Sexualized Minorities and heterosexism in media

Sexual "otherness" is rarely represented in mainstream media and when it is, it is often done so in accordance with normalizing heterosexual behaviors. Tricia Jenkins in her article "Potential Lesbian at Two O'clock" says that "lesbianism is acceptable to mainstream audiences as long as it is heterosexualized for the straight male audience"(p. 493) and Helene Shugart in her article "Reinventing Privilege" says homosexuality is "not only recoded and normalized as consistent with privileged male heterosexuality, but it is articulated as extending heterosexual male privilege" (p. 68). HomoHop, the new term for gay and lesbian focused music, has now entered the mainstream listening wave. Johnny Dangerous, a white rapper, has been gaining attention with an in-your-face style of homosexuality that he boasts in his music video "Dirty is the New Black".
In 1999, Jerry Falwell brought attention to the Teletubby cartoon when he claimed that Tinky Winky was gay and therefore a dangerous role model for children. He received a lot of critique for this ridiculous opinion but the fact that it made such a ripple is an example of how rampant homophobia is in our culture and how intolerable any form of sexual otherness, even in cartoons.

Other forms of sexual otherness, such as polygamy which has gained a lot of media attention from the recent raid on the Texas ranch, and androgyny, portrayed in a SNL parody by the character Pat, are examples of the way that the media uses stereotypes to portray that which is outside of the status quo. Ru Paul, a famous transgender woman, was able to gain some mainstream acceptance and celebrity status despite the fact that she is a sexual minority.


1. Johnny Dangerous - HomoHop "Dirty is the New Black" music video



2. Jerry Falwell and "Tinky Winky Comes out of the Closet"

http://www.theory.org.uk/ctr-rol3.htm

3. Polygamist sect- represented recently in media as (heterosexual) sexual minority

http://www.sltrib.com/polygamy/ci_8872379


4. Pat from "Saturday Night Live"





5. Ru Paul