Keep it Gay

LGBT issues are nothing new in the world of politics. However, it seems that recently they have been brought to the forefront of the media. And like any hot button issue, it’s presence in the media garners a lot of attention. Shows like Glee and Modern Family are both praised and criticized for their portrayal of gay characters and Lady Gaga’s message of acceptance and equality for the LGBT community has only furthered her level of fame. All of this exposure and support helps move the country forward and is met with attention both good and bad. As progressive as it is, however, it also opens up the LGBT community to exploitation. More and more shows, movies, and artists have jumped on the bandwagon, attaching LGBT positivity to their content in order to gain attention and profit. For example, pop stars Ke$ha and Katy Perry both released singles in the past year that were “for the gays.” As nice as the gesture is, it’s also problematic in that both songs were not explicitly gay-positive. The support almost seems like an afterthought in these cases, tacked on in order to increase sales and reach gay-icon status. Last week’s episode of Community parodied this phenomenon, when Pierce’s brand of wipes unintentionally become a gay icon and he takes the praise and runs with it, despite his usual aversion to the gay community. He even makes a product specifically for his new fans. Pride Wipes: “They may cost more, but they’re gayer!”