A-Typical

[neo_prodigy]

Random Fact# 23: It's been brought to my attention time and time again, that when it comes to me being gay, I'm pretty A-Typical.

A fact I've been consistently reminded of since dating the beau and being amidst the culture of the gays.

I pride myself on being a low key, low maintenance kind of guy. My car isn't the flashiest, but it's stalwart and

Comments

[kisekileia]

"I've discussed in the past how too many authors and filmmakers think that because it's gay themed, they don't have to work to make it decent quality. "

You know what this sounds like? "Christian" media. Hence the obsession with U2 among Christians who are liberal enough to listen to secular music. I'm too liberal (and spiritual-abuse-related PTSD-ridden) now to be interested in most of "Christian culture", because said culture is so heavily evangelical, but I was really into it in my teens and I remember it having the exact same problem you're describing in gay culture. Too much conformity, too little quality.

[neo_prodigy]

As someone who grew up forced to endure Christian media, I know exactly what you're talking about.

[kisekileia]

The thing is, because so many Christians will only consume Christian media, all that's needed to get sales is the "Christian" label and marketing machine. With gay media there obviously isn't the same issue with people feeling religiously compelled to consume it exclusively. However, I'm guessing there is a similar problem with people feeling that the "go-to" culture if they're gay is the "gay media" one as there is with people who look for Christian media finding that the evangelical subculture is most of what's out there.

[highd]

Christians know packaging though. I think most christian products like music are fairly well done. My parents made me join a church when I was a teenager, I ended up joining one that was very youth oriented. Our youth leaders would volunteer our youth group to help with big christian events, mostly music, like Creation.( think Woodstock 94 with crosses and angels) I got to see the behind the scenes of this thing and I was impressed. I think it's actually what made me get into marketing. There is something about the whole christian package that just wows you, if you are apart of the event type things.

Standing in a sea of 80k Michael W Smith or Carmen fans and watching what happens to a merch table is quite startling.

I am now a 35 year old atheist, but I am still impressed with Christian packaging.

[marikunin]

*claps* I always thought about what if there were people who didn't identify with the LGBT culture at large. Turns out I'm friends with one! *hugs*
what do you think are the top ten issues for the LGBT community? *curious* I knew about the transphobia but what racism? D:

[underlankers]

See, to me, if you *were* just one of those that wanted to fit into the community you'd not be yourself. Being true to who you are in this situation is never easy, but you've the integrity to do so and do so well. :-).

[rhiannonhero]

I'm not really gay but just some straight hipster geek that just happens to like other guys.

*cocks head sideways* Odd. I'm pretty sure that my understanding of the word gay was that it was a man who liked having sex with other men far and away above having sex with women, and that was the sole factor involved. I WAS CLEARLY WRONG. :(

[cherprudence]

I have two friends in sort of a similar situation. One of my gay friends is from the south (Virginia!) as well and is in all ways A-Typical. The way we became such good friends is because I had a crush on him, told him, and he told me he liked dudes! But for everything else, you'd think him a typical straight southern guy. This is slightly compounded by the fact that his family is very conservative and he's pretty in the closet, but other than family tensions, he has an active life with his own community of gay friends, most of them I believe to be "A-Typical" as well