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celebrity power, Ellen Degeneres, equality, gay, gay bulling, lesbian, Media, moral panic, president obama, public sphere, reflection, same sex
“If homosexuality is a disease, let’s all call in queer to work: ‘Hello. Can’t work today, still queer.”-Robin Tyler.
From the above quote, it dawned on me that people are taking a stance on homosexuality in a braver manner, and feel as if they have the right to be a part of the public sphere and create an opinion of their own free from prejudice of the media.
By looking and discussing same sex relationships and the different ways the media can present them, it made me more aware of the type of power the media truly has over the types of things we see and believe. They have power to distort the truth, opinions and beliefs while we sit here thinking it is okay. But I believe that their power is changing slowly day by day.
As I have been researching the subject of same sex relationships over the past couple of months, I have found that society is getting back some of the power by not only their opinions, but the people that voice them. Celebrities of both heterosexual and homosexual preference are rallying behind a more equal society and are more open in voicing what they think is right and what is wrong in terms of how we treat homosexual individuals.
The blog post that sticks out for me the most is my shortest but most eye opening post which would be my second post on my blog. In the post, I shared a shocking video I found on YouTube, on media representations of same sex relations and the moral panic the news reports, films, opinions etc. created in the video. I thought I’d share the video again for those who don’t like scrollin’.
The video showcased the moral panics that were created with the issue and really shown how closed minded people were and still relatively are. But the video also did show some evolution of homosexual rights in an amazing way. As I kept researching through different areas of the issue, I found more and more people were becoming okay with the idea of same sex relations. Heck, even the American president came out and publicly stated he was okay with the idea, and he was not the only one. People such as Ellen DeGeneres, Danni Minogue, Anne Hathaway, Kevin Bacon, Lady GaGa, even Hilary Clinton, just to name a few are supporters for equal rights and liberty. Celebrities are becoming another voice for the people who don’t have enough power alone to make a stance on how our society needs to become and I have confidence in society that media will become more and more open about the issue then how it once was, the change is already happening, and I think it’s great that the media is starting to listen.
Gay Bullying which lead to many tragic suicides of teenage boys in the past few years was bought to surface by DeGeneres, showcasing the power of voice celebrities have. She bought to surface more things the media would not, the harsh reality; that innocent boys were dying because of their sexual preference, something out of their control. The media can be a force that is sometimes too scared of changing their views because I believe they thrive off moral panic, and like creating something big out of something so little.
The ‘Noh8 Campaign’ had the rich and famous joining together to stop homophobic hate, and the celebrities doing the campaign had the free will to do something the media could not have control of, promoting a safe and equal society for all. As time changes, I noticed the public sphere getting broader in relation to this subject and I see the media shifting and changing to compromise with a society that wants change and acceptance, there is becoming no gatekeeper in our strive for change.
Through my blog I touched on areas of the issue that I believe the media is most prominent in showcasing its opinions. In no way am I saying that my vision on the topic of same sex relations is the only one, I do know there are audiences in which are against the whole idea and do not want change. But through this blog, I just wanted to show the evolution that is occurring right now in the world, an evolution that will benefit many people in the long run and hey if you by any chance have a homosexual son, that’s okay! In 20 years’ time he will hopefully be able to live a wonderful life away from criticisms. “Be on the right side of history.”-Hilary Clinton.