I find it a little disturbing that on the gay blogosphere I've come across this attitude that if you don't love and admire Michael Jackson that makes you both racist and homophobic.
Let's make one thing clear. Michael Jackson was no gay hero. Biographers are now coming out with alleged details about his sexual involvements with men, but he certainly did his best to hide this from the public. Out and Proud he was not.
Yes, yes, he and Liz Taylor were AIDs activists of a type, but please let's remember that AIDS IS NOT A "GAY" DISEASE and I'm sick of the way so many people seem to forget that. Fighting for AIDS patients does not necessarily means someone is pro-gay. To my knowledge Jackson never spoke out in favor of gay rights.
Jackson was not just dealing with self-hate issues as a possible homosexual, but also as a black man. His bleaching of his skin says a lot. Some people feel that Jackson may actually have been an unacknowledged transsexual, transforming himself into Diana Ross -- or possibly a Caucasian version of Diana Ross. In any case, he did not speak out in favor of transgender rights, either.
Not being a fan of Jackson's hardly makes one a racist, as some have charged. Just sticking to the African-American community, I can think of dozens of entertainers who put Jackson in the shade. Sammy Davis Jr., just to name one, was about a hundred times as talented as Jackson. It wouldn't be fair to compare Jackson's "moonwalking" to ballet, but even the average Broadway dancer probably had more skill than Jackson. And he was certainly no Fred Astaire.
And many people have felt uncomfortable with Jackson being held up as some great American figure, what with all the questions about him and children. True, he may not have been a pedophile, but what does it say about him that he would actually sleep in the same bed with other people's children. I mean it's not even appropriate to share a bed with young nieces and nephews, but other people's children?
Jackson may have had his good points, and I would certainly never say that he was untalented. Of course it's terrible that he died at fifty when he might have had many, many years ahead.
But it's ridiculous to think of the man as a gay icon or hero, when he was neither.
I'm sorry if this will piss some people off, but it's my opinion and I'm sticking with it.
Let's make one thing clear. Michael Jackson was no gay hero. Biographers are now coming out with alleged details about his sexual involvements with men, but he certainly did his best to hide this from the public. Out and Proud he was not.
Yes, yes, he and Liz Taylor were AIDs activists of a type, but please let's remember that AIDS IS NOT A "GAY" DISEASE and I'm sick of the way so many people seem to forget that. Fighting for AIDS patients does not necessarily means someone is pro-gay. To my knowledge Jackson never spoke out in favor of gay rights.
Jackson was not just dealing with self-hate issues as a possible homosexual, but also as a black man. His bleaching of his skin says a lot. Some people feel that Jackson may actually have been an unacknowledged transsexual, transforming himself into Diana Ross -- or possibly a Caucasian version of Diana Ross. In any case, he did not speak out in favor of transgender rights, either.
Not being a fan of Jackson's hardly makes one a racist, as some have charged. Just sticking to the African-American community, I can think of dozens of entertainers who put Jackson in the shade. Sammy Davis Jr., just to name one, was about a hundred times as talented as Jackson. It wouldn't be fair to compare Jackson's "moonwalking" to ballet, but even the average Broadway dancer probably had more skill than Jackson. And he was certainly no Fred Astaire.
And many people have felt uncomfortable with Jackson being held up as some great American figure, what with all the questions about him and children. True, he may not have been a pedophile, but what does it say about him that he would actually sleep in the same bed with other people's children. I mean it's not even appropriate to share a bed with young nieces and nephews, but other people's children?
Jackson may have had his good points, and I would certainly never say that he was untalented. Of course it's terrible that he died at fifty when he might have had many, many years ahead.
But it's ridiculous to think of the man as a gay icon or hero, when he was neither.
I'm sorry if this will piss some people off, but it's my opinion and I'm sticking with it.
8 comments:
I can see what you're saying about Michael Jackson not being a hero, but I hope you have compassion for the man that suffered so very much during his life. Maybe much of that suffering was of his own doing, but I have to say that, hero or not, Michael Jackson definitely has my pity.
We have to balance pity with the realization that during his life Jackson also had great success and surely a certain degree of happiness and satisfaction because of that success.
Thanks for your comment.
Does he have to come out in favor of gay rights? I mean please. As a gay man, I could care less.
I'm so tired of the gay community bashing anyone who doesn't hold up a rainbow flag.
Get over it dude. He's Michael Jackson. Enough said.
What on Earth does it say about you that "as a gay man" you "couldN'T care less" about gay rights? ["COULD care less" implies the opposite of what you're saying.]
The sad thing is that you are dealing -- or rather not dealing -- with serious issues of self-hatred and you're not even aware of it, or willing to face it. You deify [worship] Michael Jackson and other celebrities because you hate yourself.
Sad, really.
mr. bill samuels, you are a douche...the person who says they could care less about whether or not mj supports gay rights shows he is a rational human being. is he supposed to expect everybody to support gay rights? gawwwwwwd ur such a douche bag......
I'm publishing your comment -- and retaining your IP address -- so hopefully you can look back and see how incredibly stupid you are some day. You are clearly a homophobic self-hater. Get some therapy, get over Michael Jackson -- and get a life!
i am not gay never have been, came to this page after googling Michael Jackson, anyway I feel sad that a DAD has died at 50 and left children without a father, thats my comment for what its worth.
While I understand your point, of course, I'm not really certain if Jackson was an especially good father -- or father figure.
Thank you for your comment.
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