Too many effeminate images of black gay men on television

[refujiunderground]

BTW...LIES!

Every self-respecting Black man of any orientation listens to Janet.

overlooked this. i think janet jackson sucks so i guess i don't respect myself. she's very overrated music wise. surprised to see guys drooling over her too when she looks like her brother.

 

[refujiunderground]

what????

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Janet is awesome! She hasn't struck gold in over a decade but her 80s/90s game was perfect.

no, she's not. what good song she had? there's so many r&b female singers that were overlooked around that time period. now seeing how r&b female singers basically put their looks and sex appeal first before their actual singing talent IF they can sing. alicia keys, beyonce, kelis, and etc. sad.

 

[Rolyo85]

well, speaking of black male comedians dressing up in drag making fun of black male homosexuals and black women as well, it's a known cash cow in hollywood. it's apparently entertaining in hollywood to make fun of black male homosexuals, transgendered people, and black women. big's momma's house, tyler perry with the madea bullshit, juwanna man, and all the other examples that you mentioned. can't forget the tv shows as well such as a living color back in the day where jamie fox and damon wayans were making fun of gay black men with that skit. it's fucked up. rolyo, it's NOT as simple as it looks. it just can't just be one person that does it. it has to be many people that do it. you know, it's just like the lgbt rights movement in america. changing people's perceptions didn't happen overnight and not just with one person. it took many people from many different avenues to make people open their eyes about that shit. it's that in the black community, there really haven't been any famous openly gay black men that were different than the stereotypes that were pushed outthere already. damn near most of the guys have actually backed up the stereotype for example the cast of noah's arc. that's pretty much how the black community looks at us black gay men as being exactly like those guys when that's not even the case. yeah, there's some gay black guys that are like those guys on the show but then there's us black gay guys that are NOT like that. i feel that the image on noah's arc that backs up the gay black male stereotype actually hurt guys like me that have to deal with the negativity already that has been around for years. we still have to deal with the bullshit from j.l. king's "downlow brother" movement which he set us gay black men back 100 years. you have some black people thinking that i'm "ashamed" of my sexuality because i'm not acting like rupaul or the guy's from noah arc where i carry myself super effeminate to the point where i make females jealous. they act like a gay black man has to act or behave a certain way because he's gay. hell, i've even had other gay black men joke about me being a "homo thug" because i like hip hop, talk a certain way and etc. they think that i'm not being true to myself. like seriously, do i have to fucking follow the gay stereotype because i'm gay. WTF? bad enough, i get shit in society for being black.

Look, we can go back and forth forever. It's pointless. If the concept is "we should have more butch (yet non-thug) black gay men to show there is diversity in gay black culture", then I'd be totally with you.

But that's not as far as the topic goes. There is a VERY clear negative attitude towards feminine black gay men here, and drag queens (which - not the same as femme gays btw), as if its somehow their fault that gay blacks who can "pass" are too afraid to come out.

I'm sorry, but it's not. And I won't let it pass. Yes, it IS a matter of one person. And then the next one. And another. And another. There won't be some en masse butchification of gay blacks in the public eye until individual butch gay black guys come out and stand proud WITH their feminine brothers, instead of throwing them under the bus to convince breederworld that they're "just like them".

Btw, I watch a lot of interracial porn and the black guys are always super butch and non-thuggish there. Just saying...

 

[MissAnne]

This Hattie McDaniel gif makes me so uncomfortable.

Idk.

Little known fact: McDaniel wasn't allowed to attend the Southern premiere of Gone With The Wind (Jim Crow). Clark Gable told her that if she wasn't allowed to attend he was going to boycott it. She however, insisted that he went.

She was allowed to attend the NYC premiere.

 

[MorrisseyX]

I don't think this photo is not appropriate for this thread and I think it is really insensitive. Hattie McDaniel endured so much discrimination in her lifetime and overcame so much. When McDaniel won the Oscar for best supporting actress for Gone with The wind she wasn't even allowed to sit with her white costars. McDaniel had to sit in the back close to the kitchen with her date.

 

[MissAnne]

Yes, yes, yes.

 

[-Kane-]

i think janet jackson sucks so i guess i don't respect myself. she's very overrated music wise. surprised to see guys drooling over her too when she looks like her brother.

Fall back... Janet is a Class Act. She is from a Royal Family,
and now she's married to a Billionaire. All hail Janet

 

[PreTTy PeTe]

not enough black gay people on tv I think and I love Unique

 

[MissAnne]

Aw, Ms. Jackson, If you're nasty . She is so gorgeous.

This man is beautiful. I hope that he is just as beautiful on the inside.

 

[Mecchocolat]

I don't know how we got from too many effeminate gay black men on television to Janet Jackson but okay.

I just wanted to quickly say I think in large part RELIGION is the cause of this. The black community as a whole (not every single black person so calm down internet flamers) has deep strong roots in religion. So many black boys. . .to black male teenagers. . .to eventually black men sit in churches and homes hearing constant castigation towards homosexuality. They learn that its bad from their ministers and their family. This results in many black men doing anything and everything to shun the gay lifestyle unless it is on the horrible "down-low". You just will not find many black men willing to take on such roles on television. Period. Of course there are exceptions. Omar was amazing on The Wire. But if you remember, his last boyfriend wouldn't even allow the directors and writers to have him kiss Omar on screen. Keith was the best from Six Feet Under. Keith and David are still my favorite gay couple to ever appear on the screen. But truth be told there is a dearth of black men eager to play gay roles. Taye Diggs tried it on Will and Grace but he now complains it may have harmed his career.

I adore effeminate gay men. I am not attracted to them -- my heart just craves a masculine 250lb muscled bubble butted jock ;-) but I have nothing but respect for effeminate gay men. I always say this:

"It takes more courage for an effeminate gay man to walk out the door each morning knowing he will be ridiculed, laughed at and possibly harmed than it does for the average guy playing the part society demands and expects."

So when asked who is my current favorite person on television at the moment, I gladly and proudly say Lafayette from TrueBlood. He may be effeminate but he certainly doesn't lack CHARM - UNIQUENESS - NERVE and TALENT ;-)

 

[Phantas33]

Short word about TB's Lafayette - the guy plays it SOOOOOOO amazingly. Lafayette's role is in fact LARGER in the series than in the original books, where the character was actually killed off in the first book. Just sayin. Lafayette is HUGELY popular simply because the actor portrays him as a somewhat effeminate gay man who still packs a good punch underneath all the frilly clothes, accessories and make up. He Is effeminate with a butch side I'd say, and honestly, I don't even classify him as effeminate. Simply as gay.

Back OT: honestly, this thread feels like it's turning into one of those: "I'm black, I'm gay and I'm soooo sad" - kind of things and THAT is big bullshit IMHO. Rolyo is right - it starts by unifying, not alienating one's self from their fellows. Whether you're effeminate or butch or whatever.

 

[SLOPPYSECONDS]

1st world ova eat each otha shit

so go do sumthnag

thankyou

 

[MissAnne]

Back OT: honestly, this thread feels like it's turning into one of those: "I'm black, I'm gay and I'm soooo sad" - kind of things and THAT is big bullshit IMHO.

Perhaps, but you can only understand what it is like to be you. You don't know where his feelings are coming from. Different people, especially when you come from different backgrounds have different experiences and feelings.

No one's feelings are bullshit in my opinion.

BUT, I agree with you about Lafayette. Ive never found him to be effeminate. He's quite butch.

I not so secretly crush on him, hard.

 

[MissAnne]

Im sorry but can I just....

 

[bankside]

I think different viewer expectations reduce media diversity.

My observation is that some black media critics are expecting more shows specifically about blackness or the black experience or black subculture. Same goes for gay media critics. However most general viewers will not relate to such a representation. It will be seen as irrelevant or insular or even degrading to herd all the gays together for a show like they are an exhibit at the zoo, same for other minorities.

However when a black character or a gay character is integrated into a general cast, where their identity does not form the theme of the show, it makes perfect sense to the general audience, but the show fails to please the diversity critics for not representing enough about the minority group or it even gets accused of tokenism.

 

[Phantas33]

Perhaps, but you can only understand what it is like to be you. You don't know where his feelings are coming from. Different people, especially when you come from different backgrounds have different experiences and feelings.

No one's feelings are bullshit in my opinion.

BUT, I agree with you about Lafayette. Ive never found him to be effeminate. He's quite butch.

I not so secretly crush on him, hard.

I'm not saying his feelings are bullshit - I'm just saying that this thread is turning into a lot of whining about it and less about the actual topic. IMHO, some valid points have been raised by a few people and at times it is nice if certain people look at themselves in the mirror and think "Okay, this and this was raised, maybe I DO need to adjust my viewpoint about this" instead of carrying on in the same manner. Very simply, following that course of action is NOT going to solve the issue or help you along.

I totally respect someone's background or whatever it may be but there are points where a poster needs to think "okay, are they REALLY not making sense?" It may be a perfect world kind of idea but it has to start SOMEWHERE - politicians won't do it for you

 

[MorrisseyX]

Bullshit. There is no shortage of Black actors out there waiting for a chance. There simply isn't much of a desire in Hollywood to portray Black characters that aren't defined by stereotypes.

Actually you are wrong for the LA Complex show the producers said they were shocked that many black male actors REFUSED to audition for the roles of Tariq and Kal. Many refused because they did not want to take on a role of playing a gay black man. So, I think you need to think a bit deeper.

And it isn't just black male actors who have problems playing gay roles there was a white male actor Nicholas Brown he wrote a piece for the Atlantic and he said he was uncomfortable playing a gay role.

 

[Rolyo85]

Actually you are wrong for the LA Complex show the producers said they were shocked that many black male actors REFUSED to audition for the roles of Tariq and Kal. Many refused because they did not want to take on a role of playing a gay black man. So, I think you need to think a bit deeper.

And it isn't just black male actors who have problems playing gay roles there was a white male actor Nicholas Brown he wrote a piece for the Atlantic and he said he was uncomfortable playing a gay role.

Straight men being worried about what playing gay will do for their careers is legitimate, but it's not universal. MANY gay characters on TV, including major ones like Glee's Blaine or Skins' Maxxie, are played by straight actors. Hell, even the guy playing Brian on Queer as Folk is straight.

 

[MorrisseyX]

Short word about TB's Lafayette - the guy plays it SOOOOOOO amazingly. Lafayette's role is in fact LARGER in the series than in the original books, where the character was actually killed off in the first book. Just sayin. Lafayette is HUGELY popular simply because the actor portrays him as a somewhat effeminate gay man who still packs a good punch underneath all the frilly clothes, accessories and make up. He Is effeminate with a butch side I'd say, and honestly, I don't even classify him as effeminate. Simply as gay.

Back OT: honestly, this thread feels like it's turning into one of those: "I'm black, I'm gay and I'm soooo sad" - kind of things and THAT is big bullshit IMHO. Rolyo is right - it starts by unifying, not alienating one's self from their fellows. Whether you're effeminate or butch or whatever.

This thread is not about being black gay and sad it about a discussion about the myopic representations of black gay men in pop culture. Although you might not get it, since you're a white gay guy the representations of black gay men are often negative. Most of the black gay men in pop culture are usually effeminate and I find that extremely offensive because it just promotes negative stereotypes.
Not every black gay guy wears make up, or a dress, and is a sassy snap queen. There are plenty of us who are real men.

 

[MorrisseyX]

Straight men being worried about what playing gay will do for their careers is legitimate, but it's not universal. MANY gay characters on TV, including major ones like Glee's Blaine or Skins' Maxxie, are played by straight actors. Hell, even the guy playing Brian on Queer as Folk is straight.

It is probably easier for a white guy gay or straight to take on a gay role than a black male actor. A black actor gay or straight would have to deal with real stigma playing a gay role. Will Smith refused to kiss a guy in Six Degrees of Separation because he worried about what his family or friends in Philadelphia would think. I read an interview with Andra Fuller the guy who played Kal on LA Complex he said his family was against him playing a gay role. His mother also was concerned about why he was playing a guy on the down low because she felt it just promotes negative stereotypes.