In Queerty today, they introduce a new piece that showcases the average joe.
Take a look:
While it may sometimes seem like Queerty only cares about politicians, studs and celebrities (in that order), nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, we strive to include all members of the gay community, regardless of how ripped their abs are or elite their contacts. To that end, this is Average 'Mo, where we introduce you to regular gays from around the world to discover what life is like in their neck of the woods.
Okay, so they want us to see the 'Average' Mo. But seriously what is 'average'?
From their description, the average gay is abs-less, not a hunk and do not have elite contacts. Please, that's not average...that's reality. So I guess West Hollywood is where the non-average live?
Maybe I took the article wrong, but it felt like this piece is saying we're average because we don't fit that stereotype or look.
If that's the case, then I think the majority of gay men are average. Many of us don't prescribe to those attributes or trappings, and that's fine. Where I grew up and went to college, gays were all over the map in style and demeanor. However, I wouldn't call them average.
I guess I'm lost in the definition of average and why it's being treated as a rare bird. I think that an average guy who is gay, but don't spike his hair of go to the White Party is just a regular gay guy. I feel this 'average' thing is suggesting that we all do the same thing and those who don't are the wallflowers.
Again, maybe I'm missing the point, so please, if any y'all check out Queerty's article let me know what y'all think.
3 comments:
I guess most gay mags portray THE gay lifestyle as everyone is young, hot, muscled, well connected, rich and(or) bitchy. And anyone who doesn't fit the above categories are unattractive trolls or in this case the Average 'Mo.
These mags also perpetuate that every gay person should go join every single circuit party available, go to exotic locations for vacations, drink expensive liquor, own luxury sport cars and other gadgets and toys that no average person can afford.
In one way, it's infuriating because that's not my gay experience even though I want to be rich, muscled and attractive as much as the next queen. But in the publication point of view, maybe that's what attracts readership. God knows nobody wants to read me grocery shopping and cooking everyday or other minute details of my life. Notice even the Average Mo in their article lives in NYC and not Ho Hum Average Town.
It's not all gloom though, even though it's off putting at times. My wishful thinking is that by perpetuating a glamorous and rich lifestyle maybe it'll mislead normal straight folks that we are all really that influential. And maybe that will give us more powers to bargain our rights. We are driven by commercialism after all, and the fantasy of the spending power of two working adults with no kids does sound glorious, no matter how ordinary the reality might be.
TIME had a great article last year about the underlying appeal of the average guy or female and think this attempt by Queerty has something to do with that.
In many ways gay culture is obsessed with the adonis type, to add to that is the fact that the gay community is severely divided into boxes, so even if you were just a normal guy that doesn't do anything that might be described as gay (besides sex), you are already placed into a bunch of boxes and there are not normal.
I think when we really want to look for normal is gay people who's lifestyle is not defined by their sexuality or activities associated with that.
The majority of gay people are average, physically, mentality, and financially, but there nevertheless is this tendency in the queer community to find the archetype.
Also looking at their list, I don't see anything average, or more precisely "out of the norm" about the people who have highlighted. A much better list of average 'mos would probably Gaygamer's Gay Gamer of the Week: http://gaygamer.net/gay_gamer_of_the_week/ But that might just be my personal opinion.
Define "elite contacts". I have mostly politicians, including a sitting U.S. Senator.
Matter of fact if I didn't know better I'd say my Senator is grooming for something, maybe veep in the 2012 run.
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