I was on Twitter the other day (shameless advertisement: @boo_me) and I came across something that really stood out to me. Here it is:
Yes, I understand religion plays a big role in whether or not some people accept homosexuality (in this case, Muslim) but I don't understand why anybody would wish death upon someone. Gay or not. It's stupid because at the end of the day we are all human. (And by stupid, I don't mean religion. Just the way some people think). I asked this person about his tweets the next day and he basically laughed about it and didn't say anything. What I'd like to know is why is it so easy for someone to type what they think but when it comes to talking about it in person they refuse to say anything. Especially when it comes to homosexuality?
I would also like to touch on how homosexuals are portrayed in the media. White, colorful, and most of them act like girls (as some people would say, they're women stuck in a mans body). An example of this would be the character Damian played by Daniel Franzese (Mean Girls).
(If it doesn't work click: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2j_SmCmjVY)
Whenever I'm watching a show on TV which involves a homosexual, they're always seen as weak and 'colorful' and they are always being put down, bullied or made fun of.
Why do you think television shows show homosexuality as an unnatural thing? And do you think if media showed homosexuality as a good or 'normal' thing people would accept it more because media plays such a big role in everyone's lives?
I was also looking at one of the old blogs and I saw a link to a film called A Jihad for Love.
You guys should watch it if you get the chance.
Hey Bhumi,
ReplyDeleteJust to be clear, it's fine to open up a discussion about this topic - but it must relate to media. Perhaps a different approach to this would be asking why it is acceptable to discuss issues of homosexuality and Islam on Twitter? Why aren't we having this type of discussion face to face?
Your questions are valid, but we have to place them within the context of the unit.
I find your ad quiet interesting because as I look at it now I see how it can affect someone’s life in a negative way to see that just because of what a person is death is wished upon them. The thing that doesn’t really surprise me is that the world we live in has made it almost in the weirdest way…ok to judge someone who is different, to make fun of them in hopes that maybe they will " get out of it ". Its almost that even though we are all different, come from different families, cultures, backgrounds etc. we're so keyed on making each and everyone of us the same. In the world today, we're still not accepting that there are differences within us. Everyday we see these sorts of ads about homosexuality and we take it as a joke or as something harmless because we refuse to see that what we are doing might be affecting or bringing someone else down because of our ignorance. In my opinion knowledge is power. To learn more about these types of issues would help the world face that we are all not the same, but we have to learn to love and tolerate one another for our differences.
ReplyDeleteI feel it is easier for people to talk about homosexuality behind a computer/phone screen because they have the security of not having to see the face of the person they are talking to. It is also allowing them time to think about how they want to respond or what they want to say without being put on the spot. When people type things on the computer they feel like they are safe behind the screen and when someone responds in a way that they don’t like they can easily just turn the screen off and avoid the conversation completely whereas in person they cant.
ReplyDeleteWith television shows and movies I believe that as homosexuality is continuing to be shown on these shows and movies, more and more people are starting to accept it. There are hundreds of shows that have homosexual characters that teens are watching on television now days and because these people are shown as regular people just living their lives, a lot of people are starting to accept them. Example of these shows are, Pretty Little Liars, Teen Wolf, Hellcats, and The Vampire Diaries.
As for the person who tweeted about the homosexual man I understand why he was saying the things he did because as a Muslim person you are told that homosexuality is wrong and that it is a sin that is punishable by death as well as you never see Somali men/women as well as Muslims shown as homosexuals so when you see them in person you are shocked and you feel like it is wrong for them to be like that.
I think it is easier for someone to type what they think rather than say it face-to-face with someone because they have more time to think about what they are going to say. No one is watching them to see their reaction to anything so it easier to say what they want; especially when it comes to homosexuality. Many people still haven't accepted the fact that there are homosexuals, so they feel that they can just say whatever negative things that come to their mind, and get away with it because they are behind a computer screen. If they were actually physically with a person and having that very same conversation, most people wouldn’t say half of the things they do when they are typing it.
ReplyDeleteI think that some shows do show homosexuality as an unnatural thing; however I think that the newer shows are starting to show it as a natural thing. For example, in the show Glee, there is a guy named Kurt who is portrayed as a homosexual. In a few episodes he would be made fun of because of his sexual orientation, but as the show went on, people started to become more accepting of it due to them starting to get to know him better. In recent episodes, he is dating a guy named Blaine and no one is really saying anything negative about it, except for a few rare individuals who are just doing it to be mean. I think that when you look back on shows that are from 10 or 20 years ago, homosexuals would be viewed as unnatural, but now people are being more understanding and realizing that it’s not really a big deal what your sexual orientation is.
I think it is much easier for someone to type what they are thinking rather than speaking out is because they might feel that there is no one who can confront them (talk back to them – there will be no instant response from the screen they type on). However, people around them might reply or say something against them (or try bothering them by countering their argument). It is very intimidating to speak your mind out, in some scenarios. Homosexuality is such a delicate issue that even I would prefer typing something out on a computer rather than speaking out in public.
ReplyDeleteTelevision shows present homosexuality as an unnatural thing because it is not as common as heterosexuality. We (almost all of the world) believe heterosexuality is the norm. The dominant discourse (on a global scale) is that all humans are heterosexual. Hence, the portrayal of homosexuality as an unnatural thing is justifiable. Nevertheless, homosexuality is becoming much more common. In some years down the road, I think we will see homosexuality as a natural thing on television (not just shows) and other media.
I definitely think homosexuality would be okayed by many, if media had portrayed homosexuality in a positive light. The media has such a big influence on us, as you stated Bhumi, that it would help us believe homosexuality is a “normal” thing, if it is portrayed normally.
I think it is easier for someone to type rather than talk about it because a topic like homosexuals is very big and everyone has their own opinion, so rather then making a problem you simply type your opinion and if the person doesn’t like it they can ignore it. I believe the media shows homosexuality in an unnatural way because everyone has their own values and beliefs and that includes the people who make these shows and movies. Through the values and beliefs of the producers who portray homosexuals, we the viewers believe that all homosexuals act weak and colorful. If the media did play homosexuals in a positive way a lot of people would be more excepting. The way the media portrays them is in a way that we don’t really see in the society a lot, so it might appear to us as unnatural. As Christina said, in the show Glee they do have one homosexual who is portrayed as a strong individual, if their where more positive homosexuals in shows and movies rather then homosexuals being portrayed negatively people would be more excepting to the fact that homosexuals are human beings that should not be discriminated against. For me being Somali and muslim, seeing a Somali person who is homosexual is a shock because it’s not something you see everyday. But for someone to say such a thing to a homosexual is just wrong, everyone has the right to live their life the way they want.
ReplyDeleteI think its easier for someone to type their opinion than saying it person to person because they have more time to think about it. Person to person they don't have enough time and the person might not want to offend the other person so they just don't bother saying anything. I think television shows homosexuality as a wrong thing to do because of how the people who created the show were raised as a kid. I think people would accept homosexuality if media portrayed it as a good natural thing to do becuase everyone already has it instilled in them that homosexuality is bad and I don't think the media is strong to make them change their opinion about homosexuality.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is easier for people to type about homosexuals in a negative demeanor rather than in person is because there are many who feel much more safe to type in front of a screen. They feel more superior to talk about their thoughts and opinions because many are not great with confrontation. They feel a sense of security when posting comments online.
ReplyDeleteI think that homosexuality shown in shows are seen as unnatural possibly because there are many people who are homophobes and there are many people who are not accustomed to homosexuality. Thus, because people do not understand the idea of homosexuality, they reject it from being something normal. We are accustomed to seeing heterosexuality. Homosexuality is not usually common in shows (although it is surely flourishing) which is why it can be be seen as something irregular.
Actually there are more shows showing homosexuality and these appearances of homosexuality I believe will lessen the sense of "abnormality" it has on viewers. I think that more and more people are accepting homosexuals and realizing that they are no different from anybody else. I definitely think more appearances can change our view. We are greatly persuaded by the media so I think that it would be a smart idea to use the media's major persuasion to good use in a positive aspect.
It is very true just like you said, that peeople like to say stuff, but when it comes to talking about it in person, no one really opens thier mouth. I am a muslim, obviously we don't blieve in anything like "gay people or lebians", but I dont have a say either, when it comes to talking about gay people, I do take a part in the conversation, but in my opinion after all they are human being just like me and everyone else, and what they wish to do, or want to do, I should not be interfereing in that. People are able to talk negative about people being gay online, they feel safer and secure when it comes to opening about such issues, but they are not really open about expressing their opnion about it face to face. In today's time we do make a big issue out of such little thing, we never mind our own buisness, we interfere in peoples lives, we dont pay attention to ourselve, but find mistakes in other people. Here we are living in a multicultural society where there are people coming from soo many different countires, we tend to adjust with such kind of people, then I dont know why we are not opening up with such kind of issue.
ReplyDeleteIn TV shows being gay is shown as an unnatural thing, the reason is because we have always seen people fall in for opposite sex, and now we see people fall in for same sex, whihc is fine, but the way media portrays this is in a ngeative way. Media does play a significant role in our lives, media does make us think that homosexuality is not welcomed, which is the reason we have set in our mind, that being gay is stupid. This is stereotyping, it is the media that has put in our minds that being gay is stupid, so we think about it the same way.