Trying To Avoid Gay Stereotypes :: Top 10 Gay Stereotypes

My name is Rob Geis, and I’m a male college student who happens to be gay. Now, I’m not an â€Å"oh-my-God!† gay, nor am I an â€Å"honey, that blouse is all wrong† gay, but for some reason that image gets stuck in people’s minds when I tell them that I am gay. In many ways, coming out was one of the most liberating experiences of my life. I‘m free to do whatever I want under the banner of homosexuality: I can wear skimpy, too-tight clothing that doesn’t suit me, put on makeup, act effeminate and cutesy, or cry at the drop of a hat, without society so much as batting an eye. It’s a real pain. The gay stereotype is that we’re all promiscuous, shallow individuals who act extremely feminine and obsess over fashion. The problem is that there are more young gays who don’t fit the stereotype than those who do. In his 2005 Time cover story titled â€Å"The Battle Over Gay Teens,† John Cloud quotes one-time Young Gay America Magazine editor-in-chief Michael Glatze as saying, â€Å"Today so many kids who are gay, they don't like Cher. They aren't part of the whole subculture. †¦I don't think the gay movement understands the extent to which the next generation just wants to be normal kids.† There seems to be a constant pressure to â€Å"act gay† from others in the gay and straight communities. Look at the news media, which constantly focuses on extreme examples like gays marching down the street with pink lip gloss and Prada bags, shouting gay pride. Look at shows like Queer Eye for the Straight Guy which similarly depict the fluff and flutter of the brightly colored, empty-headed peacock that is the gay male. These portrayals make people expect that sort of behavior from gay men, almost demand it. From other gays, my speech is now open to unwarranted sexual innuendo. I can’t notice a cool pair of sunglasses a guy wears without â€Å"Ooh? So you think he’s cute?† popping up. I wasn’t looking; I just thought the sunglasses were cool†¦ that’s not so unusual, right? It’s the automatic assumption that everything I do is based on my sexuality that’s frustrating. The smallest flick of the wrist speaks volumes about how much of a homosexual I really am. But why cling to the stereotype if you’re gay? Is it so that members of the gay community, who went through their own ordeals and have experienced the same feelings, will recognize you and say, â€Å"You’re like us† and â€Å"Welcome†? Trying To Avoid Gay Stereotypes :: Top 10 Gay Stereotypes My name is Rob Geis, and I’m a male college student who happens to be gay. Now, I’m not an â€Å"oh-my-God!† gay, nor am I an â€Å"honey, that blouse is all wrong† gay, but for some reason that image gets stuck in people’s minds when I tell them that I am gay. In many ways, coming out was one of the most liberating experiences of my life. I‘m free to do whatever I want under the banner of homosexuality: I can wear skimpy, too-tight clothing that doesn’t suit me, put on makeup, act effeminate and cutesy, or cry at the drop of a hat, without society so much as batting an eye. It’s a real pain. The gay stereotype is that we’re all promiscuous, shallow individuals who act extremely feminine and obsess over fashion. The problem is that there are more young gays who don’t fit the stereotype than those who do. In his 2005 Time cover story titled â€Å"The Battle Over Gay Teens,† John Cloud quotes one-time Young Gay America Magazine editor-in-chief Michael Glatze as saying, â€Å"Today so many kids who are gay, they don't like Cher. They aren't part of the whole subculture. †¦I don't think the gay movement understands the extent to which the next generation just wants to be normal kids.† There seems to be a constant pressure to â€Å"act gay† from others in the gay and straight communities. Look at the news media, which constantly focuses on extreme examples like gays marching down the street with pink lip gloss and Prada bags, shouting gay pride. Look at shows like Queer Eye for the Straight Guy which similarly depict the fluff and flutter of the brightly colored, empty-headed peacock that is the gay male. These portrayals make people expect that sort of behavior from gay men, almost demand it. From other gays, my speech is now open to unwarranted sexual innuendo. I can’t notice a cool pair of sunglasses a guy wears without â€Å"Ooh? So you think he’s cute?† popping up. I wasn’t looking; I just thought the sunglasses were cool†¦ that’s not so unusual, right? It’s the automatic assumption that everything I do is based on my sexuality that’s frustrating. The smallest flick of the wrist speaks volumes about how much of a homosexual I really am. But why cling to the stereotype if you’re gay? Is it so that members of the gay community, who went through their own ordeals and have experienced the same feelings, will recognize you and say, â€Å"You’re like us† and â€Å"Welcome†?