Sexuality

Sexuality

We can all attest to the fact that if you are a white heterosexual male in America, you have it a little easier than others. Since our country was founded, white men have been in power. “All men are created equal” was meant to be interpreted as all white men owning land are created equal. Only with the civil rights movement and society’s gradual evolution have we been able to see “men,” as stated in that Declaration of Independence, as “people.” However, we’re not over the hump yet. Society still has some more evolving to do. This becomes apparent by the way race, gender, and sexuality still experience similar amounts of prejudice and discrimination. Whether it’s in the media, in politics, or dealing with law enforcement, the issues of race, gender, and sexuality have a lot in common when it comes to discrimination.

Growing up in America, one is more than likely to be subjected to a vast amount of media influences. Commercials told you what to like. Movies told you what to value. Television told you how things should be. With such a barrage of colors and sounds portrayed at all hours, its difficult for people to discern what they think is right or wrong. Should one drink Pepsi because Britney Spears kisses the can and melodically tells viewers, “for those who think young?” And what about all the television sitcoms that tend to poke fun at, what society has often called, the “different” people in America. Different in the sense of meaning “not heterosexual and or not white.”

The media has used race and sexuality as a tool for comic situations that appeal to the majority of white heterosexual viewers. Whether this is morally right or wrong is not for myself to comment on. However, this occurrence in the media should be noted. It started with race, with such “token black characters” as Gary Coleman’s character Arnold on Diff’rent Strokes and Tootie from The Facts of Life. While these characters were often very funny and usually responsible for sky rocketing ratings, one must wonder, for what reasons were they so funny? Would they have been as funny if they were white? Would it have worked the same way? After all, the original title of the popular show Diff’rent Strokes was 45 Minutes From Harlem. And now today, instead of an over exploitation of blacks, it seems that Hollywood has turned to the homosexual arena. With shows such as Will and Grace and Spin City, the laughter focus has turned to gays as opposed to blacks. These similar jokes, while different punch lines, seem to re-enforce stereotypes that our society has created. Regardless of media influences, it seems that society has branded African-Americans and homosexuals as being part of the same group. And this unfortunate group has been prone to discrimination, violence, and even misdirected laughter.

This “group” has come under heavy fire from law enforcement officials as well. Before the 60s, police brutality based on race wasn’t even necessarily looked down upon. It was white society exerting their power over the minority and it was accepted for the most part. Even recently with the police beatings of Rodney King, do we see such acts of violence perpetrated by race. There is a strikingly similar occurrence with homosexuals. In the article, “Growing Up as a Jewish Lesbian” by James T. Sears, the dangers of growing up gay are illustrated as being similar to those dangers of growing up as a person of color. Sears states that, “arrest and harassment extended to lesbians as well as persons of color.” And that law enforcement units known as “Powder Puff Brigades” were formed just to “raid” bars to deter the gay community from going