From The Gateway:

"gay men also have to put up with shows like Queer Eye for the Straight Guy portraying gay males as invariably having comically flamboyant personas. It's as if the media fears that if it doesn't exaggerate traits of homosexuals, we won't be able to recognize them, because we can't immediately observe the difference between them and heteros. "

To "exaggerate" the traits of homosexuals, assumes there are common traits among homosexuals. While it is true that homosexuals do most likely share certain proclivaties, in manerisms, actions, attitudes and opinions, we are as diverse a group as there comes. Not all heterosexual men are crotch scratching, tobacco spitting rednecks. While this group certainly does exist, no one would assume that the depiction of this somehow stereotypes heterosexual men. To see traits as being exaggerated only reinforces the idea of stereotypes -- that all gay men are one way or another.

¶ 3/24/2005 09:49:00 AM

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