http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/story/glee-slammed-by-glaad-bosses_1179755
Glee Slammed by GLAAD Bosses
Gay rights campaigners have lashed out at the producers and writers of TV musical GLEE for including a controversial line about transvestites in the show's pre-Halloween tribute to THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW.
The cast took on characters from the spooky and camp 1970s musical in a themed episode, which scored huge ratings last week (ends29Oct10).
But Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) officials have taken issue with the use of the word 'tranny' to describe Rocky Horror's chief character Frank-N-Furter, who dresses in stockings, lingerie and high heels.
In the Glee tribute, actor Harry Shum Jr.'s character Mike is forced to pull out of his role as Frank-N-Furter because his conservative parents don't want him to look like a "tranny".
A statement from GLAAD reads, "The casual manner in which the word was used is jarring, even if he (Shum, Jr's character) may have been repeating what his parents said.
"This inclusion of this slur is particularly alarming given last season's powerful episode in which Kurt's father chastised Finn for using the word 'f*g'. That episode sent a powerful message to the show's young fanbase that words have power and they can hurt.
"Unfortunately the larger problem here is that the word 'tranny' has become an easy punchline in popular culture, and many still don't realise that using the term is hurtful, dehumanising and associated with violence, hatred and derision against transgender people - a community that is nearly invisible in media today."
End of article
I agree with GLAAD; I think Glee got it wrong here. As another article on this subject said, one of the other characters should have had a line about the word "tranny" being offensive. They wouldn't have had into launch into a big soliloquy; a sentence or two would have been sufficient.
Now, one could argue that Mr. Schue never said anything when both Sue and Principle Figgins used the word "cripple" in relation to Artie. But the difference is that people know "cripple" is a derogatory term. I think there are many people who don't know what "tranny" means. Therefore, Glee not only used an offensive term, the producers also missed out on a "teachable moment." Which is interesting given that the show is often criticized for being too preachy. Maybe they think everyone already knows that "tranny" is not an acceptable term, but I find that hard to believe. And to unfortunately continue the argument, why, as another article pointed out, was the word "transsexual" taken out of one of the Rocky Horror songs, but "tranny" was used in the episode? A bad situation was made even worse. Why would you take the inoffensive word out of a famous song, and insert a derogatory word into the dialogue? Mmmmmm.
This is an unfortunate situation, because the inclusion of the term truly flies in the face of Glee's commitment to equality and accurate portrayals of out youth, as well as other minority students. Now let's be honest here. Some people have complained that the character of Kurt furthers the stereotype of a gay young man. Kurt dresses very flashy, often comes across as egocentric and difficult, he speaks and sings in a very high-pitched tone, and has "an entire ipod shuffle devoted to selections from the musical 'Wicked'."
But that is who he is. Would a gay boy in show choir not be into Broadway? That's not stereotype; that's reality. Yes, Kurt has a high voice, which serves the club very well in songs such as Madonna's "Like a Prayer." As Mr. Schue tells him in the episode titled "Laryngitis": "Kurt, you can literally do things no one else can," referring to his voice and his place in the choir. What some viewers may not know is that Kurt also has one of the lowest notes in the song, "We got the funk." And let us not also forget that this gay kid has been on the football team and he evidently helps out at his father's auto repair shop on occasion. Who can forget this great exchange between father and son:
"So, you wanna help me put a 195 on this bad boy?" Burt (referring to a part on a car)
"Let me change into my coveralls. This sweater's an Alexander McQueen." Kurt
From the episode "Wheels"
Glee is doing important work here, so attention to detail is a must. There can't be room for anything resembling hypocrisy. The article mentioned the scene (in the episode "Theatricality") where Burt calls out Finn for using the word "fag." That scene is so profound, so complex, so groundbreaking, and I cannot wait to discuss it in way more detail when I review each episode for this blog. :) The writers and producers have to make sure that the critical message of that exchange is preserved and not diminished by what was hopefully an unfortunate oversight.
gleekette
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