To Cover or Not to Cover...
October 9th 2007 13:51
That is the question!
Much has been made, especially in the mainstream media, about support for the gay community. They have gay activists discussing everything from Hate Crime legislation, to child rearing, to politics, to special gay events. Most of the representatives of the gay/lesbian community are well-dressed, intelligent and rational folks who state their cause quite eloquently. Although the audience has a pretty good idea of what goes on behind the closed doors of a gay household, these spokes-people don't inspire images of their sex lives.
On Sept. 30th, there was a special event in San Francisco (where else??) called the Folsom Street Fair. It celebrates the gay lifestyle (especially the S&M practitioners) and has been an on-going tradition for 24 years. Those in attendance, mostly male, paraded around naked, indulging in every sexual act imagineable. They "performed" for tourists with cameras and for their local "audience." They did not, however get to display themselves for the mass media. No newspaper reporters (except the Pink Press, a gay newspaper from Europe) were there. No TV crews or satellite trucks. No reporters to document the events with live feeds... In fact, only Fox News even mentioned the Folsom Street Fair.
There is a great deal of speculation as to why the usually adoring media failed to "cover" (pun intended) the event. According to some, the rationale was that showing graphic displays of "unusual" sexual conduct might "turn off" (pun intended, again) their otherwise tolerant audience. Imagine 400,000 naked people having a large scale orgy and you can see another reason for the lack of coverage. What, exactly, could they film without getting into the porn industry?
As I said earlier, most people have a pretty good idea what gays do in privacy. But if they saw some of the details on the nightly news, over dinner, with their kids watching... Well, you get the idea.
The mainstream media would have a little problem defending the specifics, so they'll keep sponsoring the gay lifestyle without the details. They have learned over the years that it's much easier to convince their audience that something is acceptable as long as the audience only sees the polite and clean version. Abortion is another excellent example of making something seem much "nicer" than it really is. How many people would still be proud to call themselves "pro-choice" if they had to see first the ultrasounds showing a living baby, smiling and sucking its thumb, and the mangled remains of that same child a few minutes later?
I'm a firm believer in knowing what you support. Not a sanitized version. The reality.
Much has been made, especially in the mainstream media, about support for the gay community. They have gay activists discussing everything from Hate Crime legislation, to child rearing, to politics, to special gay events. Most of the representatives of the gay/lesbian community are well-dressed, intelligent and rational folks who state their cause quite eloquently. Although the audience has a pretty good idea of what goes on behind the closed doors of a gay household, these spokes-people don't inspire images of their sex lives.
On Sept. 30th, there was a special event in San Francisco (where else??) called the Folsom Street Fair. It celebrates the gay lifestyle (especially the S&M practitioners) and has been an on-going tradition for 24 years. Those in attendance, mostly male, paraded around naked, indulging in every sexual act imagineable. They "performed" for tourists with cameras and for their local "audience." They did not, however get to display themselves for the mass media. No newspaper reporters (except the Pink Press, a gay newspaper from Europe) were there. No TV crews or satellite trucks. No reporters to document the events with live feeds... In fact, only Fox News even mentioned the Folsom Street Fair.
There is a great deal of speculation as to why the usually adoring media failed to "cover" (pun intended) the event. According to some, the rationale was that showing graphic displays of "unusual" sexual conduct might "turn off" (pun intended, again) their otherwise tolerant audience. Imagine 400,000 naked people having a large scale orgy and you can see another reason for the lack of coverage. What, exactly, could they film without getting into the porn industry?
As I said earlier, most people have a pretty good idea what gays do in privacy. But if they saw some of the details on the nightly news, over dinner, with their kids watching... Well, you get the idea.
The mainstream media would have a little problem defending the specifics, so they'll keep sponsoring the gay lifestyle without the details. They have learned over the years that it's much easier to convince their audience that something is acceptable as long as the audience only sees the polite and clean version. Abortion is another excellent example of making something seem much "nicer" than it really is. How many people would still be proud to call themselves "pro-choice" if they had to see first the ultrasounds showing a living baby, smiling and sucking its thumb, and the mangled remains of that same child a few minutes later?
I'm a firm believer in knowing what you support. Not a sanitized version. The reality.
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Tales From The Green Lantern
Comment by S.L. Bradish
Prejudice is truly in the eye of the proverbial beholder. A flag waving parade is forced to display more flags than the one intended. We have to "celebrate" all things black, gay, Muslim, etc. But to celebrate anything white, religious or straight is considered some sort of crime or phobia these days. Disgusting to say the least. If you honor and celebrate one you have to give all the same consideration!
Comment by Arielle
Who are you to say what is acceptable and what is not? I think it's unacceptable for the religious right to take over America, but not everyone thinks like me. That is what you radical Christians need to learn before you shove your beliefs on others.
Comment by S.L. Bradish
You really need help if you find a gay-basher everywhere you look.
Comment by Anonymous