Comment on Nick Offerman Slams ‘Homophobic Hate’ Against His ‘The Last of Us’ Episode: ‘It’s Not a Gay Story. It’s a Love Story, You A–hole!’

WaxedWookie@lemmy.world ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

• deweydecibel@lemmy.world ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

  I’ll tell you why:

  Because it, kind of like Brokeback Mountain all those years earlier, appreciates that homosexuality and the gay community are not one in the same. While the gay community is extremely important and should never be downplayed, media always tends depict gay people as connected to it or at the very least evoking many of the same aspects and tropes.

  This isn’t an unfair thing to depict, far from it, but it has the unfortunate result of making many gay characters feels rather same-y, occasionally even one note.

  Offerman’s character depicts a very accurate thing that doesn’t get as much attention in media: the straight acting man discovering his sexuality late in life. With the exception of his piano playing and his penchant for wine and setting the table for elaborate dinners, his character has none of the telltale “gay” aspects you typically find in media, nor does he develop them.

  That’s not at all to suggest other depictions of gay men are wrong or bad, Bartlett’s character is very well done too. The characters of Bill just feels more notable and fresher in our current media landscape because we see it far less often.

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  • Transporter_Room_3@startrek.website ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

    piano playing

    Fellas, is it gay to play an instrument?

    I know that’s not what you’re saying I just thought it was a funny way to phrase it

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    • Igloojoe@lemm.ee ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

      If you’re playing the skin flute, it might be gay… hahaha

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      • joelfromaus@aussie.zone ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

        Only if you don’t tell your bro “no homo” afterwards.

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    • jaybone@lemmy.world ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

      Also, is liking wine gay?

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      • ouRKaoS@lemmy.today ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

        Men can only drink beer and whiskey. Everything else is gay.

        /S

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      • helenslunch@feddit.nl ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

        I often prefer wine because beer gives me near-instant hiccups and bloating.

        That being said, wine is definitely socially associated with femininity and homosexuality. Beer is what a man drinks. That plus the piano and the other things they mentioned might tickle someone’s gaydar for sure.

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    • Fester@lemm.ee ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

      Look, not all pianists are gay, but all gay people play the piano.

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      • the_post_of_tom_joad@sh.itjust.works ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

        how often must i gay to be able to play piano? because i love piano

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    • Thrashy@lemmy.world ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

      Depends on how big the candelabras are.

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      • Chuymatt@kbin.social ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

        And how sparkly the cape.

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      • Illuminostro@lemmy.world ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

        Mahvellous, dahling …

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    • psycho_driver@lemmy.world ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

      Depends, are you speaking of the skin flute?

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  • SuperSynthia@lemmy.world ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

    I really appreciate this take. A lot of us are trapped in the closet for a variety of reasons and it takes years to finally be yourself comfortably. Once we are out, we can exist as just people…if our community lets us that is.

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  • SatyrSack@lemmy.one ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

    homosexuality and the gay community are not one in the same

    I think a lot of people don’t understand that being GSRM does not automatically make you part of the LGBT community.

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    • poppy@lemm.ee ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

      GSRM

      “Gender, Sexual and Romantic Minorities“ for those like me who didn’t know the acronym.

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  • WaxedWookie@lemmy.world ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

    I think this is a good take, but my criticism of Disney is more in line with my perception of their business model - art by focus group.

    They know that if they combine these 3 IP’s with these 3 diversity checkboxes, the movie will return x, meaning they have a budget of y to deliver a given ROI. Much like their endless parade of remakes, it’s cynical commercislism that has no interest in storytelling artistic value, or representation - and it shows.

    To your point, TLOU separated the relationship from the community, and while the community representation is important, this type of representation is critical to normalising homosexual relationships - “oh - they’re in a regular loving relationship just like me - it’s not all disco music and flapping about in sparkly clothes, making catty comments.” kinda deal.

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• Kushan@lemmy.world ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

  I got to see his standup routine a few months back and it was hilarious and wholesome.

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