How Gen Z battles modern homophobia

Spending a lot of time on the Internet, whether that be on Instagram, TikTok, or Twitter, I have noticed a phenomenon in which queer teenagers act somewhat homophobic. Examples of this include saying things such as “I would never be gay,” “I hate gay people,” “beating the gay allegations,” or phrases generally surrounding homophobia. This not only displays modern Internet and Gen Z culture, but also shows how this new generation of queer youth interacts with each other and understands LGBTQ+ history.

In saying things with homophobic undertones, or things that are blatantly homophobic as a joke, there can be a clear understanding of the privilege of the queer youth, or newer generation of queer people. By referring to this “newer” generation, it is meant that this is a generation of queer people who have grown up or discovered their queerness in the age of the Internet. It is important not to underestimate the power and effect of Internet access on queer youth. For many, it provided an outlet to share their queerness when they may not have been safely able to in their home settings. For others, it allowed them to understand their queerness by reading about other people’s experiences in order to better comprehend their own. 

What I have come to realize is that in acting homophobic, this new generation of queer people, who are made up mostly of Gen Z, attempt to assert dominance, or at the very least, demonstrate that they are on the Internet and in real life and are there to stay. Many of the Tweets, TikToks, and Instagram posts that demonstrate these homophobic phrases reference, mimic, or emulate actual homophobic statements. They mock arguments used by homophobes in order to prove that they fail to bring them down. 

In modern society, there must be modern ways to fight against bigotry and homophobia. That modern way, for the Generation Z queer community, is through the Internet, and through taking back homophobic statements thrown at them in order to assure the world that they will always be there. What this ultimately proves for the future of the LGBTQ+ community is that they will continue to create ways to fight against homophobia. While externally it appears to be blatant homophobia, in reality, it is meant to bind a community together, and to prove the power of the Internet for a community in modern society.

Thoughts on Queer Nation's "Outing"

  From the 1980s reading, I was particularly intrigued by the fact that Queer Nation outed many public figures using New York City as a platform to plaster photos with the phrase “Absolutely Queer.” Then, Washington Queer National Michael Petrelis held a news conference in which he attempted to out many closeted politicians. While the media went to this conference, no names were ever leaked. As long as I’ve been aware of “outing”, I’ve believed that it was a bad thing. I’ve always thought it was terrible for an aspect of someone’s identity to be exposed like that, especially when they might not yet be comfortable with sharing it with people yet. I’ve always believed that we should allow people to come out on their own terms and when they are ready to, instead of forcing them to accept the public knowing. 

When I realized that this outing came from a queer group, rather than a homophobic one, I was confused. I suppose I’ve never really thought about why they may have tried outing these celebrities and politicians. They assumed that because they were in a position of power and wealth, they would have the ability to change laws and societal expectations of queer people. While I’ve never thought of it like this, I still condemn outing in most scenarios. One’s sexuality is such a personal thing that has the ability to carry so much weight for someone; it could ruin or reinforce a relationship with a friend, family member, or community. Ultimately, I feel as though while I can see where Queer Nation was coming from at the time, modern society would most likely never accept that as an attempt to further gain queer rights.

Discussion Questions:

1. What were your thoughts on outing before reading this piece? 

2. How about after? Are you able to understand why Queer Nation felt the urge to out these people?

Thoughts on Ethnic Notions by Eloise Fairbrother

The most interesting part of Ethnic Notions for me was understanding that in order for black people to make it in American theater and film/television, they had to play into the stereotypes and be racist in order to cater to the white audience. Many black actors/performers even had to wear black face to appear “more black”, which is to say, more stereotypically black. This not only caused racism to widely spread in America, as the only media depictions of black people were horrifically racist and stereotypical, it also instilled self-hatred into black people. One example of this was “The Mammy”, a dark and docile black maid on television who appeared as somewhat of an “antithesis to the white lady”. White women were often depicted as beautiful, which meant that their job was to essentially sit still and look pretty for their husbands. On the other hand were black women, who were often presented as ugly but useful, forcing them to be used as servants. This also enforced the idea that black people were only useful to serve white people, which was in turn, enforced by the very existence of the television show. 

In my Migrants in the US Media class, we read an article by my professor, Dr. Katarzyna Marciniak, titled Palatable Foreignness. While all black people in America wouldn't be considered "foreigners", I feel as though ideas brought up in this article are able to relate to what I saw in Ethnic Notions. The distorted depiction of black people in the media helped white people tolerate black people in their society–it proved to white people that black people were there to serve them, whether that be through slavery or entertainment. In the article, Marciniak brings up the idea of a “useful exotic”, as well as ideas of foreigners as healers. Essentially, black people were only tolerated by white people when they found them useful. If black people weren’t able to heal them, they didn’t have a purpose for them. Overall, the depiction of black people in the media in the 20th century severely damaged many white peoples’ perceptions of black people, therefore creating a racist and bigoted environment in America.