Glee rant

[rm]

Ok, I need to rant about Glee for a second and all the fans who are pissed off we're not getting more kissing between Kurt and Blaine.

Look, I get that you want these two to be treated the same as the other relationships on the show, and I want that too, but here's the thing their situation is not the same as other couples on the show.

1. When we see making out on the show, it's usually a plot-point, usually either about cheating or not putting out. Since that drama is currently not a part of the Kurt/Blaine story-line, we're not seeing making out.

2. New relationship. Happening in somewhat hostile territory. Involving one person who may be somewhat uncomfortable about sex and one person who has a tendency to be chivalrous in an exaggerated way. This does not lead to PDAs.

3. One of the main functions of PDAs, particularly in high school, is to prove heterosexuality and/or desirability. These aren't exactly the issues on the table for these two, and so there's less reason or inclination for them to perform for an audience, intra- or extradiegetically.

4. Kurt? Loves secrets. I think it's remarkably in character for him to keep his private life somewhat private and be (as I suspect he eventually will be on the show) somewhat coy about it.


So yeah, I get that many of us find Kurt/Blaine smoking hot. And many of us just want Kurt to be happy. And many of us want to see the queer couple treated like any other couple. But their concerns, experiences, and process with each other are not like the other characters in either backstory or narrative purpose. It's going to be different. And making them making out for the camera the litmus test of how queer-friendly Glee is or isn't, is actually sort of crappy and unfair both to the characters and the queer experience.

Am I worried Fox will try to desexualize these two because it is network television? Sure. Do I think a good answer is us demanding more liplocking? No, I think it's too often (certainly not always) a case of people saying their desires as audience members (more boy kissing!) are activism.

Let the story do what the story is going to do. If it doesn't work for you, criticize it fiercely. But making gay narratives just about how we fuck/desire is as crappy as making them about some sort of safe non-sexual love.

I hope these characters are having an awesome time with each other. I hope we get to keep seeing them having an awesome time with each other in a variety of ways. But can we not reduce them only to this? Please?

Unrelated P.-to-the-fucking-S.: A kilt is a piece of menswear. Kurt is not in drag when he wears a kilt. Kurt is not wearing women's clothing when he wears a kilt. This remains true, even if we've seen Kurt wear women's clothing and skirts before.

Comments

[bodlon.livejournal.com]

I am printing this and stapling it to the next person who needs to hear this.

Well, I would if any of them were in range, at least. And probably not staple...

[roadnotes.livejournal.com]

A nail gun, perhaps?

[bodlon.livejournal.com]

I was kind of aiming for painter's tape, but maybe if I tacked them to the wall through, like, a sleeve or something it would make them slow down long enough to read...?

[bethynyc.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[rm.livejournal.com]

I'm glad I'm not the only one feeling cranky about this. There will be a more artful version of this on LfT at some point about gay characters in general, but just... argh!

[bethynyc.livejournal.com]

Well, I don't read a lot of the meta comms, just the K/B fic and gleestyle. But I have a feeling it needed to be said.

And the bit about the kilt? ::headdesk:: I'm sure the random bagpipers I see in and around Manhattan would firmly disagree with the idea that they are wearing women's clothing.

[brewsternorth.livejournal.com]

A kilt is a piece of menswear.

Darn skippy. Even if it's a "utilikilt" or some other kilt that has drawn inspiration from the Scottish tradition rather than appropriated it wholesale, it is definitely not crossdressing to wear one.

[elusis.livejournal.com]

t is definitely not crossdressing to wear one.

I... what? People are seriously arguing it is? Have these people ever left their houses? I just don't even...

[ashlaegl.livejournal.com]

Whoa! This^

I'm all for more Klaine but expecting them to make out in practically every scene they're in, imo is kinda commonizing(is that a word) their love. I enjoy more the intimate looks they share when they're together.

Do people actually think Kurt wearing a KILT is crossdressing? Really? O.O

[sqwook.livejournal.com]

Agreed. Also, 5. There's not all that much extraneous kissing on the show anyway.

Don't get me wrong; I'm all for Kurt/Blaine kissing.

I'm surprised people think a kilt isn't menswear, too. Wonder if it's people who have only seen the promo and don't know via other sources that it *is* a kilt? Because the pleats don't show up in the promo with the same flow I'd expect from a traditional kilt. I have to admit, it is very hard for me to write anything remotely thoughtful about this, because my brain is all HAPPY!KURT-IN-A-TWIRLY!KILT. It made me so want to change into a twirly skirt today. Maybe for tomorrow...

[brilliant-snark.livejournal.com]

THIS, so much. Thank you.

<3

Would I love to watch these gorgeous boys make out all day? SURE! Do I need it for the story and do I think it would be appropriate in character for them to be doing it in any sort of public place? Nope. Do I love their lingering glances and light touches? YES!

Besides, the more they leave to our imagination on the show, the more fic we write. ;)

Kilt is not crossdressing. *headdesk*

[supergreak.livejournal.com]

Agree with you totally. Fangirls sometimes care very little about the plot and character integrity in favor of the hot.

one person who has a tendency to be chivalrous in an exaggerated way Also, Kurt is very young and innocent in a lot of ways. He's straight out of a Disney movie. I think it would be untrue to both of their characters to push the physical component of their relationship.

I mean, they're, what, 90 minutes apart? Westerville to Lima, even in a Glee-ish lack of logic, is a long freaking drive. Doesn't lend itself to much lip-lock. Additionally, Blaine goes to private school, Kurt's daddy has a shotgun. Blaine's a gentleman and thus probably won't want to do lots of making out in the back of cars. Public places are out, because this is Ohio. So where, exactly, are they supposed to be doing all of this making out?

I have no doubt that they kiss. I also know that they probably won't get past first base for quite some time, and that's okay. Just because everyone else on this show sleeps around, doesn't mean that it's necessarily healthy. In fact, whenever we see on-screen snogging, the relationship tends to go sour directly after.
I want them to stay together. If that means really adorable hugs and not much kissing, I am A-OK with that.

3. One of the main functions of PDAs, particularly in high school, is to prove heterosexuality and/or desirability. I totally didn't think of that, probably because I didn't date in high school. So PDA wasn't really an issue...

4. Kurt? Loves secrets. YES THIS. In fact, I bet he'd be coy about stuff just to drive Rachel Berry mad.

[alishatorn.livejournal.com]

I definitely don't see them PDA'ing in the halls, but I do admit to raising an eyebrow when they don't even holding hands or anything. I'm bi, and I admit that I'm more publicly affectionate when I'm with my boyfriend then when I was with my ex-girlfriend. My boyfriend and I sometimes kiss in public, but that was something my ex-girlfriend and I never really did.

However, we always held hands and never held back on the hugging-- we were out and people knew we were a couple. We just didn't do a lot of PDA because the hand-holding already drew enough stares (from strangers, not our friends) and we weren't interested in becoming a spectacle. It's not fair, true, but it was our personal reality while we were together.

So yeah, I totally get why Kurt and Blaine wouldn't be making out public (unlike Mike and Tina, whose liplock required getting pulled apart by Mr. Schue), but I doth protest the lack of hand-holding and physical proximity. I was complaining to my guy a couple of weeks ago that there's like two feet of space between them all the time, lol.

/2 cents

[baka-kit.livejournal.com]

Okay, maybe my sample group isn't representative because my ex-roommate sometimes does sales at shows for Utilikilt, but who (aside from my grandmother) doesn't know the difference between a skirt and a kilt?

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

You point about safe-spaces for PDA's is so-sooooooooo spot on!

In a show like Glee having the any if the queer characters act on their feelings and not end up dead is pretty damn impressive considering the history of visible queer characters in a high school setting who are usually set up to be a didactic "be tolerant to each other" plot device.

[thatwordgrrl.livejournal.com]

Oh ghods, I was afraid of this. That there'd be that zoo animals mating backlash somehow disguised as queer media activism.

"I support queer characters because I want more Boy!Kissing!"

Blah!

Sorry this turned out a bit long haha

[aisurucheza.livejournal.com]

"But here's the thing their situation is not the same as other couples on the show"

YES YES YES THANK YOU FOR THIS *tight hug*

Honestly I love Kurt, I love Blaine, I love Klaine together. I would love nothing more than to see these two being in love with each other all over the episodes. But I know and understand that this show is not only about them. And I also know and understand that they aren't like other relationships on this show. (Which is a good thing)

I sometimes feel, whenever I go over to the k_b community after an episode, that I am the absolute only one that is happy with the little screen time of them that we get. Those little moments when they're together, the little touches, the little gestures that's enough for me (especially considering the fact that I doubt Kurt is a real PDA type of person). Even just the little mentions of Blaine without him physically being in the episode, makes me happy. It kills me when so many people are in an uproar cause there was no kissing or etc etc

Granted I'll admit I thought that after Somewhere Only We Know they were going to kiss as well...Idk the moment felt like there would be one. But I am extremely happy with what we did get and it actually makes sense to me that there wasn't one. So I'm not stressing it~ Still a beautiful moment

-We got 11 episodes of them enjoying each other's presence, courting each other and being cute/amazing, etc. I am more than happy~ - And prom's coming up, even if there's no kissing there, I will be thoroughly rolling around in glitter at the fact that baby is going to Prom with the person he loves. It's the simple things for me~

And P.S - Yes About The Kilt As Well. I think I might love you xDD

Re: Sorry this turned out a bit long haha

[sqwook.livejournal.com]

>I am the absolute only one that is happy with the little screen time of them that we get.

Thank you for saying this. You're not the only one; I am totally with you on this. After watching the whole Born This Way episode, I was totally over the moon, especially because I feel like the entire extra 15 minutes of the episode was handed (in character and in context) to Kurt and his storyline.

Re: Sorry this turned out a bit long haha

[aisurucheza.livejournal.com]

You're very welcome~ After Born This Way I was so happy (And also literally crying my heart out at the perfection of that episode -and especially SOWK ugh my heart-) But I think they honestly allowed Kurt to sing the entire song of "As If We Never Said Goodbye" (if not then a good portion of it) and they really did focus on his storyline throughout this episode. It hurts my soul that people can't just be happy with that.

But Thank you for continuing to make me feel not alone on this~ I'm glad there are more people out there who just enjoys Klaine together and takes the relationship as it is *hugs*

Besides my logic is, if you want more, that's what fanfics are for haha xD

Re: Sorry this turned out a bit long haha

[sqwook.livejournal.com]

>the entire song of "As If We Never Said Goodbye"

I know! As I recall, it was a full 5 minutes... unheard of for Glee. Plus being prominent in "Barbara Streisand" and "Born This Way". Yay for 90 minutes and for the producer's love of Chris Colfer's talent. Kurt is the only reason I even watch the show, and even _I_ thought it was a surprising amount of focus, for which I was extremely overjoyed.

Re: Sorry this turned out a bit long haha

[aisurucheza.livejournal.com]

Unheard of for Glee indeed. I was in tears during it so I didn't realize till a couple of scenes later that he definitely sang a full length song. And it was beautifully done too~

It was a little surprising how much screen time he got this episode. It's like he came back to McKinley and it was like he never left. (Well AIWNSG, appropriate song choice haha) He definitely deserves the amount of focus that he got. I think if he didn't get much focus within him coming back, the episode would have felt a little incomplete. So it was a appreciated must in my mind.

Kurt isn't per se the only reason I watch the show, but he has been a big part of it. So moments with him in it makes me ecstatic~!

[cookiedough.livejournal.com]

Did you ever see the interview Darren did early on in his Glee run with Rolling Stone where he sung the answers? In that, he said 'if they're gonna have a romantic relationship, I hope it's organic, I hope it's earned, I hope it's sincere, and not** just done as a cheap thrill for people who wanna see stuff like that.'

In the early days of K/B, everyone was really, really on the same page and it was super tight and super intelligent and like, everyone just got it.

But as time went on, there were more and more people who, it became apparent, were in it for the "cheap thrill" aspect, even before it became canon. It was kind of a sad thing to watch, because it didn't used to be like that.


**god, what a typo to omit that word :/

[deconglee.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Exactly.

I mean, I get it. I would like to see them making out. Totally admit I want to see that. And after the SOWK scene leaked, I was like "How is Kurt not eating the face off Blaine after that?" but having seen the entire scene now, and especially THAT HUG, I'm good with it. And they're two queer kids in a schoolyard -- even a magical schoolyard with pianos and a string section --, they're not going to kiss.

And well, kilts. I live in a part of the world where they are not uncommon, and far more common on men than women, so yeah, not crossdressing. Also, that twirl? Hello.

And their relationship is different than all the other ones. We might be trying to make it clear that our relationships are as worthy as everyone else's, but they're not the same. Society makes it so. Those two boys are two boys against the world, not against each other like Finn/Quinn & co. It changes the dynamics entirely.

But some surreptitious hand-holding would be lovely.

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

I am always extremely leery of sanitisation - Modern Family and True Blood come to mind - but it has to be appropriate for context. if you have a show where the hets ar ehumping away until they get friction burns and you see it all, while the GBLTs get low light kissing from an akward angle then I leap up and hit with hammer

BUT if you get a situation like this and Kurt/Blaine were lip locking every 2 secondes I'd call foul because it's rainbow-washing - it's grossly underestimating the power, danger and prevalence of highschool homophobia. Unless it's a completely alternate world, to take a situation like this where there would be prejudice and just sweep it under the rug because fans want to do their fetishising "men kissing is so HAWWWT" and that nasty prejudice issue gets in the way of the hawwt mankissing is insulting and dismissive.

I would want to see them kiss when appropriate - when alone, when in safe spaces, when with people they utterly trust.


And amen to a 1000 - wanting to see the hot man-on-man action =/= activism or support

[verasteine.livejournal.com]

This is a thing in Glee fandom?? This sort of wish fulfillment is what fandom is for. I'd much rather have a proper storyline for Kurt/Blaine. So yeah, what you said.

Levity regarding kilts...

[onmyownterms.livejournal.com]

Here in the South, we say that wearing underwear with a kilt makes it a skirt, so I suppose it all comes down to whether or not Kurt was 'regimental.'

Re: Levity regarding kilts...

[deconglee.livejournal.com]

But Kurt's wearing leggings with it. Underwear or not, I'm going to guess that only Blaine (if even) will know. But I'm expecting fic to venture there.

None of the guys I know have an opinion on whether leggings constitute underwear.

My old boss went regimental. I know, because he'd get drunk and have fights, so, you know, it was all exposed. It's a stupid rule. I'd have much preferred he wore underwear.

[silverkit.livejournal.com]

Agree, agree, agree, and agree.

Also, there are times in your life when you just don't want to be touched. When a hug will feel more like smothering than comfort.

Kurt was pacing, had just come from sprinting out of the gym and his adrenaline was probably pumping like mad. I'd have been shocked if he'd let anyone, even Blaine, get too near at that point. I'd have been shocked if Blaine even wanted to initiate touch in the hallway. How was he to know that embarrassment was the only thing the student body had prepared for Kurt (for them)?