Angels in Philadelphia

[teachlikeroslin]

For the last three days, the third hour and sixth hour sociology classes I'm a part of at my high school have been watching the movie Philadelphia. You know, that movie from 1993 starring Denzel Washington as a homophobic lawyer who defends a gay man with AIDS after he was fired from his job for being sick?

I'd never seen it before and, honestly, I

Comments

[rachg82]

If you were looking for such an outrageous reaction as what the people in this movie had in 1993, would AIDS do it?

Same-sex marriage, repealing don't-ask-don't-tell, muslims, and immigrants. Go ahead and have the courts legalize same-sex marriage across the nation, then grab some popcorn & and just watch the mobs straight LOSE THEIR MINDS. Trust.

As far as outright homophobia goes, I wish I could say it's not in-your-face anymore, but that's not my experience. It still is--just not everywhere you go. Sometimes it's subtle, sometimes it's not, but it's always there. Someone on the bus saying "that's gay!" to their friend, kids getting hassled at school, your coworkers & peers voting against your right to get married, transgendered people getting murdered by their dates after revealing their biological gender, the fact that 4 out of every 7 suicides comes from the LGBTQ community, etc. It may not seem as outright anymore, but it's still just as vicious.

[teachlikeroslin]

I actually don't think I agree that same sex marriage is as polarizing now as AIDS was in the early 90s. Is polarizing the right word? Every year, poll data shows that more and more Americans support the legalization of same sex marriage. Fewer people support no legal representation at all. If the Supreme Court said, "Suck it, states, you have to allow this because you're being bigoted anti-constitutionalists", there would certainly be protests and some definitely might spin out of control but . . . I don't know. I really don't think it would spur much outrage beyond crazy right wingers. Who already do super crazy things anyway. Like that preacher who goes around the country picketing military funerals because the military is "pro-gay" because of DADT? Crazy is always crazy and I'm not sure there'd be much of a change

[rachg82]

Every year, poll data shows that more and more Americans support the legalization of same sex marriage. Fewer people support no legal representation at all.Right, but bottom line is, when people are asked to actually vote--what happens? They ban same-sex marriage, regardless of what they said in polls. I'm not interested in what they say; I'm interested in what they actually do

[teachlikeroslin]

I think one of the problems with voting on something like gay marriage is that those who are against it are often much more enthusiastic about being against it than the people who are for it. I think people go out for what they are passionate for and I think the anti-gay marriage base is way more passionate (because they have so much damn time on their hands, I expect), while your pro-gay marriage base is like, "Well, sure, gay people should get married." But they aren't galvanized to get out to the polls. I suppose you could say that antipathy or laziness is a form of homophobia or bigotry, but I honestly think most people really don't get how important their voices are

[sumpta]

I don't have deep thoughts to leave here (too early) but I just want to join you in professing the Angels in America love. Love love love love the mini-series and would drop anything at a moment's notice to see it on the stage. There was a Dutch company who did an amazing job of it (they got an assload of prizes for it), but I missed seeing it. Still regret that, so bad.

[teachlikeroslin]

To see it played out on stage would be amazing! A gigantic time commitment, but boring! One of my students is constructing a time machine. When she finishes, you and I go back and time and catch the original opening night.