Organized homosexuality is kicking around the idea of a “Calling in Gay” day on Wednesday as a form of protest against things such as Proposition 8, reports the Associated Press. The idea is to remind us all how important people who engage in sexual congress with people of the same sex are to our everyday lives. But economic worries have some people chary of skipping work. One activist suggests:
“Our community leaders who are running book stores, newspapers, flower shops, coffee houses, bars and many, many other things are hurting right now, so paying attention to their needs during this hard time is an effective form of activism,” he said.
All good and fine, but imagine the sputtering inchoate rage that would have ensued if, for instance, National Review had suggested that the main occupations of gay Americans are running flower shops, coffeehouses, and bars. What, no bed-and-breakfasts or antiques stores? No choreographers? Surely there are gay mechanics and insurance agents. But gay activists trade in gay stereotypes, particularly when there’s mass media involved. I’m probably not the first to observe that shows like Will and Grace or Queer Eye were basically gay minstrel shows.
The whole AP report is a great big gay cliche brought to glorious journalistic life: San Francisco dateline, a West Hollywood personal trainer and his boyfriend, the ACLU, public school teachers, a “Queer Straight Alliance,” something called Join The Impact, tales of high discretionary income, etc.
Naturally, the schools will be politicized for the effort:
About 25 teachers [at Independence Charter School in Philadelphia] plan to take Wednesday off and to have their work covered by substitutes while they discuss ways to introduce gay issues to their students and volunteer at the local branch of the American Civil Liberties Union, Craig said. A letter telling parents why so many teachers would be out went home Monday.
“We want to get the conversation going in the community that gay is not bad,” Craig said. “For kids to hear that in a positive light can be life-changing.”