Hollywood’s Journey Down the Rainbow Path

When openly gay Neil Patrick Harris strutted out on the stage of the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles to host the 87^th Academy Awards, one would think that the battle for gay rights received its own statue.  After all, NPH became the first ever openly gay man to host the iconic TV special.  Not only that, but he has now hit the trifecta of award show hosting that also includes the Tony awards and Emmys.  Can the Grammys be next for the grand slam? 

This is no small feat given the audience numbers that each of these major shows attract bring tons of advertising dollars to the networks.  Therefore, it behooves the shows’ producers to put on stage someone whom the TV audiences will accept and enjoy.  And they seem to have no problem with the multi-talented and popular gay man, Harris.

But do these accomplishments signal the end of homophobia in Hollywood?  Over the years there had been a homophobic mindset in some of the producers and decision-makers in the film and TV industries causing numerous LGBT performers to remain in the closet lest their careers be in peril. 

Homophobia like racism or misogyny is a state of mind, an attitude, that just doesn’t simply turn on and off like a switch.  To fully eradicate these attitudes, succeeding progressive generations will likely be less and less bigoted, so in the long run, the prognosis is good.

Unquestionably, there has been a huge amount of progress regarding attitudes towards LGBT folks in Hollywood (film and TV) with an increasing number of LGBT characters on TV shows, in particular, and more being employed.  This is following a national trend towards LGBT acceptance.  But we’re not there yet.

“People are what they are, believe what they believe, and I think most open-minded heteros have evolved over the last 40 years,” a straight, long-time Hollywood-based comedy writer, told me through an email interview, whom I will name “Frank” for this piece. 

“There have always been gays and lesbians in Hollywood,” he says.  “Face it, any business that regularly employs choreographers, dress designers, set decorators, hairdressers, and makeup people, will have gays in it.  So unlike many businesses, the movie industry has had gays, working side by side with straight folk.”

Frank points out that in the 70s, they were mostly closeted. “They were there, we knew who they were, for the most part, but they weren't talking about it.  When it came to writers and directors, I will say that gays were few and far between - again, people were in the closet, so I am assuming there were gay writers (other than Bruce Villanch) out there. But I didn't know any myself. Was this homophobia, or was it a different cultural phenomenon?”

“Ellen’s personal life met up with her character. Dramatic series had gay characters. The world was changing.”

The emergence of West Hollywood as a city in 1984 helped push acceptance. “Suddenly, everyone paid attention to a place, which was mostly known for its bar scene,” explains Frank.

“Gays in WeHo were out of the closet, not just gay businesses and bars, but gay politicians, city councilmen and mayors. There was a city where the rights of the gay community mattered. A city adjacent to Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and West L.A. - places where people in the industry lived and worked. I can’t prove that this created change in the industry, but I don't see how it couldn’t. The Pride parade was on local cable TV. The gay national religious holiday - Halloween - was celebrated on Santa Monica Blvd. with mixed crowds, again on TV.  This causes greater acceptance.”

Frank also credits the producers who inserted gay characters on such TV shows in the 1990’s as MTV’s Real World as agents for change and in particular, the saga of an AIDS-stricken cast member in San Francisco.  “Pedro Zamora, a man living with AIDS, and AIDS activist, became a national symbol. An entire generation, through the proxies of the assortment of people in that show, not only saw someone gay, but someone who lived and loved in the face of the disease which people still feared.”

He also recalls talking with Norman Lear later in the decade regarding the increase in gay writers.  “The change was noticeable,” Frank said. “Ellen’s personal life met up with her character. Dramatic series had gay characters. The world was changing.”

Neil Patrick Harris

Shows like Survivor, in its first season with gay Richard Hatch as a star, was huge.  As was Will & Grace and now Glee, which Frank characterized as the “gayest show ever” and ironic that it is on FOX.  Now shows like Modern Family and Empire make good use of gay characters.

He explains that Neil Patrick Harris came out in the middle of the run of How I Met Your Mother.  “The amazing thing about that is that his character could best be described as a ‘rampant heterosexual’ - a man whose life revolved around sex with women. Nobody commented about the fact that a gay actor was playing that role; people were able to separate the character on TV from the actor who played it. This is a massive advance in the world.”

Frank states, “If TV is the great enlightened arena of entertainment, movies are its more timid cousin. Look, it’s not because of homophobia; the only phobia movie studios have is losing money. Unfortunately, there are many countries around the world which practice institutionalized homophobia. Not little ones - Russia, China, India, the continent of Africa. We may have to wait a while before studios will risk a gay version of Sylvester Stallone starring in a major action picture.”

Progress, to be sure, but the rainbow path still has its bumps.  A recent Williams Institute survey of SAG-AFTRA members indicates there are still issues regarding homophobia and transphobia within the entertainment industry. Read the results here.

MTV's Role in LGBT Acceptance

Macklemore performing ‘Same Love’ at VMA’s

It’s a pity that Miley Cyrus’ near pornographic twerking, tongue and finger movements received so much attention following the recent MTV’s Video Music Awards extravaganza.  It overshadowed Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, and Justin Timberlake’s stunning performances and the fleeting reunion with the latter’s fellow ‘N Sync pals, as well as other highlights from the show. 

Also driven to the background by Cyrus but of significance to the LGBT community were the poignant remarks made by Seattle rapper Macklemore (Ben Haggerty) following his and producer Ryan Lewis’ receiving the award for Best Video with a Social Message for the gay anthem “Same Love” and the subsequent performance of the hit single.

“To watch this song in the last year spread across the world is a testament to what is happening right now in America on the forefront of equality,” said Macklemore while accepting his statue. “Gay rights are human rights, there is no separation.”  The video has over 70 million hits on You Tube alone.

Macklemore told The New York Times he composed “Same Love” in March 2012 after reading an article about a bullied gay teenager who committed suicide.  It was recorded during Washington State’s referendum battle for same-sex marriage to promote marriage equality, and it also condemned homophobia in hip hop, society and the mainstream media.  

“I just wanted to hold myself accountable and hold hip-hop accountable and bring up an issue that was being pushed under the rug,” Macklemore said. The video calls out other hip-hop artists for using gay slurs and religious leaders for refusing to support marriage equality.

As a straight man, he said he also wanted to show his support for his two gay uncles and his gay godfather. Indeed, the cover artwork for the single features a photograph of Macklemore’s gay uncle and his partner.

Jason Collins, the NBA player who came out earlier this year as gay, introduced the duo who performed the song with singer Mary Lambert and surprise guest Jennifer Hudson—another highlight-worthy moment in the show.

The MTV Music Video Awards has always been edgy and there were memorable moments for gay folks to enjoy throughout its run.  Remember 10 years ago the Madonna-Britney-Christina kiss?  Or last year, there was the recently out Frank Ocean singing “Thinkin Bout You”.  Or Ricky Martin, Ru Paul, Pet Shop Boys, Cher—the list goes on.

The point is, MTV, which debuted on August 1, 1981, has continually provided a platform for LGBT rights advocates and produced numerous shows with LGBT characters.  While the network has changed its format from wall-to-wall videos to a bevy of reality TV shows, it maintained its social consciousness especially in the LGBT sphere and included such related issues as bullying and teen suicide. 

Consequently, MTV in 2010 became the first network ever to receive an “Excellent” rating in GLAAD's Network Responsibility Index report.  GLAAD is the principal organization that works directly with news media, entertainment media, cultural institutions and social media.

From the early years of MTV’s iconic series The Real World, LGBT characters were a part of every installment.  That included the sad but inspiring journey of Pedro Zamora, a gay man in 1994 San Francisco who courageously came out to his housemates and to the world that he had HIV/AIDS and his brave but losing battle to live with the disease. 

The series depicted other LGBT folks with the same issues, personal problems, strengths, weaknesses, dreams, and the need for love as their straight counterparts.  Some were wonderful beings; others were loathsome— a mix that you would ordinarily find in straight America.

The True Life series on occasion discussed realities of LGBT life.  One episode in 2003 featured a gay teacher in Texas and in 2004 same-sex couples getting married.  In 2012 the network co-sponsored two specials for the “It Gets Better” project.  This past year, they also included a gay man struggling to come out as HIV positive in their special “I’m Positive,” which earned a Daytime Entertainment Emmy nomination.

The scripted show Awkward has two featured gay characters, and America’s Best Dance Crew has gay competitors.  Teen Wolf also includes two openly gay characters with a dose of homoerotic imagery and dialogue.  The straight characters shrug it off. 

The upshot of this LGBT-inclusive programming is that positive images of LGBT folks have been delivered to an entire generation since the early 1990’s.  The sitcom Will and Grace has been largely credited for allowing America’s heartland to view gays as normal, everyday people with the same problems and joys as the rest of the country.  When LGBT people are portrayed in that light, there is more acceptance on the part of the larger population making the environment more comfortable for LGBT folks to come out.  That puts a real human face on what was once considered abstract.

What MTV has done and continues to do is casting a positive light on LGBT people for a younger generation; the impressions on LGBT teens cannot be overstated.  It is no coincidence that issues, such as marriage equality, receive the highest level of support from teens and young adults.  And I wonder how many young LGBT lives have been saved by the positive reinforcement of MTV’s programming.    

“MTV has a long history of sharing groundbreaking and diverse portrayals of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people that help Americans understand our community,” said GLAAD spokesperson Wilson Cruz in response to my inquiry. “When other networks have shied away from stories that showcase the diversity of the LGBT community, MTV has been known to boldly discuss LGBT issues as well as include LGBT people of color and transgender people.”

The Video Music Awards and the platform it offers to pro-LGBT artists adds on to the already great body of work by MTV and keeps the momentum going on the side of equality and justice.  Thankfully, young people are influenced by this, and they represent our future.

Banking on the 'Big Mo'

Courtesy of Jay W Photos

There’s no question that the rainbow gods are smiling on our LGBT community.  They ordered up absolutely glorious weather for the annual Baltimore Pride celebration right before an oppressive heat wave gripped the area.  This may be a sign that things MUST be going well to experience such good fortune.

That’s been the talk—how we have momentum or the “big mo” on our side as we enter the critical months leading up to Election Day when the law to legalize marriages between same-sex couples will be put to the voters by a referendum.  This momentum will hopefully propel us to reach that coveted goal.

There is ample reason for the optimism. 

The president’s complete support for marriage equality could turn out to be a game changer.  In a state where he enjoys widespread popularity, Obama’s revelation could tip the balance our way by convincing those who may not have been saddled by conservative religious dogma to lean towards fairness. The NAACP’s unequivocal endorsement framing marriage equality as a civil rights issue was also huge.  

Moreover, with the Dream Act referendum scheduled to share the ballot in Maryland with same-sex marriage, the National Council of La Raza, the largest Latino civil rights organization in the U.S., announced its support for marriage equality.

Country superstar Carrie Underwood’s backing of same-sex marriage to the chagrin of some of her conservative fans may have appealed to a different demographic altogether.  To that point, don’t dismiss the power of celebrities who, through their visibility and popularity, command a higher level of influence than ordinary folks.  America’s infatuation with celebrities and entertainment in general is embedded in our culture to such an extent that the TV sitcom Will & Grace has rightfully been credited, in part, for the improved attitudes towards gay and lesbians in our society. 

Then there is Mary Cheney, the daughter of the former conservative Republican vice president, who recently married her longtime partner Heather Poe.   This added a sense of “ho-hum” to the hot-button issue of same-sex marriage.

We’re confident of victory,” Josh Levin, campaign director for Marylanders for Marriage Equality, wrote in the June 15 issue of Baltimore OUTloud.  “Any campaign would be thrilled to have the momentum we’ve seen recently.”

Levin has also cited favorable poll results to augment the momentum perception but he quickly pointed out to me that he will not rely on them.  He knows better than to fall into that trap. “They offer a snapshot,” he said.  That recognition of reality presents me with further cause to be optimistic.

Indeed, when marriage equality went before the voters through ballot measures in the past, we have a 0-32 record.  Even in blue-state California and purplish Maine the polls indicated a similar degree of favorability this far out from the election.  Then the garbage came from the opposition with their well-funded air attacks that helped to reverse the outcome. 

A clear difference is that none of those battles had the President of the U.S. publicly on the side of equality.  Therefore, marriage equality advocates in Maryland, Maine (again), Minnesota and Washington State experiencing ballot referenda this November may benefit from that recent level of support.

Another reason for optimism that is fueling momentum is the increased engagement on the part of the LGBT community.  Sure, way too many see politics as a toxin to be avoided at all costs.  That’s a reality in all segments of the population.  But now we’re starting to see more rainbow folks engaged on this issue.  As an example, my colleague at OUTloud, Gerry Fisher, has been on a mission to bring marriage equality to fruition by jump-starting a grass-roots movement through face-to-face contacts with voters and using social media. (See related article in this issue.)

This is crucial for votes, of course.  As important as turnout is to success, the need to recruit volunteers and raise money to counter the lies and scare tactics from the opposition is also critical.  Josh Levin feels that Marylanders for MarriageEquality can get by on $5-7 million.  Others disagree.  Evan Wolfson, founder of Freedom to Marry, estimates over $10 million would be needed in Maryland to defend the law in a referendum.

Regardless, a heap of cash needs to be raised, and fundraisers have been taking place throughout the state and will continue until November.  How do you get people to reach deep into their pockets?  They need to think they have a good chance of winning; no one wants to contribute to a losing cause.  

Yet, there is a thin line between exuding confidence of a victory and acting like it’s in the bag.  While no one wants to contribute if defeat is likely, the same thinking would apply if it appears a win is a slam-dunk,   That money could be spent on other matters.

Therefore, it behooves the Marylanders for Marriage campaign to maintain an upbeat but cautious posture, leave nothing to chance, and capitalize on the “big mo” that is ostensibly taking place now.