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| TV episodes like this are why toevah is winning |
A study has found that cartoon series the Simpsons, has helped to enable gay men to "come out", because of they way it sympathetically portrays homosexuality.
Erwin In het Panhuis, a German academic, conducted the study, which found that the popularity of characters, such as Homer Simpson, and the way the series as a whole deals with homosexuality during prime time, has been “trailblazing”, for helping positive attitudes towards same-sex "couples".
The librarian, based in Cologne, conducted the study over several years, analysing almost 500 scenes from the cartoon series, which he says help to dispel anti-gay "discrimination".
The study was published as a book titled Behind the Gay Jokes- Homosexuality in ‘The Simpsons’, he writes that the programme ”treats homosexuality as something normal in a media environment which can usually be very hostile to the point of view.”
The author also suggests that Homer Simpson, the main family’s father, is a more complex character than he immediately appears.
He writes: “Homer has kissed other men on the lips more than 50 times throughout the series but despite that he’s happily married to his wife.”
“He is sometimes heterosexual, sometimes gay and sometimes homophobic,” he continues.
The long-running American series, created by Matt Groening, has dealt with the issue of homosexuality on many occasions, and was the first mainstream cartoon series to feature an entire episode about equal marriage.
Other episodes including gay references have included Lisa making her family march in gay pride, Homer chanting “we’re here, we’re queer”, and another in which he is kissed by his gay roommate.
Mr Panhuis studied 70 gay characters portrayed in The Simpsons, including Homer’s boss, Mr Burns, and his relationship with his assistant Smithers.
He wrote: “It is a very complicated relationship full of fear and unrequited love and moments of real tenderness.”
Speaking to The Local, he said: ‘It set the standard for cartoon series … and I believe it’ll always be a trailblazer.”
(Pinknews)
Series creator Matt Groening has expressed dismay over the injustices in American society. In a previous interview, recounted in the 2004 book Leaving Springfield: The Simpsons and the Possibilities of Oppositional Culture, Groening is quoted as saying there is a lack of gay representations, particularly gay couples, in pop culture. "[G]ay men are staved for positive portrayals of lasting love," he said.
Groening not only used "The Simpsons" to present such portrayals, but he also did so with his comic "Life in Hell." The strip, which ran for 32 years, showcased the gay relationship of characters Akbar and Jeff. That same gay sensibility resonated in the Fox series.
"They have set standards for many other animated series that followed," In het Panhuis told Germans newspaper Süddeutschen, according to a HuffPost translation, "and I believe that they also always wanted to be pioneers."
(Huffingtonpost)
That's why tv is chazer treif!
ReplyDeletethe problem is we are all effected by it even if you never watched TV in your life.
Deletethe fact that it is the main drive that changed the nation about toevah shows how dangerous it is, even to those who never saw it in their life.
Dear Robert Adler, thank you for the review of my book. I hope that i can published my (german) book "Hinter den schwulen Lachern" (see Amazon.de) in one year in english language too - with the title "Behind the Gay Laughters" (it is a reference to the name of the Episode 11/22). Greetings from Germany Erwin
ReplyDelete