Yes, some advertising campaigns featuring gay stuff are good. Like this one, and that one, and the one over here. But as Current TV hunk Bryan Safi makes clear, most uses of homosexual behavior in mainstream advertising is there to score a laugh. At our expense. LOLZ! But:
Sometimes, advertisers create spots for mainstream (read: “straight”) audiences that are plug-n-play, meaning you can swap in a word here, or a different gender actor there, to create custom tailed gayvertising. Too bad those spots almost never see mainstream audiences, but are relegated to the gay ghetto of Logo. Separate but equal, y’all!
Jake
I’ve always thought the same thing when I see a “gay” commercial on Logo from different nation-wide companies that is NOT shown on other channels.
jason
This is why I hate LOGO and other gay-segregationist entitities. It’s a clever way of confining us without appearing to be explicitly homophobic.
Confinement plays into the hands of homophobes. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve heard homophobes say “you gays are OK so long as you stay where you belong”.
Unfortunately, it isn’t just homophobes who contribute to this philosophy. It’s also gay people themselves, especially the gay marketeers who make money off our community. If you took away the segregationist mindset, it would ruin their marketing – and hence money-making – strategy.
merkin
Ive seen the same sort of plug-and-play type commercials aimed at African Americans. Like the “black” version of a fast food commercial where the background music sounds like the Cosby Show.
redherring
no. but, wait, whether advertisers are “gay-friendly” is important? i guess this makes them more likely to be “non-homophobic.”
dgz
@jason:
you’re hopeless.
you DO realize you’re reading a GAY blog, right? oh, sorry, a “gay segregationist” blog. why don’t you just tell all of queerty’s advertisers to fuck off?
every time you post my estimation of your intelligence gets lower.
M Shane
No. 2 · jason You are far gone into the fantasy world of the assimilation closet. This is a world in which there are many different cultures and a wealth of good things that come from diversity. you apparently weren’taround when or where gay people had to be courageous and sacrifice to be who they are with dignity. Gay friendly just means mainly that companies hire gay people . Who cares how they advertizw=e as long as they don’t slight us or make light. To distinguish us as different is right on –we are, and happy to be.
Ja
so now that we actually have national companies advertising to us, we’re gonna bitch and moan that their ads are targeting specific markets? cheese with that whine?
jason
MShane and DGZ,
I really don’t give a rat’s what you think. I simply call a spade a spade.
As I said earlier, the main reason some are so endeared to gay segregation is because it serves the financial interests of the marketeers who make squillions of the cornered gay market.
As for gay segregation in general, it’s amazing that a community which based its pride on “break down the closet doors” is intent on self-segregation. Replacing one closet door with another is not the way to go, and simply serves to marginalize us further.
As a community, we should be demanding – yes, demanding – mainstream acceptance and mainstream visibility. We were born in the mainstream, and that’s where we belong.
As for the sniping of some, keep doing it. It simply proves how toothless you are.
TANK
@jason:
And many people do make those demands. Now, do you not believe in gay space at all? In the toxic environment in the united states and world, you don’t believe in gay space? Never go to another gay bar club, then…only go to straight bars and clubs, by all means. Don’t buy into the gay marketeers! LOL! ANd don’t go on manhunt or any of those gay only “dating” sites–advertise on eharmony, and other sites. In fact, don’t date men. Date women.
TANK
Gay space will be relevant as long as homophobia exists.
TANK
@TANK:
And gay spaces are a product of realizing the actual size of the community. We’re a very small percentage of the population, and it’s extremely unlikely we’re going to meet anyone like us (lesbian or gay) at a straight bar or social gathering place. By having gay space or predominantly gay spaces, we increase the chances of meeting people like us, just like heteros go to bars to meet people like them, usually. I wouldn’t anything about that, though…I go to bars to fight and drink….well, drink and fight.
And advertising reflecting the homophobia in the culture around us–even if it’s more muted to appeal to so-called “open minded” heterosexuals? For money? I don’t believe it…advertising attempts to manipulate people to buy products for…money?! Oh my god…shocking.
Chitown Kev
@TANK:
“Gay space will be relevant as long as homophobia exists.”
Yep.
dgz
@jason: i’m not sniping at you. i’m calling you out, point-blank. you have yet to make a reasonable argument. (i think, maybe, ever.)
so please leave this gay segregationist blog, and go “demand your space in the mainstream.” i suggest you seek your space somewhere without “spades” since we all know from prior experience that you’re not a fan.
jason
I don’t mind gay space per se. But it’s gone beyond that. Our gay spaces are much more than places of security. They have become places of sex, of sleaze, and generally selfish behavior. We’ve distorted the gay rights notion and created something that is generally distasteful.
KyleR
And you people are also forgetting a little something called ‘purchasing power.’ Who do you think can rally more money to or FROM a specific company? The LGBT community or the Religious Right?
We see and hear it all the time. Evangelical preachers can rally their base to boycott a company over an ad that is geared to the LGBT community. All you have to do is look at the Chevy Camero thing. And I’m sure there are others.
EgoCheck
I love the That’s Gay segment. It’s always so spot on.
M Shane
Jason: quoting a well known gay liberationist: Larry Kramer ” We’re the only minority born into the enemy camp.”
The fact is that we have had our own Culture which has made great contributions to mainstream culture. There is a great satisfaction to being around people who understamnd you and empathize with you in every way. The only thingthat woulsd make anyone resist thatyis a kind of self hating schizophrenia.