Whether it be in the public or private space, LGBTQ individuals and allies are making their presence known to the greater audience in society today. In this post I will use Adam Bouska’s NOH8 Campaign to show how the media is taking a stand against larger national issues in the LGBTQ community such as homosexual bullying and the fight against Proposition 8. With reference to Mary Gray’s article “From Websites to Wal-Mart: Youth, Identity Work, and the Queering of Boundary Publics in Small Town, USA,” and in Jasbir Puar’s “Monster, Terrorist, Fag: The War on Terrorism and the Production of Docile Patriots,” we see how the ways social attitudes are constructed and perceived have ultimately shaped our nation’s view on ‘normality’ and have led to these mainstream issues mentioned above.
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| Kathy Griffin |
The NOH8 Campaign has reached millions globally in its strive to promote anti-discrimination and bullying as well as its silent protest against Proposition 8 (noh8campaign.com). Through thousands of photographs of celebrities, politicians, military personnel, artists, as well as many others shown with their mouths taped shut, Bouska’s view becomes known and acts as symbol of those being silenced by bullying, violence, and hatred due to their sexual orientation. By having the support of many influential and iconic personas behind the fight for equality, the continual LGBTQ movement has reached the broader audience and is making extreme progress; just this month Proposition 8 was ruled unconstitutional and was appealed (Nagourney, NY Times). Although there is still a long way to go before same-sex marriage is legalized in California as well as the majority of the other states, this appeal is definitely a step in the right direction and instills hope for many of a better and more equal future.
Also through the NOH8 Campaign, non-profit organizations such as the anti-bullying and anti-cyberbullying ‘Hope for Teens’ have participated in a photo shoot because it “was the perfect way to show the LGBT youth [they] cared and show the extent to which [they] support them. The pictures say it all without saying a word...” (Atkins, President of Hope for Teens). These photos that have provoked such a response from both the LGBTQ as well as the heterosexual community show how we are such a media dominated society. These startling images will draw much more attention than if an well-known author published an article about the significance of homosexual bullying and Proposition 8.
It seems that the alteration of one’s appearance is most recognized when deviating from what is considered ‘the norm’. In ‘From Websites to Wal-Mart: Youth, Identity Work, and the Queering of Boundary Publics in Small Town, USA’, putting on a drag show at the local Wal-Mart acts as a way of expressing a queer lifestyle and brings recognition and attention to LGBTQ presence in the public sphere. For many members in rural Springhaven, Kentucky, these shows act as a rite of passage, “The first time I was with them, we all put on these furry jackets and we walked through the aisles. That was fun...with people almost having heart attacks and conniption fits because we’re running around...” (Gray, 55). However, there is still the issue of violence that remains in the back of their minds, “...we have friends who work there who won’t let nothing happen to us if they see any trouble start” (55). This brings up the importance of community and how these members express that they do at times feel threatened, but are reassured as long as they know there is someone there to back them up, and the NOH8 Campaign sets out to act as one of these support groups for the LGBTQ community.
However, in “Monster, Terrorist, Fag: The War on Terrorism and the Production of Docile Patriots,” we see how our society is shaped by “aggressive heterosexual patriotism” (Puar, 117). While the NOH8 media campaign serves as a positive source for the LGBTQ community, post-September 11 media depicted Osama bin Laden as a monster, terrorist, and fag (Puar, 118). This demonstrates how media distortion easily becomes homophobic when an image or icon changes form and deviates from ‘the norm‘ or from what Puar calls ‘heterosexual patriotism’ (117). As a turban cannot simply be removed (Puar, 137), the gay community cannot just dismiss notions of homophobic bullying and unfair legislation such as Proposition 8, they need to collaboratively fight back.
Fight back against distorted media, against ‘heterosexual patriotism’, against ‘the norm’, fight back against bullying and intolerance. Through media and support systems, the LGBTQ community is gaining national presence and attention through its gaining numbers and continual fight for equality.
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Bibliography:
Gray, Mary. “From Websites to Wal-Mart: Youth, Identity Work, and the Queering of Boundary Publics in Small Town, USA.” American Studies. Vol. 48, No. 2, (2007): 49-59. Print.
Nagourney, Adam. “Court Strikes Down Ban on Gay Marriage in California.” The New York Times. 7 Feb. 2012. Web. 20 Feb. 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/08/us/ marriage-ban-violates-constitution-court-rules.html?_r=1>.
“NOH8 Campaign.” NOH8 Campaign. Web. 20 Feb. 2012. <http://www.noh8campaign.com/>.
Puar, Jasbir. “Monster, Terrorist, Fag: The War on Terrorism and the Production of Docile Patriots.” Social Text. Text 72, Vol. 20, No. 3, (2002): 117-148. Print.
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