, at least for me. These days, how often do those of us who went through hell growing up even give it a second thought?
Ellen’s unprecedented “coming out” on her sitcom and now an adored talk show host. Rosie O’Donnell, Mellisa Etheridge, Queer eye for the straight guy, Token and main gay characters abound. We now we even have our own Chanel LOGO (In addition to Bravo). The list of course goes on and on.
We can’t be un-outed, and every time it happens today (gay-characters, out celebrities, politicians, etc.), it’s one more break in the wall separating us from free and full societal integration, yet it’s become so common place I often take little note.
The noticeable difference is that When I compare my current ho-hum nonchalance to all the times I wept at every tiny piece of painstaking incremental progress made in the mainstream media, It looks like a bomb went off. Except this bomb was an explosion of exposure to an understanding. A permanent unforgettable understanding, expressed in such a way that it is now an often, if not mostly accepted part of American culture, whose tentacles stretch globally.
So the next time you’re sick of seeing promo’s for syndicated episodes of Will and Grace et al, recognize it as being a reminder to all that we cannot be unlearned. For many, they are literally a life saver :rainbow:
P.S. “Remember the Ellen-O!”
Ok that still needs some work. Suggestions? :D
I recently had an epiphany, in the midst of and in regard to my often overwhelming frustration. Essentially that shows like Will and Grace cannot be unlearned. I think I’m concentrating more on TV here as opposed to movies. You can choose not to go to the theater, but if you've got cable, like it or not you’re going to be exposed to promo’s for shows like Ellen and Will and Grace.
It was profound enough to affect my overview in regard to the pronounced injustice occurring, the “war on gays” so to speak. I realized that equality can’t be unlearned any more than memory can be forgotten. In this case, it's the memory of freedom. Something we now have a lock on.
This is especially meant for people like me who get so angry sometimes about the injustice of the slander and malignment being done to us and especially the GLBT kids growing up today. It’s so frustrating not being able to combat the lies and protect young people from having to go through the hell I went through.
I think it’s also important to realize that it’s a new type of freedom we’re fighting for. It’s a challenge in the sense that orientation or what ever you want to call it, is unseen as opposed to a physical trait, but also a qualification as to why equal rights may seem to be taking longer than necessary to achieve.
We’re opening a new door for many other unseeable minorities and their rights to equality. To that extent we could see our efforts as trail blazing or pioneering above and beyond that which they already are. On the ‘pro’ side of our minority status being unseeable, many as yet in the closet, are functional advocates “on the inside,” doing their part to help win hearts and minds.
The goal of course and eventually, minority status/equal rights won’t be an issue or necessary. Until then though, no matter how much worse it is today for GLBT kids growing up because of radical religious right vitriolic mis- and dis-information, shows like Will and Grace are forever changing the mental landscape of humanity.
They continue to show GLBT kids and adults still in the closet, that others like them know fear no more and perhaps more importantly, that most everyone else now knows this too. In other words, even if people don’t accept it, most everybody now knows that discrimination against GLBT people either is prejudice, or is seen as prejudice. The implications of that alone are a profound and significant accomplishment. Thank God. :pray:
Remember the days when all we had was Steven Carrington on Dynasty and what a “Shock” it was to find out Rock Hudson was gay (who also a had a bit role on Dynasty). For years afterward the introduction of gay characters in shows and movies were life changing events, at least for me. These days, how often do those of us who went through hell growing up even give it a second thought?
Ellen’s unprecedented “coming out” on her sitcom and now an adored talk show host. Rosie O’Donnell, Mellisa Etheridge, Queer eye for the straight guy, Token and main gay characters abound. We now we even have our own Chanel LOGO (In addition to Bravo). The list of course goes on and on.
We can’t be un-outed, and every time it happens today (gay-characters, out celebrities, politicians, etc.), it’s one more break in the wall separating us from free and full societal integration, yet it’s become so common place I often take little note.
The noticeable difference is that When I compare my current ho-hum nonchalance to all the times I wept at every tiny piece of painstaking incremental progress made in the mainstream media, It looks like a bomb went off. Except this bomb was an explosion of exposure to an understanding. A permanent unforgettable understanding, expressed in such a way that it is now an often, if not mostly accepted part of American culture, whose tentacles stretch globally.
So the next time you’re sick of seeing promo’s for syndicated episodes of Will and Grace et al, recognize it as being a reminder to all that we cannot be unlearned. For many, they are literally a life saver :rainbow:
P.S. “Remember the Ellen-O!”
Ok that still needs some work. Suggestions? :D