Are TV Gays Hurting Real Gays?

This is an interesting article from Newsweek.

Reporter, Ramin Setoodeh asks if Glee's Kurt, Adam Lambert and other gay reality stars are hurting our cause.

I will say that gays are slowly losing their originality in their looks, but I'm not sure if we are hurting our cause.

Here's a piece of the article:

The problem with the Glee club is that Kurt and the rest are loud and proud, but their generation has turned down the volume. All this at a time when standing apart seems particularly counterproductive. Marriage (and the military) are sacred institutions, so it's not surprising that some heterosexuals will defend them against what they see as a radical alteration. But if you want to be invited to someone else's party, sometimes you have to dress the part. Is that a form of appeasement? Maybe. It's not that gay men and women should pretend to be straight, or file down all their fabulously spiky edges. But even Rachel Maddow wears lipstick on TV. The key is balance.

I don't know about this one. Please read the article and let me know what you think.

Gay ads or softcore?

When I see Gay ads, Gay TV shows, or anything gay I have to wonder. Do they think we're that easy to fool?

Queerty.com, have ads from Ajaxxx63 T-shirts, that showcase the shirts ripped on a scantly clad man. And the plot-less messes, Dante's Cove and The Lair just insults the human race, not to mention horror and fanasty fans alike. It's just sexy guys running around trying to act. Then if I look at any other gay ad, I feel like I'm in Falcon Studios. Is it necessary to make everything that's gay, uber-sexual? Is that how we're envisioned?

I understand sex sells, but does it need to set up enterprises and stock options? I thought porn did all of that. I just feel that a good chunk of gay marketing is over-sexed. I don't need a naked man to sell me clothes, a TV series, comic books, music, or a drink. And why do advertisers think that's the only way to reach us? I know this may not be a huge issue, there are sexy ads for every creed, race, and color. But I feel it's different for us. I think of it as placing us in a stereotypical box, or following the bad notions that all Blacks love chicken and Asians love computers.

There has to be a better way to reach us than this.

I thought we were DONE with this subject

There's a new book coming out soon about Gays in Hip Hop. Here's the plug

Everyone wants to know the truth about their favorite celebrities’ heart’s desire. Within the masculine culture of Hip Hop and Hollywood, there is a well-known gay subculture that industry insiders are keenly aware of but choose to hide. Terrance Dean worked his way up for more than ten years in the entertainment industry from intern to executive, and has lived the life of glitz and bling along with Hollywood and Hip Hop’s most glamorous. With a family full of secrets and working in an industry founded on maleness — where one’s job, friendships, and reputation all depend on remaining on the down low and in hiding — Dean writes a revealing account of the journey of coming out from hiding.

Full of startling anecdotes and incredible true stories, Hiding in Hip Hop is not a traditional tell-all. A personal and poignant memoir, it is also one of the most provocative and honest looks at stardom and sexuality.

Ok, I haven't read the book, so I really making a huge assumption. However I see some issues with this book that can do more harm than good.

My views (even though I haven't read book)

1. Books like these are nothing but tabloids. They are exposing people's private lives without their consent and possibly hurting friends, family, and others. To do a book like this means that you are out to make money at all cost. If you want to help someone discover their sexuality, then present positive role models to show them that it's ok to be gay. But to put them on front street only reinforce the fear and negativity besetting gay issues and gay people.
2. If this is a memoir, then focus on you, not people that may not have anything to do with you.
3. Don't market this as a Tell All, it's tacky and trashy. And why do you need to tell other people's business if it's not your own. That's how you get slapped!
4. Superhead wrote a tell all book and it made her a stain as a black woman. Please be aware of the outcomes. This could make you a target for mess and foolishness.
5. Please have something in there, that inspires black closeted males to come out, not go back in.
6. JL King...think about it.
   
7. I could care less about who's closeted, I care about who's leading us forward.
8. And if they're closeted, lets move on. We're out, now what are we going to do. Write about that.

I hope this book don't cause a big stink. This may push us back and dress our community as spiteful, greedy, and silly gays. I hope this brother thought about that before he wrote this book. I don't think it will solve anything that's important to us. It will be another gossip rag to talk about at the salon. And to be honest, I rather hear about hairdresser's wedding plans than who suck cock with a 40 in one hand and sweaty balls in the other.