another one for the Ask And You Shall Receive file

[aruan]

The second season of Showtime's brilliantly honest series Queer As Folk is now available for pre-order on amazon.com. I haven't had a chance to see more than a couple of episodes owing to the lamentable lack of cable in the dorms, but it's definitely on the Wish List.

Comments

[giddyupnow.livejournal.com]

*nods* I'm fond of the first version because it was just... sweet and fluffy. I'm willing to give the series a chance because they *would* get more time to explore issues. On the subject of queer people of color, though, I must admit I feel very strongly and wish that they would address it in closer detail. However, I also realize that since it is essentially a soap opera, it is not necessary for it to take on social issues. However again, because it is considered "groundbreaking" in terms of exposure to the public of queer lifestyles, it would be an ideal medium for presenting issues that really need to be seen.

Objective rant to follow, I'm not aiming particularly at you or QAF, so much as trying to sort out my own thoughts on just how much responsibility the entertainment industry has when they're the first (or most powerful) on a scene.

I think the problem with the characters, not so much as characters themselves but in the way they're presented, is that they *are* too wrapped up in themselves. In that way where the "gay issue" is brought to the fore, yes, but what's unvoiced is that it's the gay *white middle-class* issue. Most high-profile gay communities (WeHo, Castro, and Chelsea spring to mind) are economically based on money and businesses founded by white middle-class gay men and mostly cater to that subset. One often doesn't find much in the way of the working class and people of color except on the outskirts, usually working the more illicit side of things, because there *is* this unvoiced feeling that they're not as acceptable. Just like when you go to many "support group" meetings and there's a bunch of white people sitting around wondering on occasion "gee, why don't we have more diversity?", but then never go on to consider or implement any ways to change that. There *is* segregation that goes on -- there are specific bars that tend to cater to whites and ones that appeal to non-whites... there is a bit of cross-over and more in recent years, but there is still a huge aesthetic and mental gulf between them. A lot of times people like to put all of them under the umbrella term of "queer" and figure they should all work together, but the truth is that even within the group, there will be a tendency to separate. Because little attempt (once again, always changing these days, so there's hope) is made to understand the differences associated with being an individual embodying the intersection of several minority categories, resolution and support of eachother on a higher group level is not really possible. So really, a show or a book or a movement can't purport to be about the "queer community" until they give equal time to all its facets, starting on the outskirts and including those comfortable in the middle by default. One can hardly call picturing a few extras in a crowd or an occasional one-night stand equal representation.

But yeah, I'm sure the show does well for the little slice of the population it *does* choose to take on. Which, unfortunately, happens to be the most marketable and the one least in need (if one can make such distinctions, since I understand that we're still talking fringe here) of publicity.