Not meant for male consumption
I know the coolest people.
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Woman Obsessed with Yaoi Fiction: Did you watch it? Did you watch it?!
(She is referring to a listing of soap opera episodes on YouTube featuring the storylines of famous gay couples from around the world)
Me: I got the gist, yeah.
WOwYF: WASN'T IT AMAZING?
Me: ... well, it was a bunch of soap operas.
WOwYF: Ok, ok. I know. And yes, I agree, most of the plot devices and writing makes one want to throw a brick through Danielle Steel's window. But this stuff is groundbreaking!
Me: Why, because the angsty couple is comprised of two guys or two gals?
WOmYF: Yes! And furthermore, I only forwarded links to you which had significantly M/M plots. The fact that there were also F/F relationships present is striking, and I think you would agree.
Me: ... again, why? And yes I'll concede to the second point.
WOmYF: Let's face it. The majority of the world is still steeped in rampant homophobia. Each of the soaps' country of origin may be progressive in terms of the LGBT communities and its issues, but we're kidding ourselves if we think the war is over.
Me: Umm. Ok. But why does this matter?
WOmYF: Think about the viewing audience for soaps. The targeted audience is women. Women are arguably the most influential people (read: soft power) when it comes to spearheading controversial social issues.
Me: ... I'll take your word for it.
WOmYF: If you decide otherwise, I'd be glad to forward you a bunch of anthropological and sociological studies. Anyway, the idea here is that women are a barometer for how perceptions change within a society with regards to various social issues. In this case, it's homosexuality.
Me: You're going to have to explain that one.
WOmYF: These kinds of issues wouldn't appear in soaps as positive storylines unless the women who watch them view them as normal to human nature. And if not normal, then at least acceptable. It's different from shows like Sex and the City since those shows were on premium cable and not subject to the same censors as broadcast television.
Me: I guess that makes sense. But what about prime time major network shows like ER, Brothers and Sisters, and freakin' Desperate Housewives who have/have had notable gay or lesbian leads?
WOmYF: That just helps to further prove my point. Those are nothing but prime time soap operas. You know it's true.
Me: ... you're right.
WOmYF: But back to the point. Take Brokeback Mountain for example. That movie garnered a huge female following and fan base. In the years following, just count the states that have allowed civil unions and gay marriage, in spite of Proposition 8. These things may not be causal with respect to each other, but they are at least correlated.
Me: Interesting. Do you think that Brokeback is the reason that all these soap storylines seem to be so popular?
WOmYF: I don't think it's the reason, per se, but I think they're all fruits of the same era. These writers and actors are operating with the functional history of shame, secrecy, and denial that has driven the lives of gay men and women for centuries. Long before Brokeback Mountain there was Philadelphia, and although it was chiefly received as a piece of AIDS cinema, it was an important piece on gay identity as well. And remember, they're soap operas. They feed off of conflict, romance, and tension. Combine those with a gay identity and you basically have a formulaic plot that is quite frankly very riveting. They will vary depending on if it is a M/M or F/F couple given inherent gender differences and identity issues, but overall it's the same.
Me: I guess that's fair.
WOmYF: Luke and Noah in the US. JP and Craig in the UK. Christian and Oliver in Germany. Not to mention the lesbians out there nowadays. These presence of these kinds of relationships points to them now entering what's considered to be mainstream. Not to mention the fact that they humanize and contextualize what once was merely anecdotal for a lot of people. Even if people have gay or lesbian friends, they might not fully understand what it means to cope with that identity. In a way, seeing these soap characters can help.
Me: But racism is still an issue in the US, and in the clips I saw, there were very, very few non-white leads and even fewer interracial relationships. Does race fit in this industry differently than sexual orientation?
WOmYF: Well, no. It's all a slow process. There have been leaps and bounds since the birth of the civil rights movement, but there is still work to be done. I mean, HELL, look at all the crap that Sotomayer has to deal with. Proposition 8 is the gay rights equivalent of that. It's important to not focus on the battles lost, and instead on the progress made. Baby steps. It's happening.
Me: So basically, if you want to know where society is going, pay attention to soap operas.
WOmYF: And romance novels!
-------------------------------------------------
Woman Obsessed with Yaoi Fiction: Did you watch it? Did you watch it?!
(She is referring to a listing of soap opera episodes on YouTube featuring the storylines of famous gay couples from around the world)
Me: I got the gist, yeah.
WOwYF: WASN'T IT AMAZING?
Me: ... well, it was a bunch of soap operas.
WOwYF: Ok, ok. I know. And yes, I agree, most of the plot devices and writing makes one want to throw a brick through Danielle Steel's window. But this stuff is groundbreaking!
Me: Why, because the angsty couple is comprised of two guys or two gals?
WOmYF: Yes! And furthermore, I only forwarded links to you which had significantly M/M plots. The fact that there were also F/F relationships present is striking, and I think you would agree.
Me: ... again, why? And yes I'll concede to the second point.
WOmYF: Let's face it. The majority of the world is still steeped in rampant homophobia. Each of the soaps' country of origin may be progressive in terms of the LGBT communities and its issues, but we're kidding ourselves if we think the war is over.
Me: Umm. Ok. But why does this matter?
WOmYF: Think about the viewing audience for soaps. The targeted audience is women. Women are arguably the most influential people (read: soft power) when it comes to spearheading controversial social issues.
Me: ... I'll take your word for it.
WOmYF: If you decide otherwise, I'd be glad to forward you a bunch of anthropological and sociological studies. Anyway, the idea here is that women are a barometer for how perceptions change within a society with regards to various social issues. In this case, it's homosexuality.
Me: You're going to have to explain that one.
WOmYF: These kinds of issues wouldn't appear in soaps as positive storylines unless the women who watch them view them as normal to human nature. And if not normal, then at least acceptable. It's different from shows like Sex and the City since those shows were on premium cable and not subject to the same censors as broadcast television.
Me: I guess that makes sense. But what about prime time major network shows like ER, Brothers and Sisters, and freakin' Desperate Housewives who have/have had notable gay or lesbian leads?
WOmYF: That just helps to further prove my point. Those are nothing but prime time soap operas. You know it's true.
Me: ... you're right.
WOmYF: But back to the point. Take Brokeback Mountain for example. That movie garnered a huge female following and fan base. In the years following, just count the states that have allowed civil unions and gay marriage, in spite of Proposition 8. These things may not be causal with respect to each other, but they are at least correlated.
Me: Interesting. Do you think that Brokeback is the reason that all these soap storylines seem to be so popular?
WOmYF: I don't think it's the reason, per se, but I think they're all fruits of the same era. These writers and actors are operating with the functional history of shame, secrecy, and denial that has driven the lives of gay men and women for centuries. Long before Brokeback Mountain there was Philadelphia, and although it was chiefly received as a piece of AIDS cinema, it was an important piece on gay identity as well. And remember, they're soap operas. They feed off of conflict, romance, and tension. Combine those with a gay identity and you basically have a formulaic plot that is quite frankly very riveting. They will vary depending on if it is a M/M or F/F couple given inherent gender differences and identity issues, but overall it's the same.
Me: I guess that's fair.
WOmYF: Luke and Noah in the US. JP and Craig in the UK. Christian and Oliver in Germany. Not to mention the lesbians out there nowadays. These presence of these kinds of relationships points to them now entering what's considered to be mainstream. Not to mention the fact that they humanize and contextualize what once was merely anecdotal for a lot of people. Even if people have gay or lesbian friends, they might not fully understand what it means to cope with that identity. In a way, seeing these soap characters can help.
Me: But racism is still an issue in the US, and in the clips I saw, there were very, very few non-white leads and even fewer interracial relationships. Does race fit in this industry differently than sexual orientation?
WOmYF: Well, no. It's all a slow process. There have been leaps and bounds since the birth of the civil rights movement, but there is still work to be done. I mean, HELL, look at all the crap that Sotomayer has to deal with. Proposition 8 is the gay rights equivalent of that. It's important to not focus on the battles lost, and instead on the progress made. Baby steps. It's happening.
Me: So basically, if you want to know where society is going, pay attention to soap operas.
WOmYF: And romance novels!
Labels: meditations, pop culture, rationalism, society
posted by Nate @ 9:49 PM
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