Conservatives, in general, aren’t exactly known for their love of PBS, especially lately with recent attempts to get all public funding for it removed. But June is especially when they–especially the most vocal homo-haters among them–go insane over public television because this is the month is when the new gay-themed specials and documentaries get the most air time.
So do your part to be a thorn in the side of the culturally outraged by sitting down comfortably in pajamas with a snack and watching one or more of the following…
Claiming the Title: Gay Olympics On Trial — Concerns the origins of what are now known as The Gay Games and how, back in the 1980s, the actual Olympics–while not bothering to take, say, the Police Olympics to court–were pretty adamant about suing a group of homosexuals who decided to appropriate that word while ignoring every other group that did exactly the same thing. San Francisco filmmakers Jonathan Joiner and Robert Martin have created a fascinating portrait of an era when even the highest courts in the land routinely saw gays and lesbians as second class citizens, with little or no protection under the law, overlooking clear constitutional guarantees. The interviews with judges, lawyers and advocates sparkle with insight and passion.
Two Spirits — The story of the tragic, brutal murder of Fred Martinez, a 16 year-old Navajo nádleehí (“one who constantly transforms,” a person born in a male body who possesses an essentially feminine nature, considered a spiritual gift in ancient Navajo culture) and the aftermath of his loss.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Out In America — Filmmaker Andrew Goldberg’s documentary starring a variety of LGBT Americans, some famous (Andy Cohen, Armistead Maupin, Chely Wright) and a heavier emphasis on non-famous folks, some of whom happen to be Muslim lesbians, ranchers, trans police officers and gay Latino rappers.
June is also the month on PBS when they air repeats of older specials like the art bio Emile Norman: By His Own Design and new episodes of the ongoing series In The Life. Check your local listings, then go politely bother your area affiliate station if you don’t find anything. They’re used to it by this point.
Politically Incorrect Thug
I’m all for supporting these shows, but why the unnecessary jab at the right? Oh THAT’S right, this is Queerty, where tolerance is a one-way street. Dopey me.
Dave White
@Politically Incorrect Thug: If you like PBS and support its continued public funding then you should be concerned by conservative efforts to take that funding away. I see no need to tolerate their efforts to do so.
Dallas David
@Politically Incorrect Thug: /If it was up to the Right, we’d never see any of these shows.
If it was up to the political Right wing, we’d be neither seen nor heard from ever again. They’d take our tax money to fix their banks, then pout over the pittance they give to fund decent TV shows for children. Ya, they’d prefer that kids watch commercial TV so they can be exposed to Corporate Sugar-Cereal commercials and other crap that induces them to want stuff that ain’t good for them.
Three cheers for PBS . . . a voice of moderation in America . . .
Chip
I live in Iowa. Iowa Public Television almsot never airs any gay programs. The few they do, they shift the time to 1:30 Sunday morning or relegate it to their digital subchannel.
Politically Incorrect Thug
@Dallas David: Dude: it appears you have been seriously indoctrinated into all things anti-Republican, which is okey-dokey, but such paranoid ravings inevitably make you come across like a . . . well, like a raving paranoid. Despite what you hear from your progressive friends, the GOP is not a nazi-like organization that wants you dead. And the defunding effort for PBS was prompted when one of their own higher-ups made vile anti-semitic remarks that were caught on tape. So there.
Dallas David
@Politically Incorrect Thug: Nope, not politically paranoid. I live in Dallas. Texas.
If you haven’t seen the Texas Republican Party Platform, I recommend you take a look at it. They want us thrown in prison. For real. They want to dispose of Constitutional government and replace it with the Old Testament.
Not paranoid at all. I’ve been around people from rural east Texas. The KKK is viewed as a Christian organization there . . .
ifelicious
Thanks for linking back to my blog posting of this month’s In The Life. Great listing of things to watch. I’m surfing through your list now.
PLAINTOM
@ Thug: What color is the sun on your planet?
CJ
We don’t need our government funding the news. If I wanted that, I’d live in North Korea or China.
ALSO – Considering the times we live in, we have NO shortage of news from all sides via mainstream TV, cable TV, internet blogs, newspapers, magazines, radio, podcasts, movies, countless websites, documentaries, etc. This is no longer 1950 where we just had TV, radio and our local newspaper.
Save the money and put it elsewhere. We’re too far in debt and cuts need to be made. Or, put these funds towards HIV drugs for those without insurance, housing for homeless youth, etc.
Pull the plug on PBS.
Tony
As someone else mentioned…depends on where you live.
I can get PBS from SC, NC, & GA. NC never shows anything gay. Georgia shows it but time shifts it or puts it on one of their digital sub-channels.
I emailed SC, they told me Out in America was a “pledge program” and that they hadn’t purchased any pledge programming for June.
Jeffree
@CJ: You’re forgetting those intolerable countries of France, Canada, England, Ireland, etc. where the government helps fund news & cultural programming.
You’re confusing control of content with a free press. China & North Korea do not have freedom of press.
CJ
@Jeffree:
Not confusing. Just making a point. I don’t want the government involved in it.
Jeffree
@CJ: Maybe I missed your explanation of why you want the government out of the media? (If it’s on another thread, point the way). References to totalitarian states don’t make the case, but maybe you have better examples.
Tony
Government in media? I used to work in commercial television.
Public broadcasters got screwed on the switch to digital TV. The GOP turds in Congress made public tv do most of the grunt work on digital tv. They had to switch to digital long before commercial tv…are required to run sub-channels (commercial tv is not required to run sub-channels)…the list goes on and on.
The reason: they were trying to force public tv into bankruptcy. It didn’t work, so now they have a new plan to kill public tv. The GOP has been trying to kill public tv since Nixon.
Bob Smith
@CJ: Hey, CJ? North Korea? China? How about looking at the BBC, which has better news from across the world than anyone in the “private sector” including, well, us? Also, and I may be wrong, but I think the Canadian’s have an excellent, government supported news service in the CBC.
Jeffree
@Bob Smith: I wish I would have thought of those same examples in #11!
Brian Miller
@Politically Incorrect Thug: Why do right wingers always have to turn every conversation to themselves?
Seriously. It never fails. No matter what the discussion is, they inevitably begin inserting themselves in as the primary subject — and ALWAYS the primary victim.
It’s awfully old by now — consider changing your behavior.
Carsen Tyler
I really do love PBS for doing stuff like pride month, when I was younger the only place in which I ever hear of LGBTQ people in a positive light was from PBS, and it helped me be more accepting of myself as a lesbian. PBS barely puts a dent in the federal budget because the majority of the money comes from donors and grants. I’m sorry but if we go the route of shutting down PBS in the name of saving money, I am pretty sure government grants for the arts will be next, and seriously do we really want to be the only 1st world country without support for the arts.
Carsen Tyler
Oh and if you enjoy documentary and shows like this avaliable to everyone, show your support at http://www.170millionamericans.org by signing the petition and sending letters to your local senator or state representative. Um yeah I really, really, really really love my PBS station.