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mmJun: read+learn+understand= acceptance
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Date Posted: 12:29:43 06/02/06 Fri
Author Host/IP: 202.69.182.20
Relavant topic of interest
for Regine fans of all sorts:
" Are Gays (and Lesbians) the True X-Men? "
by Robert Urban, May 16, 2006
+ + + + + + + + + + mmJun : + + + + + + + +
Is Regine a music and fashion gay icon?
She sure is.. We have been posting articles
in the RV fans bird nest group that are on
the topic of the gay culture. Taking note
that Reg's "Forever After" has almost an
all-gay working group of people in the side
lines including the scriptwriter and as usual
the abundance of Abunda's influence in it too.
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
“If it were up to me I'd lock ‘em all away.”
“He's not one of us”
“Get out of my bar, freak!”
Sound familiar? Welcome to the wildly popular, science
fiction/fantasy comic book/cartoon/motion picture world of X-Men.
As mutants, (genetically gifted human beings) X-Men are society's
newest and most persecuted minority group. The ordeal of these
fictional homo superior outcasts, surrounded and outnumbered by a
world full of lesser, hostile homo-sapiens is a most powerful
metaphor for the factual reality of homosexuals living among
heterosexuals.
X-Men began in 1963 as a regular “super-hero” type comic book
series. But from the start it was notably different than the genre's
usual, simplistic, rock ‘em, sock ‘em type tales of good guys vs.
bad guys.
The mutants of X-Men had a unique appeal to angst-ridden adolescents
feeling different and alienated. Mutants did not gain their powers
by accident or by manipulation. They simply are who they are.
Their “gifts” come from nature. Their enemies are not wayward evil
geniuses but “normal” everyday people.
Many of X-Men's plotlines appropriated the experiences of real
minority groups struggling against real intolerance. In fact, any
number of social, religious, ethnic minorities can rightfully claim
the X-Men's story as being about them. Its message of discrimination
and alienation is universal.
Yet the wildly popular films, as adapted from the venerable comic
book series, resonate truest in their uncanny resemblances to the
circumstances of gays. Queers, of all social groups, are most
eligible to claim, “We are the real X-Men!”
As stated by X-Men's two main stars in the first film's DVD
production documentary:
Patrick Stewart (Dr. Francis Xavier): “How do we live with people
who are different from ourselves, who we are uncomfortable with; and
how can we create a society where everyone can coexist happily and
creatively and productively? (These questions) lie at the heart this
film”.
Ian McKellen (Dr. Magneto): “The particular appeal of this comic
book is that it has taken a fantasy look at what it is like to be
considered so unusual by society at large that they are prepared to
think of you as less worthy. I think that I, Ian McKellen, being a
gay man, am often thought of as being dangerous, too unusual, too
abnormal”.
In recent years, X-Men and X-Men 2, with their subtexts of gay
persecution and subsequent rebellion, blossomed into one of the most
expensive and largest grossing film sagas ever to hit theaters. As
giant, summer action blockbuster movie events, the X-Men films have
taken the current gay/straight world situation, presented it
symbolically, and hoisted it aloft for all to see.
On May 26th, the third, and perhaps most queer X-Men film, The Final
Stand, will hit theaters all across America. Are we as gays ready
for our metaphoric close-up as evolution's latest and greatest
creation?
Just how gay is X-Men? Let's start with the film trilogy's cast.
Verily, there is more than enough gay sensibility here to go ‘round.
The first two X-Men films can boast of having an openly gay director
(Bryan Singer). Singer has used suppressed/sublimated homosexuality
as a subtext in past films he's directed like Public Access, The
Usual Suspects and Apt Pupil. His life experiences growing up in at
least two cultural minorities (gay and Jewish) influenced his
development of the X-Men movies.
There's an openly gay star playing the lead hero/villain (Ian
McKellen) and a straight star who doesn't even mind being labeled
gay (Patrick Stewart).
The complex, understated relationship between the saga's main
characters, Professor Charles Xavier's (Stewart) and Eric Magneto
(McKellen), is most fascinating. Despite their differing attitudes
on how to deal with prejudice from homo-sapiens, these two elderly
mutant leaders are clearly endeared to each other. Although now
estranged, they were at one time very close friends and appear to
have had some sort of “past” together.
Unlike all other characters in the film (who often use
their “mutant” monikers), “Eric” and “Charles” maintain a first-name
basis familiarity between each other. McKellen especially plays off
Stewart like a quaint, cranky old gay lover might regard his one-
time life companion. McKellen's Magneto displays his contempt for
those who discriminate against mutants with an almost Quentin Crisp-
like ironic bitterness.
Also, in X-Men there's plenty of reluctant hero/leading man beefcake
in the form of testosterone-dripping, buff Logan/Wolverine (Hugh
Jackman).
And speaking of buff, there's the oh-so-gay-named Mystique.
Fabulously glittered and blue-skinned, her shape-shifting abilities
may be likened to the gender-bending talents of drag queens.
And a new character introduced in X-Men 2 is openly bisexual actor
Alan Cumming's tortured artist/confused euro-goth Kurt
Wagner/Nightcrawler.
“Have you tried not being a Mutant?”
Viewers will recall the key scene in X-Men 2, in which young mutant-
in-training Bobby Drake/Iceman (Shawn Ashmore) outs his mutant self
to his shocked, suburban, steadfastly "normal" parents. Says
Mom, "Have you tried being, you know, not a mutant?" Gay director
Singer wrote the scene as a not-too-subtle take on the typical gay
teen angst we all experience in trying come out with our big dark
secret.
X-Men producer Lauren Shuler Donner commented on the message of this
memorable scene in the X-Men 2 DVD production documentary. “If there
is any oppressed minority--homosexual… religious… Muslim… whatever
it is--that is the most absurd question that people do ask. ‘Can you
try not to be who you are?' And so we felt it was very important to
show this whole absurd side”.
As Singer said in an interview with the BBC, “A gay kid doesn't
discover he or she is gay until around puberty. And their parents
aren't gay necessarily, and their classmates aren't, and they feel
truly alone in the world and have to find, [or] sometimes never
find, a way to live”.
Mutant/queer connections also abound in the films' plot premises,
underlying themes, and storyline. Even though none of the individual
X-Men characters are actually “gay” in the movies, as a whole the
mutants clearly function as a metaphor for queers.
Like gays, mutants can pass undetected throughout society. They
develop and discover their “powers” at puberty. They are
stigmatized, despised and feared by mainstream society just for
being born different. Frequently, they are targets for “mutant
bashing” and it is necessary for many mutants to keep their
identities and true natures a closeted secret.
Mutants are safest amongst their own kind and seek out extended
family living arrangements with each other. For younger, “coming
out” mutants, there is Professor Xavier's School for Gifted
Youngsters in Westchester, New York, a place where mutants can
be “in school with mutants–to be taught by mutants”.
Finally, mutants face socially sanctioned bigotry as the federal and
local governments begin passing anti-mutant legislation.
X-Men poses questions about homosexuality that gays rarely address
in our own queer pop culture. Just where does homosexuality fit in
with human evolution? What actually are our defining “gifts”
or “powers” that qualitatively validate us as a worthy part of human
society? Other than our mere sexual orientation, what distinguishes
us amongst all creatures on earth?
The time is not far off when it may actually be possible to predict
the sexual orientation of unborn fetuses. It was only several years
ago that gay groups urged the makers of the futuristic sci-fi film
Gattaca to delete a scene where expecting parents are informed of
nearly every possible genetic disposition their unborn infants
carried. The parents are asked if they want to know whether their
child would be gay or straight – with the understanding they could
either choose their child's future sexual orientation or even abort
the fetus if the child's future sexual orientation was not to their
liking.
Gattaca's filmmakers agreed to nix the scene, as it gratuitously and
unfairly lumped homosexuality in with assumed “undesired” human
traits, and unfortunately implied that anti-gay sentiment is a
parental option.
The upcoming X-Men: The Last Stand boldly goes where Gattaca dared
only hint at. The Last Stand takes the series' underlying theme of
alienation and social intolerance to its terrible yet logical
conclusion. The film's entire plot is based on a "cure" for
mutations.
The introduction of a cure presents each mutant character with a
choice whether to accept themselves as they are or take the chance
at becoming "normal." Such a controversial issue directly touches on
many of the issues surrounding homosexuality in the real world:
Whether or not being gay is a choice; what it means to be normal;
whether society should tolerate those who aren't.
In fact, Sir Ian McKellen agreed to reprise his role in the third
film because he believes the movie sends out an important message to
gay teenagers.
"X-Men is a story about mutants, about people who feel disaffected
with society and whom society is hard on. It appeals most to young
blacks, young Jews and young gays”, he told reporters at the British
Independent Film Awards. "There are people who think gay people can
be cured. My reaction to the idea that I can be cured as a mutant is
as contemptuous as my view of people who say I need curing of my
sexuality. The idea that black people could take a pill that would
cure them of being black is abhorrent to me."
The X-Men's gay sensibility even extends to the film's ad campaign.
As TV's Smallville did in its initial ads, where it used the very
emotive, very Matthew Shepard-ish gay imagery of a young, beaten,
shirtless Clark Kent tied to a fence-post–so too posters for the
upcoming X-Men: The Last Stand offer the iconic gay imagery of a
young handsome, shirtless angel (think Angels in America). In fact,
this gay iconic image is an actual character in the film, the mutant
Angel.
The X-Men comic book series takes gay content ever further:
The first truly queer comic book mutant came out in the early 1990's
when Jean-Paul/Northstar of Alpha Flight burst out of the closet.
Northstar has maintained his queerness to this day. He recently made
his debut in X-men titled editions where he even jokes about his
gayness with his uptight and often homophobic comic book teammates.
Northstar joined the X-Men at the request of Professor X, who
suggested that Northstar join his mutant teaching institute as an
instructor. Xavier refers to Jean-Paul's homosexuality with the
interesting term of "sexual determination." He explains to Northstar
that there are new arrivals sharing that same “determination” in
need of support and guidance.
X-Men writer Chuck Austen has even decided to do an unrequited love
story with Northstar falling for the straight Iceman.
As one might guess, it's not easy being a gay comic book superhero.
They must somehow please gay readers yet not upset straight ones.
Although Northstar fights the good fight with all manner of classic
superhero bravado, he must forever be walking on eggshells regarding
his sexual orientation. Indeed, both the X-Men comics and the X-Men
films have been the object of protests by anti-gay groups.
For this reason one can find (somewhat contrived) examples of dialog
where Northstar actually has to explain how he's not a sexual threat
to young boys.
In one story, a mutant boy Northstar has just rescued tells
him, "I'm not gay, you know." To which Northstar replies, "And I'm
not into little boys. I prefer men with hair on their chests."
Ultimately, gays can applaud Marvel Comics' decision to include a
gay lead super hero character like Northstar in such a major
publication as X-Men. Just like cartoons and other forms of popular
entertainment, comics mirror the times. It is a medium where we can
be heroes (even super-heroes!) and not just victims - or worse yet -
stereotyped villainous sexual deviants.
Furthermore, we can thus be integrated into an entertainment genre
that, with its mainly teenage fan demographic, is highly influential
to the sexually volatile, impressionable, and problematic male
adolescent age range. In a world of super-heroes where homosexuals
are acknowledged, it can help ease tensions, and also help breed
familiarity between gay and straight comic book fans.
X-Men is not the only comic book series that has begun normalizing
queers. Other mainstream comics that now include primary or
supporting gay characters are Wonder Woman (whose new artist/writer
is openly-gay Phil Jimenez). In one issue Jimenez has Wonder Woman
doing some volunteering for AIDS work with her ex-manager's queer
brother.
DC Comics best selling Green Arrow lives with an older gay
benefactor who took him in from the street. Other queer lead comic
characters have appeared in Young Heroes in Love, Starman, Top Ten,
Alpha Flight, and Legion of Super Heroes.
Queer super-duo Apollo and Midnighter from DC/Wildstorm's The
Authority even won a GLAAD award for positive representation of
gays. One issue of this “army of lovers” type action/hero team has
Apollo taking revenge on the bad guys for beating up his boyfriend.
The X-Men film saga cannot help but enlighten American culture on
the marginalizing, dehumanizing effects that arch conservatism has
on any number of subcultures, be they queer, African-American,
Jewish, Muslim, etc.
As author Michel Foucault pointed out in his fascinating and now
classic study Madness and Civilization, mainstream human society, in
its curious need to ever define its own self as “mainstream”, always
posits an “other” subclass of people as a kind of negative, opposite
image that must be kept separate from the whole.
In ancient times it was banished lepers. In the dark ages it was
burned-at-the-stake witches. In the last century it was the
imprisoned, institutionalized “insane”. In our own era it has been
the victims of AIDS and in our current climate of intolerance and
political demonizing it may very well be homosexuals.
But the X-Men holds out hope for a world in the future where it may
be possible for all of us—mutant and normal, straight and gay—to
live side-by-side in peace and tolerance.
--------------- >
Posted in the Regine Velasquez Fans Bird Nest Group!
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/rv_thebirdnest/
Being that Regine Velasquez has been a pinoy gay icon.
But she is not a gay. Just her jokes. hehe..
;-)
< ------------------
regine_velasquez · asia's songbird
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/regine_velasquez/
-------------------------------- >
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