Recently, I have been seeing internet conversations about the portrayal of gay black males in film and on television. At issue is what is seen as the lack of gay black males being portrayed as masculine as opposed to feminine. This is coming from masculine gay black males.
I am at a loss on this one because when I look at movies or sitcoms, I look to see if the gay person is viewed as negative or positive without regard to color. Even looking at movies like Holiday Heart and To Wong Fu..., I do not believe that the men were feminine.
This opinion may not be shared by some masculine black gay men. They may have the same opinion as Dave Chappelle who does not think that there is anything funny about a man putting on a dress (comedians).
Why is it important if gay black men are portrayed as masculine or feminine in film and television? Gay men in most black communities do not get a pass on being masculine or feminine.
Jensen Atwood is a walking wet dream and not feminine from Noah's Arc. He was masculine. Rockmond Dunbar played in Dirty Laundry and Punks. Seth Gilliam was the supposed feminine love interest in Punks but to me he was not feminine. I guess the movie was written that way so people could clearly know who the bottom was in the relationship.
Now, I can understand if people advocate for roles that were played by Ioan Gruffudd in Horrible Bosses, where he was called for wet works. Having someone like Charlie Murphy play that role would have been as equally funny but would he have played it?
Do masculine gay black males feel they have to compete with images of RuPaul? I do not think that it extends that deep. I just think that movies and sitcoms are not life. How people are portrayed is not how they actually may exist.
RBK
I am at a loss on this one because when I look at movies or sitcoms, I look to see if the gay person is viewed as negative or positive without regard to color. Even looking at movies like Holiday Heart and To Wong Fu..., I do not believe that the men were feminine.
This opinion may not be shared by some masculine black gay men. They may have the same opinion as Dave Chappelle who does not think that there is anything funny about a man putting on a dress (comedians).
Why is it important if gay black men are portrayed as masculine or feminine in film and television? Gay men in most black communities do not get a pass on being masculine or feminine.
Jensen Atwood is a walking wet dream and not feminine from Noah's Arc. He was masculine. Rockmond Dunbar played in Dirty Laundry and Punks. Seth Gilliam was the supposed feminine love interest in Punks but to me he was not feminine. I guess the movie was written that way so people could clearly know who the bottom was in the relationship.
Now, I can understand if people advocate for roles that were played by Ioan Gruffudd in Horrible Bosses, where he was called for wet works. Having someone like Charlie Murphy play that role would have been as equally funny but would he have played it?
Do masculine gay black males feel they have to compete with images of RuPaul? I do not think that it extends that deep. I just think that movies and sitcoms are not life. How people are portrayed is not how they actually may exist.
RBK