BetterMost, Wyoming & Brokeback Mountain Forum
The World Beyond BetterMost => The Culture Tent => Topic started by: injest on December 29, 2007, 04:25:23 pm
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Right or wrong, kids identify with celebrities and people they see on tv shows and movies.....
If YOU had a gay son or daughter that was in their teens....which character would you want them to admire or emulate, if any? Which would you avoid or be unhappy to let your child watch?
Are there shows you would WANT them to watch? Shows you would do what you could to avoid?
especially if said young gay teen gloms on ANYTHING gay instantly...even passing references...
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Ellen DeGeneres and Jodie Foster -- yes
Rosie O'Donnell -- no
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Oh Jess. That's cheating. You already know my answer to this one.
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Oh Jess. That's cheating. You already know my answer to this one.
who?? who??
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
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Neil Patrick Harris - yes
Melissa Ethridge - yes
And I'll second Jodie Foster.
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Daniel likes van hansis.....remember?
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Daniel likes van hansis.....remember?
hmm... I figured he might be talking about the Noah and Luke story from a certain soap!!
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Most definitely yes to Melissa Etheridge. She's talented, she's beautiful, she's a cancer survivor and very brave. Do I still qualify if my daughter became 20 less then 6 months ago? After all, she's been gay all her life and came out several years ago. Thank God those teenage years are over!
Most definitely not Janis Joplin
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Actually, this is for Daniel - is Van Hansis?
Daniel likes van hansis.....remember?
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I'll give my answer here, but I'll stick with TV character only:
Since I've only watched Queer as Folks and As The World Turns, my choice is quite limited.
My vote goes to Luke Synder, I love this character.
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John Barrowman and the gay character he plays on Torchwood on BBC America: Capt. Jack Harkness.
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You know I have to say I am very irritated trying to answer this question. The media reflecting
the greater society in general...They have given very little play to people that are gay. The backward
slanted innuendos and slurs. there have been so few people in the entertainment industry that have
been openly gay, It has been very difficult to pick one.
I think I will then choose the ones I am most familiar with, that has come out early on, and told
about themself...He is not a character such as a part..but a great role model nonetheless.
The diver Greg Louganis!!
[youtube=425,350] [/youtube]
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It is an irritating question for the reasons you say, Janice. The only negative role models I've been able to come up with are politicians. Not that there aren't positive politican role models (Barney Frank from MA, for one) but probably not someone a teenager would be able to relate to ::).
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Do non-Americans count, too?
Klaus Wowereit, mayor of Berlin.
(http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2006/09/22/world/23germany190.jpg)
(Wowereit is the one on the right, in the dark suit)
Here's an article about him in the New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/23/world/europe/23wowereit.html?ei=5090&en=fab18328b0dbeafe&ex=1316664000&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=all (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/23/world/europe/23wowereit.html?ei=5090&en=fab18328b0dbeafe&ex=1316664000&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=all)
When running for mayorship the first time, he said: “I’m gay, and it’s good that way.” In German, it has a better ring to it and it has become a famous quote. It's often used in complete other contexts, e.g. "Yes, I do like silent movies, and it's good that way." :laugh:
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Do non-Americans count, too?
Klaus Wowereit, mayor of Berlin.
(http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2006/09/22/world/23germany190.jpg)
(Wowereit is the one on the right, in the dark suit)
Here's an article about him in the New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/23/world/europe/23wowereit.html?ei=5090&en=fab18328b0dbeafe&ex=1316664000&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=all (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/23/world/europe/23wowereit.html?ei=5090&en=fab18328b0dbeafe&ex=1316664000&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=all)
When running for mayorship the first time, he said: “I’m gay, and it’s good that way.” In German, it has a better ring to it and it has become a famous quote. It's often used in complete other contexts, e.g. "Yes, I do like silent movies, and it's good that way." :laugh:
how cool! I like that he was so open about his companion...hugging him like that! what a nice picture!
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The ECONOMIST MAGAZINE said he's (Berlin's mayor) a dapper dresser. ;)
Somebody already said Neil Patrick Harris. I admire him from coming out while he still has a career. Not like Tab Hunter or others who come out to sell their book.
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At one time I would have said Reichen Lehmkuhl with absolutely no hesitation. And I may still say that. I'm just not as sure about him as I once was. In some ways he seems to have gone down the Hollywood lane, but he has also gotten a lot of bad press that may not be true. I certainly, without a doubt, would recommend his book. That book had a huge impact on me cause I could relate so well to him especially when he was growing up and discovering that he was different.
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Lets try Dr. Smith from the 60's series "Lost in Space", he is a real hoot !
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"Dr Smith" LOL! I loved Dr Smith. I only got Lost in Space it in repeats in the early to mid 1970's. I really liked "Will" alot. ;-) He had so much adventure in his life, meeting aliens and all.
Guess he's a typical child star who didn't have much of a career in tv/film afterwards.
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"Dr Smith" LOL! I loved Dr Smith. I only got Lost in Space it in repeats in the early to mid 1970's. I really liked "Will" alot. ;-) He had so much adventure in his life, meeting aliens and all.
Guess he's a typical child star who didn't have much of a career in tv/film afterwards.
Billy Mumy "Will" had an ongoing role on the "Babylon 5" TV series for a number of years. He grew up into a very good actor and I really enjoy his performances on "Babylon 5". A little bit of trivia : the theme music to "Lost in Space" was composed and conducted by John Williams (listed in the credits as Johnny Williams) who has much greater fame later with the Jaws and Star Wars movies.
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Chrissi! Thanks for adding Klaus "Wowi" Wowereit! Yes, I think he really is a gay role model. Or have you ever seen a politician hug his boyfriend like that in public?
;D
(http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j131/pipedream_photos/Wowi.jpg)
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You know, I'm trying to think of a celebrity who's out and gay who would NOT make a good role model. (This of course does not include those who are gay and NOT out -- the Larry Craig types.) The very fact that they're out and gay -- having that much courage is, in itself, role model-worthy, IMO. And for each new person who does it, it's that much easier for everyone else, until the day finally comes when it's no big deal and no "courage" is required.
And in response to a previous post, I think Rosie O'Donnell actually makes a great role model. You might not approve of her politics. But I watched her on The View for nine months or however long she was there and thought she was funny, intelligent and charming. And the comfortable, no-big-deal way she frequently referred to her gayness and her partner was very refreshing.
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Great question.
Thanks.
Much can be said and named!!
Who was the one male who had no money in San Francisco, and a lady gave him skates? Was he gay?
Hugs!
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Hmm.. om
real life - the gay ministers on the current season of amazing race, Will Young (Uk winner of the first pop idol), Matt Lucas (from Little Britain),
I'll come back with more....
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This is a really intriguing question... I'm surprised I hadn't stumbled on this thread earlier.
It's interesting to me to see that a lot of the replies here are actually real people being suggested as role models. And, yes, I'd definitely recommend Ellen (and Portia!) as well as Melissa Ethridge and Jodie Foster (although I recommend Ellen, Portia and Melissa over Jodie only because I applaud the former three for being so bold in coming out earlier or in a more determined way).
Suggestions of characters who could be considered role models are trickier in a certain way. A lot of gay characters tend to be way-tragic or super conflicted. I'll have to ponder this whole aspect of the question for a while before responding...
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Jodie Foster and Ian McKellen and B.D Wong.
Although I only know B.D Wong from Law and Order SVU and The Band Played On. But he's brilliant. Just like Jodie Foster and Ian McKellen. Oh and Stephen Fry.
Suggestions of characters who could be considered role models are trickier in a certain way. A lot of gay characters tend to be way-tragic or super conflicted. I'll have to ponder this whole aspect of the question for a while before responding...
I'll have to second that.
Oh, after I wrote that last bit of my post. I remembered a movie I really like that has a lesbian couple as the lead that is not tragic or conflicted. Well the characters aren't but the film is. Better Then Chocolate. So for characters, Kim and Maggie.
Also, even though this is a more violent movie. I would say Corky and Violet in Bound as well. Even though they get the bad guy, they have flaws themselves. And being a more violent movie, depending on what my teenager was like, I don't know if I'd let her watch it. But then if she's anything like I was when I was a teenager, then I probably would let her watch it.
Gay guy wise I'll have to ponder more.
Sincerely, Kat.
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How about famous gay people from history? Here's a list I just found in a quick google search. Scanning through, I suspect some of the people on it may actually have been bisexual. (And I can't figure out why it's neither in alphabetical nor chronological order.) But anyway, it's an impressive list.
Alexander the Great
*Macedonian Ruler, 300 B.C.
Socrates
*Greek Philosopher, 400 B.C.
Sappho
*Greek Woman Poet, 600 B.C.
Hadrian
*Roman Emperor, 1st-2nd c.
Richard the Lionhearted
*English King, 12th c.
Saladin
*Sultan of Egypt and Syria
Desiderius Erasmus
*Dutch Monk, Philosopher
Francis Bacon
*English statesman, author
Frederick the Great
*King of Prussia
Lord Byron
*English poet, 18th c.
Walt Whitman
*U.S. poet, author, 19th c.
Oscar Wilde
*Irish author, 19th c.
Marcel Proust
*French author, 20th c.
Colette
*French author, 20th c.
Gertrude Stein
*U.S. poet, author, 20th c.
Alice B. Toklas
*U.S. author, 20th c.
Federico Garcia Lorca
*Spanish author, 20th c.
Cole Porter
*U.S. composer, 20th c.
Virginia Woolf
*English author, 20th c.
Leonard Bernstein
*U.S. composer, 20th c.
Pope Julius III
*1550-1555
T.E. Lawrence
*English soldier, author, 20th c.
Jean Cocteau
*French writer, director, 20th c.
Charles Laughton
*English actor, 20th c.
Marguerite Yourcenar
*Belgian author, 20th c.
Tennessee Williams
*U.S. Playwright, 20th c.
James Baldwin
*U.S. author, 20th c.
Andy Warhol
*U.S. artist, 20th c.
Michelangelo
*Italian artist, 15th c.
Leonardo Da Vinci
*Ital. Artist, scientist, 15th c.
Christopher Marlowe
*Eng. Playwright, 16th c.
Herman Melville
*U.S. author, 19th c.
Horatio Alger, Jr.
*U.S. author, 19th c.
Tchaikovsky
*Russian composer, 19th c.
Willa Cather
*U.S. author, 19th c.
Amy Lowell
*U.S. author, 19th & 20th c.
E.M. Forster
*English author, 20th c.
John M. Keynes
*English economist, 20th c.
Ludwig Wittgenstein
*Australian mathematician, 20th c.
Bessie Smith
*U.S. singer, 20th c.
Noel Coward
*English playwright, 20th c.
Christopher Isherwood
*English author, 20th c.
Pier Paolo Pasolini
*Italian film director, 20th c.
Yukio Mishima
*Japanese author, 20th c.
Eleanor Roosevelt
*U.S. stateswoman, 20th c.
Julius Caesar
*Roman Emperor, 100-44 B.C.
Augustus Caesar
*Roman Emperor
Harvey Milk
*U.S. politician, 20th c.
Bayard Rustin
*U.S. Civil Rights activist, 20th c.
James I
*English King, 16th-17th c.
Queen Anne
*English Queen, 18th c.
Marie Antoinette
*French Empress, 18th c.
Melissa Etheridge
*U.S. Rock Star, 20th c.
Pope Benedict IX
*1032-1044
May Sarton
*U.S. author, (1912 - 1995)
Edna Ferber
*U.S. author, 20th c.
Elton John
*English Rock Star, 20th c.
Margaret Fuller
*U.S. writer, educator, 20th c.
Montezuma II
*Aztec ruler, 16th c.
Peter the Great
*Russian Czar, 17th-18th c.
Langston Hughes
*U.S. author, 20th c.
Pope John XII
*955-964
Madame de Stael
*French writer, 17th-18th c.
Martina Navratilova
*U.S. tennis star, 20th c.
Greg Louganis
*U.S. Olympic swimmer, 20th c.
Billie Jean King
*U.S. tennis star, 20th c.
Roberta Achtenburg
*U.S. politician, 20th c.
Barney Frank
*U.S. Congressman, 20th c.
Gerry Studds
*U.S. Congressman, 20th c.
Hans Christian Andersen
*Danish author, 19th c.
Tom Dooley
*U.S. M.D. missionary, 20th c.
J. Edgar Hoover
*U.S. director of the FBI., 20th c.
Frida Kahlo
*Mexican artist, 20th c.
Suleiman the Magnificent
*Ottoman ruler, 15th c.
Rock Hudson
*U.S. actor, 20th c.
Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz
*Mexican author, 16th c.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
*U.S. author, 19th c.
Candace Gingrich
*Gay Rights activist, 20th c.
Margarethe Cammermeyer
*U.S. Army Colonel, 20th c.
Zoe Dunning
*U.S. Military Reservist, 20th c.
Tom Waddel
*U.S. M.D., Olympic star, 20th c.
Kate Millet
*U.S. author, 20th c.
Janis Joplin
*U.S. singer, 20th c.
Rudolf Nuryev
*Russian dancer, 20th c.
Waslaw Nijinsky
*Russian dancer, 20th c.
Ernst Röhm
*German Nazi leader, 20th c.
Dag Hammerskjold
*Swedish UN Secretary, 209th c.
Aristotle
*Greek philosopher, 384-322 B.C.
Paula Gunn Allen
*Native American author, 20th c.
Angela Davis
*U.S. political activist, 20th c.
June Jordan
*U.S. author, activist, 20th c.
Rainer Maria Rilke
*German poet, 20th c.
James Dean
*U.S. actor, 20th c.
Montgomery Clift
*U.S. actor, 20th c.
Baron VonSteuben
*German General, Valley Forge
Edward II
*English King, 14th c.
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Thanks ineedcrayons!
Wonderful list.
May we add to it?
Hugs!
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May we add to it?
Naturellement! Who do you suggest?