Comments on: "You Stereotype Me….*

By: Welcome to Chicago, Jillinois

Welcome to Chicago, Jillinois — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 23:44:03 +0000

Whenever I see a man in a turtleneck I assume gay or European.

You find me a heterosexual American man in a turtleneck and I'll show you a Pro Choice Republican.

By: champagneandbenzedrine

champagneandbenzedrine — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 22:30:17 +0000

"Gay or European?"

That's HILARIOUS. That's the story of my life in America! And this is why you ROCK.

By: Britni TheVadgeWig

Britni TheVadgeWig — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 21:36:22 +0000

Champagne and Benzedrine: I never said that gay people weren't capable of stereotyping. And I never made the assumption that it was a heterosexual person doing the interview.

However, stereotyping actually serves a different purpose in the gay community. Since gays are a minority, it's assumed that most people are heterosexual. But if you're not, you need to send out subtle signals to let other gay people know that you're "one of them." Yes, you can hit on me, because I'm gay.

It's kind of gay people's way of sending out signals to help each other recognize members of their community, since sexual orientation isn't something that you can tell about someone just by looking, like race is.

So sometimes, gay people stereotype *more* because it's something that is done within the community as a way of communicatind and identifying each other.

BTW, when I worked retail, we would play this game called "Gay or European?"

By: Welcome to Chicago, Jillinois

Welcome to Chicago, Jillinois — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 21:35:22 +0000

So you're saying all Europeans (or wherever you're from) are well-dressed, have a nice accent, aren't into sports and are intellectual?

;0)

By: champagneandbenzedrine

champagneandbenzedrine — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 21:25:06 +0000

Since moving to America I've been accused of being gay a gazillion times (well dressed, nice accent, not into sports, intellectual) and I don't take any offense to it either. In fact, I've actually had the opposite problem - I've actually had a couple of gay guys develop 'wandering hands' in bars or clubs because they think I can't possibly be straight (enough to make me feel deeply uncomfortable, including one who kept stroking the back of my neck.)

Just to point out that gay people are as entirely capable of stereotyping and compartmentalizing people as anybody else.

By: Ms. Inconspicuous

Ms. Inconspicuous — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 19:26:26 +0000

And he's so fucking hot.

Wait, what?

Oh yeah, the interview. Totally out of line.

So fucking hot. I love a guy who can sing. (And actually rap!)

By: Meg

Meg — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 16:44:31 +0000

Funny, but your comment about football players reminded me of something Hortense posted on Jezebel yesterday (Sunday) about how the trailer for "Valentine's Day" leaves out a key romance–that between Bradley Cooper's character and Eric Dane's character, who is a pro football player in the closet.

By: sarahbear

sarahbear — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 15:06:49 +0000

It's a shame that anyone thinks it's their business who he's fucking in the first place, let alone whether it's a boy or girl or both. I'm so freaking glad I stopped reading trash like Cosmo and Elle a few years ago.

By: nenasadije

nenasadije — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 15:02:15 +0000

overall, the interview sucks. but i will say that i like the "what was the first moment you realized you were a heterosexual being" question. so often gay, bi or questioning folks are interrogated about their sexuality in this way – when did you know you were gay, when was your first experience with someone of the same sex, etc. barbara walters asked lady gaga when she first realized she liked women. i wanted to shout, "hey, babs! when did you realize you liked to suck cock?" because i doubt barbara would ever ask george clooney the same – when did he realize he liked women. and that's just wrong.

By: Aurore

Aurore — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 14:31:44 +0000

It's sad that people still have those stereotypes in their heads.

I've had to answer far more questions about the Gay Boyfriend being gay because people often say, "he doesn't act gay". Then I have to remind them that being gay isn't about hand gestures and a lisp that it's possible to like sports and men at the same time. It's amazing to be that society still feels the need to box people in like that. It's sad.