CW Network: Back in Black?

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• Reader Comments (8)

  Page 1 of 1 pages

  This article didn’t mention a fairly important issue - gays. If it’s aim is to appeal to African American audiences, it may have some difficulty with other “diversities”, such as gays portrayed NOT as antiquated stereotypes, but as they are. In my experience, there still remains an overwhelmingly anti-gay element in African American culture. Anyone care to shed some more light on this?

  Steven Wanzell,
  artist/activist
  www.wanzellarts.com.ar

  Posted by wanzellarts on Apr 17, 2006 at 11:23 AM

  It is good to have entertainment that reflects a variety of cultures; my problem with spending so much time on what screens on television is that I firmly believe that we should turn it off. It is the drug of the nation. Ever thought about how much goes missing when one is glued? Maybe we could spend 3 hours per week watching less TV and put that time into watching our government and learning more about the world instead. Just a thought.

  Posted by rastagal on Apr 18, 2006 at 6:05 AM

  Rastagal: I so agree. In fact, I haven’t owned a television in years. There’s so little there, that truly interests me! As an artist (I “make stuff"), I work at home, so where most would have an area of passive TV viewing, I have a stimulating and active art studio.

  I worked for many years in L.A., actually helping (as a makeup/hairstyles supervisor) to produce those products of brain candy. Ironically, it provided the econimic substance needed to leave it behind, and dedicate myself to art and political activism.

  Steven Wanzell,
  artist/activist/ex-American
  www.wanzellarts.com.ar

  Posted by wanzellarts on Apr 18, 2006 at 11:35 AM

  Steven:

  Your inference that African Americans would be smart to check their anti-gay biases in order to get the whole “gay rights” movement on their side is pathetically laughable.

  Still, I understand, you are still probably a bit groggy from being overwhelmed by your experience with the “anti-gay element in African American culture.”

  So much so that you completely missed the flip side of the coin.

  “Gay male culture” is rife with racism against African Americans. Maintained even in the face of heavy societal bigotry against gays.

  It’s so rife with racism that it would be unwise for African Americans to rely on the “gay rights community” as a dependable ally in the fight for true equality as your brief comment infers it should.

  A good example of how ingrained racism is and indifferent to it gay culture is the response of the SF Gay community to the SF human rights commission claims that the owner the most popular in the Castro, the Badlands, actively practiced racism in order to prevent black men from getting into his club.

  The owner did this by strictly enforcing the rules of admittance only to black men.  “ your dress, backpacks, IDs Etc.” If you were black, and your stuff was not perfectly in order, you were refused admittance.

  White patrons experienced only cursory questioning and were always let in. The commission went to great lengths to validate this was happening.

  People sent in undercover, experienced this first hand. A couple of examples involved white and black pairings in which the black person was not allowed in, while his white buddy was allowed inside.

  One would think that gay men in San Francisco would have rallied behind its HRC. Which has as parts of its job ensuring gays don’t suffer discrimination, but this did not happen.

  The months long ongoing controversy didn’t affect the bars business one bit. The bar was packed to overflowing during its peak times, and there was nary a black face to be seen in these crowds.

  The generic response by gay patrons about the accusations of racism was it as much ado about nothing.

  Your post is yet another example of how gay rights activism tries to foist itself upon the whole left, and demand its agenda be given priority over all other issues that came before it, and be used as a litmus test for anyone who believes in the entire left agenda.

  While gays do deserve equal rights, granting gays equal rights would help only a small fraction of the number of people that would be helped by ensuring Blacks or Hispanics or Women all get fair and equal treatment in accordance with the laws already on the books.

  No less than Barney Frank said that if it weren’t for being gay, 70% of white gay men would be conservative Republicans.

  Blacks demands for fairer treatment in Hollywood cannot be pre-qualified with a demand that it rectify it’s own inherent anti-gay bias.

  They are NOT connected, except in one way, and again it’s the many gay screenwriters in Hollywood who should be called into account first. 

  It’s clear from the stories they contribute to that as a group, they have made no effort to stop being racist. In fact it appears as if they actually exploit it for humor, and thus we see the endless parade of Black stereotypes on TV, thanks in part to the supposedly “enlightened gay white male who believes in diversity and equality - no exceptions allowed.” Hmmmm

  Posted by johnnyincentx on Apr 19, 2006 at 1:46 PM

  Johnny:

  You seem to have misunderstood what I wrote above, and to have presumed an awful lot of (truly awful!) things about me, my perspectives, and my political alliances. These presumptions are completely remiss.

  First of all, let me say that when I, myself, relocated to SF (the Castro!) from LA, I was sorely disappointed to find “the gay community” there, was just as bigoted; racist, classist, sexist and selfish - untimately just as “conservative” as American society in general. (I am a bonafide European now, though currently on a creative project in Argentina.)

  I am NOT a member of that pathetic gaggle known as “the gay community”.

  I am a true liberal, who just happens to be predominantly homosexual (I do subscribe to the Kinsey Scale - it certainly applies in my case), and after seeking a place to “belong”, and having discovered the overwhelming hypocrisy of this “gay community”, I certainly don’t consider myself a member, nor a proponent of it. Ultimately, I am repulsed by it. As repulsed as I am in general, by American bigotry, which persists as America’s primary social trait, and the primary source of its problems.

  My commentary - my querry, was regarding how this renewed version of Black-oriented television programming might deal with (in its scripting), an issue that is unquestionably a real issue in the US Black community (just ask virtually any out Black homosexuals, if you can find any!), which itself, has many of its own racial issues. I should add here, that during my many years in the film and TV production industry (as a makeup artist / hairstylist), I became somewhat known, among other things, as the “token white / token gay” day-player in the makeup departments of many of these (primarily FOX’s) Black-oriented programs.

  As a generally likeable, fun-loving, and anything-but-racist personality, I was quite popular on these jobs, and was asked back frequently, by both the producers and stars involved. Aside from this, I have ALWAYS had many friends and associates, as well as lovers, of every possible colour, religion, nationality, etc. (I draw the line at “conservatives” - that’s my bigotry!)

  I do hope this dispells any misconceptions of me, as a person who happens to be of light-coloured skin, and who is (evidently) not always articulate in my public statements.

  Steven Wanzell,
  artist/activist/ex-American
  www.wanzellarts.com.ar

  Posted by wanzellarts on Apr 19, 2006 at 7:05 PM

  Steven:

  OK, sorry about the misunderstanding.

  I just probably wouldn’t agree that black culture makes being “black and gay” any worse than white culture makes being “white and gay.” It’s all a matter of perspective. If anything makes being black and gay hard, it’s the racism that is firmly rooted in general gay culture and practised without any second thoughts, because it seems so natural.

  If such shows are not made, it’s probably due to a perceived lack of interest in the market that watches such shows more than any real racism.

  Posted by johnnyincentx on Apr 19, 2006 at 7:21 PM

  Johnny:

  Thanks for understanding. It’s clear we agree much more than disagree.

  It seems that, sad but true, there exist very few places (if any!) to “belong”, for ALL “despised groups” in American society - from liberated women, to those who simply prefer their beer blue, or their panties pink - that are not infected with a boat-load of other (prejudicial) hatefulness.

  Until all these “outsiders outside the outsiders” get together (which IS happening, finally - our rational and mutually respectful dialogue is proof of this!), America remains stuck in this quagmire of conflict, where politicians have brilliantly succeeded in pitting us against each other.  Maybe (probably! - I’m an artist, ain’t I?!) I’m a big ‘ol fool, but I believe this sociocultural change (growing up?) can happen and in fact, IS happening.

  Steven Wanzell,
  artist/activist/ex-American
  www.wanzellarts.com.ar

  Posted by wanzellarts on Apr 19, 2006 at 8:11 PM

  Steven:

  ;-) careful now about assuming what I am or not. While not absolutely a born into member of the group, most often I am seen as a “white gay man” as you are, not just by white men, but also by minorities. It’s not strictly a skin color thing either. It’s due to several factors most would say benefit me, rather than harm me. From this vantage point, I got to hear how lucky I was from “white gay guys” that I could fit in, along with a host of complaints about how other minorities are just hopeless, because they wouldn’t try like I did. In truth, I just always found myself included thanks to the pervasive effects of extreme lookism that permiates gay culture.  If gay men consider you somewhat attractive, they always accept you as one of their own. My swarthy complextion thanks to having Puerto Rican parents was almost always attributed to me being Italian or Jewish. Groups that were also once considered “non-white” but are now included. My dislike for such shallow, worthless standards of inclusion eventually made me reject gay culture and all its victim claims. LOL While I support rights for eveyrone equally, and I definitely want that for homosexuals of all stripes. The lack of honest practice in the gay male community makes me feel it is a poor choice to be one of the core issues defining the progressive/liberal agenda.

  To be clear, I am only speaking of this in the USA. Our subculture here is distinct from examples elsewhere in the Western world. I almost always instantly know when I’m speaking to a gay european man via IM. His perspective is so much broader, and more aware. The maturity level of early 20 something Euro men I’ve met shames the typical high-school girl maturity level that typifies so many gay men in the USA. That is the context of my views.

  Oh and additionally, I’m a musician. It’s something I do for fun now, but when I was younger I seriously pursued a career in music.LOL

  Posted by johnnyincentx on Apr 19, 2006 at 10:01 PM

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