This Show Contains Adult Content
(or... Gays Shouldn’t Be Blatant)  

BY PEGGY LUHRS —————————————— _'______

I am watching Mad About
You, something I don't nor-
mally watch but this is the
coming out episode for the
main character's sister. But I
am struck by the rest of the
story which is about the Paul
Reiser, young husband, racing
home to meet wife Helen
Hunt's ovulation schedule as
they plan a pregnancy. He goes
home on the subway noting
every short skirt, every sexual
come on in the ads. Every-
where he looks he is reminded
of sex including a saxophone
whose opening is level with his
crotch. And this is on at 5 pm
for all the after schoolers to see.
Is there an adult content label?
No. In fact there are a dozen
shows with more blatant
sexual content including "gay
content than Ellen and not a
one has the Adult viewing la-

bel. Leaving aside what it-

means to live in a culture
where adult and mature equals
pornographic, one has to ask
why Ellen? This show is very
tame, often corny and oh so
mildly sexual gets the dreaded
warning. Its on now at 9:30
later than its original 8: pm slot
but that's not enough for ABC /
Disney. No doubt the religious
right is besieging the network
with calls to end this show.
Watching Ellen, I realize
the right really hates this show
because it makes gays so hu-
man and normal. It shows two
women relating in a caring
situation and makes it seem as
common place as it actually is.
Not to mention a bit boring.
Just like life. It is wonderful to
finally have a show that comes

V

from a gay perspective and
doesn't just have a minor gay
character for comic relief. This
show is about Ellen who is gay
among other things. And I can
still relate when Lea Delaria
says ”hey I was out from the
get go and I can't get the TV
time Ellen does.” Yeah Ellen is
pretty white bread, a very par-
ticular type of lesbian. But this
is sitcom land with its own
rigid conventions. When we
get to the lesbian version of
Roseanne and tackle working
class gays maybe'there’ll be
role for Delaria. For now
thankfully there is one sitcom
that is not about a heterosexual
couple, a single dad, or any
number of office ”families”
The episode with Emma Th-
ompson was brilliant. Her
coming out not only as a les-
bian but as a an American was
very funny. Kudos to Thomp-
son for having the guts to do
this. On ABC's The View Th-
ompson said,” Americans
ought to get over it and Ellen
is helping them do that/”
Once we had a gay lib-
eration movement instead of
the current stampede to as-
similation. That movement
would have challenged this
type of offensive labeling in
droves. This label, in effect,
says that merely being gay is

—pornographic. This is a real

denial of our humanity. Kids
should see the Ellen show.
They should know the world
has gay people in it. I know
the fundi’s cry that their val-
ues are being negated. Sorry
but they do have to get over it.
They cannot make homosexu-

ality go away. *-
us since time immemorial and
is here to stay and to stay out
of the closet. Offended Chris-
tians don't have to watch. I am
forced every month to pay for
cable network's religious pro-
gramming thatl find offensive
and hate producing. Christians
can have their values...what

  
 

er people.
Disney ran an Internet poll
about lesbian kissing on TV.
From GLAAD’s report on the
Disney poll: This afternoon at
3:45 PM the poll had 8,200
votes cast: 63.5% ’yes’ in favor
of a lesbian kiss; 36.4% ’no’
against lesbians kissing on TV.

And then too one of the

Once we had a

OUT IN THE MOUNTAINS — FEBRUARY 1998 — 15

WARNING:

& women to go hide in the
closet. So to you straight folks
I say — Sure, I'll go If you go
too, but I'm polite —-so — af-
ter you.

I’m with Parker; lets end
the double standard. When I
don't have to see endless
hetsex in movies in-sitcoms in
every TV program on soaps all
day long and in wedding an-
nouncements advertisements,
billboards and even in our bars
maybe I'll consider refraining.
But since we are bombarded
with hetsex public displays of
affection I have a hard time
thinking that hand holding
and kissing between lesbians is
just too far out. Heterosexists
will just have to get over them-
selves but they won't do it if

GAY LIBERATION MOVEMENT

instead of the current stampede to assimilation.

That movement would have challenged this type of
offensive labeling in droves.

(777/s /abet /'/7 efleczj says l/7a/ mere/y be/ng gay /s ,00r/7ogra,0f//b./

they can't do is force them on
the rest of us. Of course I don't’
think their values are very
valuable.

I think lesbians and the
rest of the les-bi-gay-trans
community have a lot more to
offer than Christians who have
probably caused more blood-
shed than any other religion.
We should be telling ABC and
Disney that this is an offensive
act , that our lives are human
content and ought be treated as
such. Some have said that la-
bel probably gets more teens to
watch the show and this may
be true. Nothing like a forbid-
den flag to get the youngsters
interested. Still It is an objec-
tionable label and a slap in the
face to lesbians and others in
the queer community I want to
-see lots of lesbian kissing and
men too and sex on TV be-
tween same sex partners. And

Burlington Free Press numerous
right wing. columnists wrote
that Ellen and Anne should re-
frain from their offensive pub-
lic displays of affection. An ex-
cerpt from the late Pat Parker
’.s poem from the 1970's speaks
eloquently to this idea and the
Ellen double standard.

Fact is, blatant hetero-
sexuals are all over the place.
Supermarkets, movies, on
your job, in church, in books,
on television everyday and
night, every place—even in
gay bars. They want gay men

www.vtpr-irIe.org

we are silent . Here's how to
contact ABC / Disney:

Jamie Tarses, Entertain-
ment President ABC 2040 Av-
enue of the Stars Los Angles,
CA 90037 fax: 310.557.7679 e-
mail: abcaudr@ccabc.com
Michael Eisner, Chairman &
Dean Valentine, President of
Network TV and Television
Animation The Walt Disney
Company 500 South Buena
Vista Street, Burbank, CA
91521 fax 818.560.1930 feed-
back for www.disney.com.

 

necessary beginner's introduction at 8:00
p.m. lease bring soft-soled shoes to dance
in (or dance in bare/stocking feet) smoke/
drug/alcohol free space call Mike Duffy for
more information 802-257-8984.

®SU N DAY

Full Moon and Candlemas ritual, potluck,
and Burlington UU Circle meeting.All who
support the Covenant of UU Pagans’
mission are welcome. Wear garb if you
like, and bring something for feast, a
musical instrument, and a cushion to sit
on. HC accessible. 6 p.m., First UU
Society of Burlington, 152 Pearl St. FMI
Dian 658-9689.

Full Moon and Candlemas ritual, potluck,
and Burlington UU Circle meeting.Al| who
support the Covenant of UU Pagans’
mission are welcome. Wear garb if you
like, and bring something for least, a
musical instrument, and a cushion to sit
on. HC accessible. 6 pm. First UU Society
of Burlington, 152 Pearl ST. FMI Dian 658-
9689.

WONDAY

Gay/Lesbian Ballroom Dance, Montpelier.
4th of 4 sessions. 6-7 p.m. Waltz and
Foxtrot, 7-8 p.m. Tango and Mambo. No
partner or experience needed. $10 per
person per hour. FMI call instructor Nancy
Schulz 223-7035.

7 p.m. Potluck at Andre & Craig's 10 Green
St. Extension, Brattleboro FMI Craig or
Andre call for directions (802) 257-2165

Self Defense/rape awareness workshop.
Second in a series of two three-hour
classes sponsored by the Burlington
Women's Council in cooperation with the
Burlington Police Department. 6:30-9:30
at Fletcher Allen Hospital Campus in
Burlington. Open to all women regardless
of ability to pay. 865-7200

‘Gay And Lesbian Literature Discussion

Book Night. Vermont author Lisa A|ther's
1995 novel Five Minutes in Heaven will
be our reading for February. 10% off at

Chassman & Bem if you mention Glitter.
Monday Nights At The Rhombus Gallery
7:30-9:30 PM - Note NEW Timesll The
Rhombus Gallery is located at the
intersection of College & Church Sts. in
Burlington. 652-1103. Enter on College St.
Gallery is on the second floor.

wTU ES DAY

Social Alternative for Men meeting at 7:30
p.m. Call 649-3133 for directions and
details. .

10-14: The works of more than 40 local
artists will be on display in the Cafe
Beyond'at Collected Works, 29 High
Street, for one week only, February 10
through February 14. This show, ‘W/isual
Heart:Art forAIDS" is an exhibit and silent
auction to benefit the Brattleboro Area
AIDS Project.The opening gala, complete
with music and complementary beverages
and snacks, starts at 6 p.m., Feb. 10 when
visitors may meet the artists. Local poets
Lynn Martin and Verandah Porche will read
from their works. The silent auction will

begin at the opening gala and continue
for one week only through February 14th.
Hours are 10 am - 6 p.m. and Friday till 9
p.m. For more information call the
Brattleboro Area AIDS Project at 254-
8263.

WEDNESDAY

HIV/AIDS Awareness Day 8:30 a.m. to
Noon State House, Montpelier, Join with
people living with HIV/AIDS and our
supporters from all over the state at a
breakfast meeting with your senators and
representatives to share your needs, hope
and concerns. This year we need to
ensure the AIDS Medication Fund and
support services receives adequate
funding and HIV confidentialitybill passes.
Speak out and let your voice be counted.
Together we can make a difference.
Sponsored by the Vermont People with
AIDS Coalition, Vermont CARES,
Brattleboro Area AIDS Project. Call
(800)698-892 or (802)229-5754.

@TH U RSDAY

The St. Michael's College Ally Group
presents a panel discussion by TRANS
(Transgender Radical Action Networking
and Support). 7 p.m. Saint Michael's
College, Saint Edmund’s Hall, Farrell
Room. FMI 654-2388.

EFRIDAY

8 p.m. “T he Atomic Fire Ball - Third Time's
the Charm” $6 Admission Rainbow Cattle
Company Rte 5, Dummerston,VT Join us
for the 3rd Annual St. Valentine's Day
Dance 8. Drag Show to benefit “HOT for
Life,"the Men's HIV/AIDS Outreach Team
at the Brattleboro Area AIDS Project Music
8. Dancing, Door Prizes For more
information, call Carey (802) 254-4444

GALEIIIIIAB
BIINTIIIIIIES I 17