Re: So gay…

by Brian | February 3rd, 2008 |

I found the article Matt linked to hugely problematic.

The author’s “gaydar” first went off when he read about their purity rings. I’m not suggesting that gay young people don’t mask their true attractions by forswearing all physical intimacy: thereby creating an out for the lack of relations with members of the opposite sex, but I do know at least a few straight people who have followed or are following such ethics in their lives.

The rest of the article details their rise to fame (signed and dropped from a label, later picked up by Disney, guest star / tour with Hannah Montana). He then summarizes the articles and his ensuing gaydar tip with, ” I guess cute twinky boy bands never go out of style.” As if being young, being attractive, and/or performing mainstream music makes one gay.

Even more problematic is a related article: High School Musical 2 is gay (11/7/07)

The post quotes from an article in which HSM2-star Zac Efron identifies Cinderalla and The Sound of Music as childhood favorite movies. The analysis ” Ex-gay doctors often diagnose boys as being gay based on liking Disney movies,” follows.

Nicolosi singles out Disney products, such as “Cinderella,” “Pocahontas” and “Little Mermaid,” as being favorites of “pre-homosexual” boys, which he variously calls, “gender-disturbed, gender-confused, gender-conflicted, gender-atypical, gender-fragile, gender-questioning,” as opposed to being “gender-confident” or “real boys” who exhibit “gender-appropriate behavior.”

Quoting NARTH president Joseph Nicolosi and using the criteria of ex-gay specialists to identify pre-homosexual boys (based upon what they perceive to be inappropriate gender presentation) is stereotyping in its worst form. It validates misguided and anti-scientific teachings which conflate gender and orientation, it questions the identity (and therefore integrity) of individuals with atypical interests or behaviors, and ultimately it undermines potential allies.

I don’t want to defend or question Zac Efron’s orientation; it is immaterial. What is important are the underlying assumpsions. There are men who watch Disney movies, who cry, who are close with their mothers, who like pop music, and who are straight. And rather than applaud them for calling out the ridiculousness of rigidly constructed gender roles, as Efron so aptly does when he says “I think there are all different types of personalities of both men and women and no fundamental differences separating them,” we attack them integrity and accuse them of not being honest about their orientation??

If Zac and/or any of the Jonas Brothers are gay, I hope that that are comfortable enough to share that with those close to them, if not with the media. And if they aren’t, more kudos to Zac for being a sucker for a good movie! As for me and my friends, I’m not about to start jumping to conclusions about their orientation, to do so would be jumping right into the hands of the anti-gay agenda.

Posted in Anti-LGBT, Media |