Have to admit, when I first saw the video of Michael Sam and his honey going after it for national TV, I was kind of uncomfortable. "Oh man, you've given the haters plenty of ammunition to come after you with when it just wasn't necessary. What were you thinking?"
And sure enough, the Internet comment boards were instantly filled with the usual anti-gay filth. I don't know why people have to do that. I guess it makes immature hetero males happy?
I also admit to some intra-gay bias here, as the little twink of a boyfriend admittedly was a super turn-off and got an immediate big "YUCK" from me.
However, after a couple days -- and I think it has undoubtedly been the male-male kiss most seen by the most viewers EVER -- I've come around to thinking it's OK. Mostly, people just aren't used to seeing two men kissing, and with same-sex marriage rapidly becoming reality, it's high time people DID get used to seeing it.
Even if one of the two men looked more like a girl :)
(BTW, if you've been under a rock somewhere and haven't seen THE KISS, it's linked to in the other thread on here.)
If was more disgusted by the boo-hoo tears of joy.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/15/facebook … ostpopular
And what is more queer even: we share the bear cliché with hetero-bears.
And if we fear that someone, somehow will hiss at us, just because we are how we are, well, this will happen as sure as there is a new day after the night. Regardless what we look like, regardless how much we try to 'blend in' ( in another cliché) or not.
I also agree with zip that we don't want to come off as a Jerry Springer Show caricature. I do find that offensive.
And come on, ladies, we do all need to keep a sense of humor about things :)
I regret that I led you to think that I don't value feminine men or masculine women. Both and all other degrees of sexual personas are just fine with me. I have NOTHING against Michael Sam or his lover OR their relationship. The reason I commented negatively is that I find it unfortunate that the feminine male is the "cliche" (and I used that word) that the straight world has of homosexual men. For the bigots, this only feeds their stereotype and their hate.
Many straight people (especially religious bigots) who haven't had gay people in their lives (that they know of) think that ALL gay men act feminine or "limp wristed." That is the way we have been portrayed in much of literature, movies, etc. I think this historical kiss would have been far more instructive to the straight world if Michael's boyfriend had not fulfilled their prejudice about gay men acting feminine.
You are absolutely right when you write: "How can we expect others to accept us when we can't even accept out own?" I have written that idea on here before and it is one of the major ideas that I think needs more discussion, especially in online chats and blogs like this. I see way too many gay guys putting down other gay men because they don't share a narrow view of what it means to be gay or they have a fetish the other doesn't appreciate, etc. It's way too easy to do this online when you are not face to face. Hugs to all my gay/bi friends here on SilverDaddies. To anyone who was offended by what I wrote, I apologize. I didn't mean it that way. It is the cliche (prejudiced misunderstanding) that I don't like.
What I am having problems with is the macho posing of people here denigrating his partner for being "too girly". Are you sleeping with either of them? Are you upset because it doesn't fit in with what you THINK should be a "model" for gay men? Get the fuck over it. Evidently Michael thinks the guy is just fine.
I have effeminate male friends and masculine female friends. Doesn't make them any less of a person or the gender they are. However, I do have a problem with people who will degrade them for being so.
No wonder it's taking us so long to achieve equality. How can we expect others to accept us when we can't even accept out own?
http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/12/us/michael-sam-nfl- … ?hpt=hp_t1
Art, while I agree that the groundbreaking, i.e. first, kisses have been done long ago, I think this one was more widely played and seen than any here in the U.S. (Europe, undoubtedly, is far advanced from us on this side of the pond.)
People here still aren't used to seeing two men kiss or make love. For example, even though "Brokeback Mountain" made a lot of money and got a lot of pub, I guarantee far more people saw the Sam kiss than saw that movie. Plus it was shown, initially, to a sports (i.e., hetero male) audience, which would normally avoid that type of thing.
So though it isn't first, it's still groundbreaking in its own way.
The pressure on the players must be horrendous. Tears of relief......
And why is he crying? Shouldn't he be laughing?
It s just a kiss. The 'groundbreaking' kisses have long be done. Or are you going to tell us, that someone on this site still hasn't kissed a man in public? Come on. Gay liberation is already way ahead.
(BTW, I was under a rock, laughing at the reactions the 'bearded woman' got at eurovision song contest. Young male performer and his alter ego Conchita Wurst - pun intended I think - won. It was great to watch (and to hear the clumsy comments of the national commentators) but even a bearded drag queen was nothing real new to eurovision. Citicens of four countrys (Belarus and Russia among of course) asked for censoring this part - even that is not new, but risky for their freedom of speech.)
Actually, the link to the video wasn't on the other thread on here. Here is where you can see the kiss:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/video-espn- … ael-703066
In addition, there are comments at that site from Ellen Degeneres, Piers Morgan, Seth Meyers, Tom Arnold (his is very funny), Dick Vitale, Melissa Etheridge, etc.