Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Coming out in Comics - ordinary folks of the DCU

Check this out, from GA/BC 24:


 

So, what we have here, right,  is a couple who just happen to be out on a first date.  They could easily be a hetero couple, there is no big deal made about their lesbianism, there's no politics, there's no message, there's no punishment.  They just happen to be gay.  This is how it should be, in rl and in the media.  Representations of us as normal, as just like the other folks, representations where queerness is not an issue.

I am fully aware of why there has been, and there still needs to be political examinations of sexuality, privilege, et al.  Those kind of depictions did a hell of a lot for me when I was growing up.  they served as role models, they served to show me that you could be gay and proud.  You didn't have to be ashamed.  Course, the irony is that I'm not gay, but I can't think of a single sintance as a teenager where there was any sort of bisexual representation in the media.  Certainly nothing positive, at any rate.  Which probably explains why for years I veered between gay! straight! gay! straight! gay! straight! depending on who I crushed on at the time.  It took years to click that actually I could like both sexes.

Anyway, the more normalised, positive images there are in the media the more non heterosexuality will be accepted and not questioned.  Which is one the reasons why I'm doing this series.

Lastly - I know there's the tired old cliche of girl on girl action, but if you just look a lil deeper there, that's not how the couple is depicted, that's what Cupid is saying.  And y'know, she's tacky, she's a bit ridiculous, we're not meant to agree with or root for her.  She probably thinks she being really friendly and supportive.  We're meant to be laughing at her.  Ahh, Cupid, how I luff you and your endearing craziness!

(Hey! PS! I'm still after reviewers)

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