After Ellen DeGeneres came out on her late '90s sitcom and landed on the cover of Time magazine with the header "Yep, I'm Gay" in big, bold letters, she became an instant target in Hollywood -- paparazzi stalked her (and her then-girlfriend, Anne Heche), late night comedy show wankers made her a staple punchline not just for days but for years, her show was cancelled not long later, and the snippy old refrain "she'll never work in this town again" echoed in sensationalistic tones on info-fluff shows like "Access Hollywood"and "Extra!"
So when the comedian landed back on top of the entertainment industry A-list with her self-titled talk show in 2003, she has mostly steered clear of talking about her sexuality on-air, aside from sporadic, improved wise-cracks and innuendo usually initiated by one of her guests, and a video snippet once every few months of she and her partner, actress Portia deRossi, attending the Emmys together or buying Christmas trees together. If DeGeneres has seemed to make an active choice to talk about her sexuality as little as possible on her daytime show (though never hiding it or denying her relationship with deRossi), it's perhaps an understandable reaction to the massive backlash she faced when proudly acknowleging her sexuality almost turned into career suicide. Who wouldn't be a little shell-shocked after all that?
But the media climate has changed -- in part because of Ellen's visionary decision to bring LGBT visibility into the most mainstream of arenas, a popular primetime network sitcom -- and queer characters are now present throughout much of scripted and reality programming. In this light, it has always struck me as just the slightest bit hypocritical for Ellen to relentlessly (if amusingly) grill straight Hollywood It-girls about who they're sleeping with and whether they might be hearing wedding bells and all sorts of other intimate details while they squirm at her good-natured yet insistent questions about their sex lives, while keeping her own personal life mostly off limits, albeit with a wink and a nudge.
So I was pleasantly surprised to see DeGeneres speak out on her show this week about the murder of a 15-year-old gay student named Lawrence King by the classmate he'd hoped would be his Valentine. After describing the facts of the tragic attack, she told her audience:
"I don't want to be political, this is not political, I'm not a political person, but this is personal to me. A boy has been killed and a number of lives have been ruined. And, somewhere along the line the killer, Brandon, got the message that it's so threatening, so awful, and so horrific that Larry would want to be his Valentine -- that killing Larry seemed to be the right thing to do. And when the message out there is so horrible that to be gay, you can get killed for it, we need to change the message. Larry was not a second-class citizen. I am not a second-class citizen. It is ok if you're gay.
I don't care what people say and what people think, and I know that there are entire groups of people who face discrimination every single day and we're a long way from treating each other equally. All of it is unacceptable. All of it. I would like you to start paying attention to how often being gay is a punchline of a monolouge or how often gay jokes are in a movie. And that kind of message, laughing at someone cause they're gay, is just the beginning. It starts with laughing at someone, then it's verbal abuse, then it's physical abuse, and then it's this kid Brandon killing a kid like Larry. We must change our country..."
More in the full video, including DeGeneres' call for voters to evaluate presidential candidates' positions on whether all people are truly equal under the law and, if the answer is no, to change their vote:
I could be wrong, but hearing Ellen qualify her outrage at a gay child's murder and her call for wide-spread cultural change in America by saying "This is not political" seemed to map to her discomfort in addressing serious and, yes, political LGBT issues on air after what happened to her career the last time she did that. A hate crime resulting in a kid beig killed simply for asking a boy to be his Valentine is not political? Talking about the way the entertainment industry encourages a culture of violence against queer youth is not political? And encouraging citizens to make gay rights an election year issue is not political?
As the director of Women In Media & News, I applaud Ellen DeGeneres for taking two and a half minutes of her usually-light-and-airy daytime chat show to address this incredibly serious, deeply important issue. Yet I wish she didn't feel the need to qualify doing so with the pretense of being apolitical. Ellen's statement was rare not only for her show but for television in general, which trades in superficiality over all else. By coming out so publicly eleven years ago, this entertainer has helped change the media landscape and has affected palpable change in the culture, and while I understand that she might still be a bit shellshocked from he backlash she experienced in the '90s, I don't think she needs to play it so close to the vest now. Viewers watch The Ellen DeGeneres Show for her comedy, not for daily political musings -- but once in a while it really is OK for a talk show host to raise the dialog above the usual product-placement plugs for specific advertisers' movies, music, fashion and food, and to bring people and the usual bland banter about which Desperate Houswives are fighting with each other and which airbrained beauty was booted from The Bachelor. There is a place in daytime TV for a little bit of intelligent engagement, a little bit of politics, sprinkled amid the celebrity worship.
This post originally appeared at WIMN's Voices: A Group Blog on Women and the Media , a project of Women In Media & News, the national women's media analysis, education and advocacy group. To bring Jennifer L. Pozner to discuss media and politics at your college or high school campus or your comunity group, see here for info on available lectures and media trainings. To send organize a lecture, send WIMN blog tips or just for more information, email info [at] wimnonline [dot] org. To subscribe to WIMN's free media alert list, see the Action Center here.
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Maybe she meant it isn't 'partisan' when she said political. Of course its political if you want to try to change public policy, but it doesn't have to be partisan. She perhaps wanted to reach out to folks of all political persuasions that this murder shouldn't be tolerated by anyone, and everyone should look at the why and try to change our society so it doesn't happen again. And I think she's quite savvy to minimize her sexuality on the air. Its a daytime talk show for goodness sakes. Many people who say they are okay with gay people really only mean gay people who don't visibly remind them they're gay, by their topics of conversation or displays of affection. Society has come a long ways, but we're not at the point where it doesn't matter, especially if your appealing to a mass audience on TV.
Wildflowermaven, you write this " Many people who say they are okay with gay people really only mean gay people who don't visibly remind them they're gay, by their topics of conversation or displays of affection. "
Well, you're right about that, but it's quite an insult isn't it? They hate to be reminded that we exist, & get upset if we're walking arm in arm with our partners? How okay is that?
I am very glad that Ellen brought Larry King's murder. It was so despicable & hard to believe. He WAS killed because of homophobia, as many blacks have been killed b/c of racism.
Is it political? Obviously. But it was an important, heartfelt message that needed to be put out there.
To call this a political issue is to insinuate that somewhere there is a constituency that is in favor of killing young boys who ask other young boys to be their valentines. I don't think this is the case.
I wish I could agree with you. You should look at some of the commments on the articles that were published in the local papers. Absolutely disgusting and heartbreaking for anyone who tries to believe that people, at their core, are basically decent.
Ellen may not be Larry King, but having Ellen talk about this subject will reach out to "middle America" and these are the people that need to hear the message the loudest.
Hopefully, a few parents will learn that their children learn to hate from their parents, as in the song "You've got to be taught". One of my favorite songs from Broadway (South Pacific).
Oxnard is a big military town. I don't know if Brandon's family is from the military base, but I do believe that the mindset of HATE and DISGUST that he learned probably came from home. My daughter is the same age and her friends, her generation, seem to really past the homophobia displayed here. There are several OUT boys and girls in her school, and even some transgender. It is pretty much a nonissue.
Of course the boy's death is tragic, but I don't understand this at all. Would his death have been less notable if he weren't gay? If a teenager kills another teenager for other motives, we are less moved? For me there's a different kind of tragedy here, it's this whole thing of labeling the victim. So I guess if he'd have been heterosexual, we wouldn't even be talking about it. That's tragic. I long for the day when we can go back to being human beings.
Larry King was not a murder victim who happened to be gay. He was a murder victim BECAUSE he was gay. And he was killed by a minor, who, if he is like most kids his age, has been largely formed by the opinions of his family, friends, and yes, the media. Brandon is a 15-year-old- according to our current definitions of the age of majority, he does not have the capacity to make an adult decision; he was acting as an appendage of a culture that has poured into his head the kind of fear and hate that leads to such acts. I'm pretty sure I understand his mindset: an effeminate gay kid liked him, so what does that make HIM? How will people see HIM? Brandon acted out of fear- but the fear didn't come naturally- it was put there.
Of course it is tragic when any child is murdered, straight, gay, or otherwise. Did we not grieve during Columbine? But when the murder sends a clear signal of where our culture is, it does no one favors to divorce the act from its meaning.
It's called persecution; you have to call attention to this otherwise it signals that it is treated lightly. There was no reason behind lynchings,and they were carried out for sport because whites could get away with it. This is the message against gays....that it is ok to abuse and even kill this members of this group.
It is mind boggling that this is even an issue in this day and age...I mean come on people. People come in all varietites....don't we know that already?
Women get hit on all the time and often inappropriately...gee how ludicrous if we killed every suitor that turned us off .
Anyway, I found Ellen very moving and was really touched by the tragedy..how absurd life is.
I wish Larry King would have guests on dealing with the death of Larry (Lawrence) King. He always has guests on when it's the death of a blond woman or when it's a client of Mark Geragos or some other sensational headliner. I wish he'd put together a panel for this.
Regarding Ellen's request to evaluate the Presidential candidates stance on gay rights and to change your vote accordingly, it looks like right now the only candidate that supports gay rights is Ralph Nader. Obama, Clinton, McCain all oppose legalizing gay marriage. Please stop spewing this garbage that Obama and Clinton support gay rights. They don't. Clinton's husband signed legislation allowing states to prohibit gay marriage. She never spoke up, never said a word. Wow!
American's are very sick people! They get hung up on the stupidest things. I really leaves one to wonder if we are ever going to survive as a nation. If all these so called Christian's would practice their belief's for once we might not be such a sick nation! "Live and let live" is the belief I was raised with. Both of my parents were devout Baptist's but I was raised that their were a certain amount of things that I could not do anything about in this world. So, you learn to accept the things you don't like but can't do nothing about. That was the mark of a adult was learning to accept things you don't necessarily like. But, I see this belief missing in the current Christian Community! They seem to think they have the God given right to dictate to everyone how they should believe and live! They generate a lot of hate among the young and informed by preaching intolerance to the young. I will be so glad when American's start putting these people in their place and tell them if they don't like it leave!
You hit the nail on the head: it is about maturity and acceptance is a reflection of that.
My parents were much older and were rather traditional Latinos .Yet I still cannot get over how tolerant they were but not just tolerant but accepting and kind. As kids I remember they had close gay friends who were a couple and I remember my parents explaining this to us when we asked questions. We giggled about it but we never learned to condemn or criticize it.The bottomline is that they understood that this was part of nature, and not everyone was stratight and that was really a personal business and it was ok.
Ellen should be applauded for speaking out. Few others have given this tragic story the attention it deserves. As much as I criticize Huffpo for its pro-Obama propaganda, I will give Huffpo credit for featuring this story on the front page for many days. Ms. Pozner means well, no doubt, but she is trying to make a point that doesn't need to be made. Everything is political in America. Ellen shouldn't be criticized for trying to keep her statement on the human level. Others will make it political. Try as she might, it's unavoidable. Cue Ms. Pozner.
Politics is divisive by nature. Ellen's statement of angst at the repugnant intolerance that still exists in humanity was a message for all regardless of colour, stripes, or creed. When we stop painting boxes outside of every one of our problems - it may be easier to find the solution or at least see that we have a problem as they won't be hidden behind another banner.
In regards to why she doesn't talk incessantly about her sexual orientation on her day time talkshow - is that really a serious query? Is Montel on his talk show talking nonstop about his heterosexual life and how its going (I wouldn't know as I don't watch any of these shows)?
I think you're half right. I think merely discussing the issue, and calling for human beings to be more tolerant and accepting of one another is not necessarily political. But when she wandered into the territory of asking viewers to evaluate their presidential choices - that definitely is political. There's definitely nothing wrong with that, and she's definitely right. It's important, and should be discussed. But she shouldn't claim she's not being political with that statement.
Either way, I'm glad she spoke out. She should have mentioned (I didn't watch the clip so maybe she did) bullying in general of our young kids. And how hard it is for so many of them - gay and straight - to feel worthy in our society today. (I had a miserable childhood myself because I was "fat", so I can relate). But ALL kids are unique and special and have something unique and wonderful and new to offer this world - and they should all be celebrated and cherished! Actually, ALL human beings should be. And that message could be political, or not, depending on how you use it.
I'm just glad she spoke out. We have too many beautiful people on this planet who have so much to offer, but can't because all they know is suffering in this life. It's our terrible waste. It's our terrible shame.
"Either way, I'm glad she spoke out. She should have mentioned (I didn't watch the clip so maybe she did) bullying in general of our young kids. And how hard it is for so many of them - gay and straight - to feel worthy in our society today. (I had a miserable childhood myself because I was "fat", so I can relate). But ALL kids are unique and special and have something unique and wonderful and new to offer this world - and they should all be celebrated and cherished! Actually, ALL human beings should be. And that message could be political, or not, depending on how you use it."
And I agree.
I wonder why many of us must put ourselves into a special little box rather than realizing that we are, after all, human beings and Americans first.
Sexual Orientation is after all NOT the whole person but only PART of the person.
I'm a heterosexual man, but do I wear a SIGN? No I don't. And I don't discuss what I do with it or don't do with it either.
I will say this again, sexual orientation is only a part of each person NOT THE WHOLE PERSON.
Maybe, just maybe, some would learn something if they realized this.
What point are you making? You wear a sign that you are straight and you don't even know it. I could point you out as straight in a crowd idiot. This is as a result of being worried my ENTIRE life that idiot heteros like you are trying to sniff me out for the purposes of damaging me physically.
There is NO reason to discuss your heterosexuality pal as no one is making a big deal out of if like YOU are of homosexuality. There is no reason to discuss your heterosexuality as the ENTIRE world is there to back you up in it. Until I was in my teens I did not know of other people like me. I doubt VERY much your life has allowed you similar isolation and horror and shame and self loathing. SO idiot, stop comparing your heterosexual life that has the PUBLIC, VISUAL AND PROUD backing of every institution ever created on this earth.
You are NOT like me pal and you never will. Perhaps you might just think about that and learn something from other people's experiences NOT just your own.
And you are supposed to be one of the enlightened ones, I imagine.
What an absurd statement- do you propose then, that all of the married men and women (or men and women in relationships) in my office should take the photos of their loved ones of of their desks? No more talk of weddings, and children, and the showers and parties that go along with them? Women should no longer be allowed to use the title "Mrs.?" Do you consider those things bad to discuss or poor manners? No? Then why is it in poor taste for homosexuals and bisexuals to be open about THEIR lives?
A lot of the gay community is rallying for Hillary Clinton but yet she is not mentioning them at all in this campaign. I know she has a long history with Human Rights, but the gay community should be against her. She and her husband supported "Don't Ask Don't Tell" which is slowly becoming a disgrace and a problem towards Human Rights.
Obama at least isn't afraid to talk about LGBT issues. He has mentioned LGBT several times on the campaign trail. Hillary is afraid to talk about it because of further being called a hypocrite and alienating the the Evangelical middle of the country.
I Know Ellen is trying to give fair time to both candidates, but clearly she is a Hillary supporter and she hasn't done enough home work on Clinton and her husbands bunk policies towards LBGT issues.
Dan Savage pointed out a few reasons why the gay community should not be voting for her last night on Bill Maher.
I totally agree with this columnist. This was political, but it was also the right thing to do. Ellen is right. Killing this child because he asked the wrong person to be his valentine was a terrible crime made worse by a general feeling in some circles that that could ever be the right thing to do. I also wish Ellen had just said "usually my show doesn't cover these issues because we are an entertainment show but this case is so terrible, so sad I have to comment on it. I want to ask our nation to come together to change the atmosphere that made it happen." I think it would have made a stronger statement.
As to Ellen's show not being political. Since when? Her show has covered presidential candidates, animal rights issues, gay issues, women's issues and on and on. The show may be very entertaining and palatable to middle america but it is Ellen's show and Ellen is a politcal girl. Her whole career is political. It has to be. She is among the most famous american gay women and her life takes place in the most political town in America outside of DC, the LA/Hollywood community. That is a community constantly searching for the most appealing new age/new edge message. That by defiintion makes it political because change or lack of it is always political. In short "the girl can't help it".
A lot of people will say, "I'm not political," until the day they get involved in a very personal cause, and realize that the solution involves politics. (see: Cindy Sheehan, et al) Ellen should have said, "I'm not usually political, and I don't advocate for individual candidates or political parties, but...."
Exactly, Otto. What she's saying is that this coming from a very personal place for her -- which is more powerful than coming from someone who wears the the mantle of political activist. . .
I don't think it's political because to call the act Ellen is describing as merely "political" implies that there is some sort of legitimate opposing faction that condones this murder. Perhaps there is one (surely that Kansas preacher), but I don't think she needs to legitimize such sociopaths by allowing murder or rape or whatever to be couched in political terms, or framed as "advancing an agenda". Because it is plainly much more about the most basic denominator of human morality, something with which politics intersects all too infrequently these days.
The lady is all too right.I have a transgendered sibling,who has never been shy about her sexuality and how she was going to live her life.I was faced with the fact that brother needed,not wanted,to be my sister when I was 15,and she was 13.Luckily,for my 3 siblings and myself,we have wise parents,who guided us through years of turmoil,heartbreak,and acceptance.
In my younger years,I got a few bloody noses and black eyes defending my sister,and if I had to,I would today.The world is full of bestial ,ignorant people who attack that which they don't understand,that which they fear,and that which they feel they must deny.Too often,violence is done against gay,lesbian and transgendered people in the name of misguided,outdated and irrational religious doctrine,promulgated by demagogic idiots who use them as scapegoats to distract from the fact they're peddling snake oil.
I am very glad that Ellen has finally taken the opportunity to leverage her position for GBLTQ rights. Things will never change until people with Ellen's standing have the courage to stand up and say "We will not take it anymore."
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Posted 10:33 PM on 03/02/2008
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Posted March 1, 2008 | 02:02 PM (EST)