The view from the outside...

What is it with some people... I've been discussing two new shows, Boy Meets Boy (BMB) and Queer Eye for the Straight Guy with some friends and have been reading articles written on it. There seems to be a lot of backlash against the two.

For years the gay communitee has clamored for more airtime and to get representation on television. We got Will, and we were happy.... until we decided he was too sterile, too celibate, too umm.. straightish. We didn't like Jack because he was far too queeny and campy. Then we got QAF. What we got was ANYTHING but sterile or celibate, and people clamored that it was too raunchy, had too much sex and drugs and was a bad image, and was un-representative of gay life.

We recently got BMB and people are upset that its an exploitation of the pretty boy buff guy image and it should have some more diversity in the type of men that are on it and that its a bit malicious in the fact that some of the men are straight. Well folks, its a reality TV show that they are looking for ratings for. Where's the complaining when Joe Millionaire has stick figures for women and lies to them about how much money Joe has. While I think its a bit mean to not let James know that some of the men are straight, its reality TV and every show has to have a hook. *shrug* If someone is going on a reality TV show to find a date then they should expect, especially given all the shows that have come so far in the straight world, that there's going to be a catch, and if they wanted something that isn't fraught with twists and turns then do some dating the old fashioned way. Personally, I like the show and will continue watching it. Its cheap, dirty, and a whole lot of fun.

As for Queer Eye (QE), people seem to be disliking the charactarization of gay stereotypes in this one too; particularly the fashion guy, Carson. As I said to one of the people who made this comment, stereotypes have their places because at some level there's enough truth to them because they exist. Personally I think Carson, while being ultra-flamboyant and queeny, is being himself. He doesn't seem forced or fake, and is probably very much like this in real life. The only main stereotype that's truly being exploited in this show is the premise that gay men are more fashionable, better dressed, more culturally educated, and have classier abodes than our average straight counterparts. Well if that's the case than I say wooohoo.

The point is that people are clamoring for more diversity in the types of gay men that are shown, but only as long as they are the good, clean, straight-acting, non-flaming, non-queeny, family friendly variety. To those of you I say, get over it. There are gay men that are sluts, that do drugs, that are permiscuous, that are queeny, that are flamey and that are stereotypical hairless circuit boys. There are also men that are hairy bears, monogomous, that are overweight, that are buff, that are skinny twigs, that are celibate, that are fashion tradgedies, and that are straight acting. I have met most of these stereotypes. If you have a problem with them, don't get mad at the TV show that portrays them, talk to the individual that lives them.

As for me, I'm going to live my life the way I want, let others live they way that they want, and watch both of these shows and enjoy them, in addition to QAF and Will and Grace.