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| Chris Colfer performing "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
One rising issue in the United
States is teen sexuality. As teenage homosexuality gains notice, changes are
being made in America with social treatment of gays. Tragedies such as the
youth suicides are igniting a social movement. The idea of “gay is okay” is
being shown all over the American television system. Americans are being
exposed to gay culture and are becoming more accepting of it because of the
exposure. One show with a unique set of characteristics is Glee. Glee is a show
on a national network with the reputation of being conservative (FOX), which
makes it more surprising that the show also holds the record for number of
non-heterosexual teenage characters on a prime time show.
A
reoccurring theme for these Glee Club members is the constant threat of a
slushie to the face by the high
school’s bullies, who constantly antagonize them, especially out and proud gay
character Kurt Hummel. the show successfully transforms the understanding of
gay bullying through the character Kurt Hummel who sends a tailored message to
these specific groups by serving as an exemplary figure for victims. Glee mirrors real bullying through
the interactions between Kurt and football ogre Dave Karofsky, who frequently
singles out Kurt with malicious words, aggressive shoves, and angry glares.
Kurt serves as a positive influence by celebrating his homosexuality and
refusing to abandon his flamboyant behavior, even at the risk of his social
standing. After a particularly brutal encounter with bully Dave, Kurt
chooses to confront his aggressor with words of his own: “Hit me because it’s
not going to change who I am. You can’t punch the gay out of me any more than I
can punch the ignoramus out of you!” Kurt takes ownership of his life; he addresses
the problem with the principal of the school and makes the decision to transfer
to a more advantageous school with a zero tolerance of bullying and a brighter
future. The initiative Glee
takes in presenting a positive gay character and the immense support from the
show is significant in that it encourages teens in similar situations to follow
Kurt’s example and better their situation. Character Kurt Hummel successfully
embodies and acts out the message “it gets better.” \
The
character Dave, like other bullies in real life, harasses Kurt because he
believes that homosexuality somehow makes his victim inferior. In reaching
approximately eleven
million viewers an episode, Glee is effective in obtaining a wide
coverage to promote its
issues. The specific messages Glee sends are significant in that
they seek to inspire change from its viewers. To the victims, Glee sends a message of hope through
the uncompromising character of Kurt, who encourages teens to follow his
example. The targeted change in this message is to influence the victims to
refuse to compromise their identity by taking charge of their lives. Just as
Kurt is teased for his sexuality, the
other Glee Club teens are slushied for
being different, however when Glee Club starts, this uniqueness is celebrated. Glee makes the statement that the
characters are at their
best when they are truly themselves and
that they cannot let the other students or the dominant culture alter who they
are. In responding to the issue of gay bullying as well as those struggling for
other reasons in school, Glee
sends a positive message that high school teens desperately need to hear: the
most important thing is to be yourself.
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