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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/aug/15/outrage-at-disney-casting-jack-whitehall-to-play-a-gay-character-is-misguided
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Outrage at Disney casting Jack Whitehall to play a gay character is misguided | Outrage at Disney casting Jack Whitehall to play a gay character is misguided |
(21 days later) | |
Disney’s new film will feature a gay character – for the first time ever in the company’s history. | Disney’s new film will feature a gay character – for the first time ever in the company’s history. |
To have read that statement when I was a closeted, confused 13-year-old boy would have had such an impact. | To have read that statement when I was a closeted, confused 13-year-old boy would have had such an impact. |
Back then (and look, still regularly now), I was watching endless replays of Disney’s The Little Mermaid with my younger sister, harmonising badly on Part of Your World, dreaming of the same escape, the same permission to exist above land, in plain sight, where the people are – to see ‘em dancin’. | Back then (and look, still regularly now), I was watching endless replays of Disney’s The Little Mermaid with my younger sister, harmonising badly on Part of Your World, dreaming of the same escape, the same permission to exist above land, in plain sight, where the people are – to see ‘em dancin’. |
Rather than being greeted with jubilation, this week’s news has caused outrage: the gay and camp character will be played by a straight actor, Jack Whitehall. | Rather than being greeted with jubilation, this week’s news has caused outrage: the gay and camp character will be played by a straight actor, Jack Whitehall. |
Jack Whitehall's role as first major gay Disney character sparks row | |
“Was really excited for Jungle Cruise but hearing that Jack Whitehall will be doing the usual straight-man-plays-camp-gay-man act has put me off big time. To be queer is NOT a punchline” read one tweet. | “Was really excited for Jungle Cruise but hearing that Jack Whitehall will be doing the usual straight-man-plays-camp-gay-man act has put me off big time. To be queer is NOT a punchline” read one tweet. |
Was really excited for @JungleCruise but hearing that @jackwhitehall will be doing the usual straight-man-plays-camp-gay-man act has put me off big time. To be queer is NOT a punchline. 😣 | Was really excited for @JungleCruise but hearing that @jackwhitehall will be doing the usual straight-man-plays-camp-gay-man act has put me off big time. To be queer is NOT a punchline. 😣 |
“Disgraceful that Jack Whitehall has been cast as Disney first openly gay character!! Where’s our hashtag? #Queertoo ! Obviously Hollywood has run out of gay actors!” wrote another. | “Disgraceful that Jack Whitehall has been cast as Disney first openly gay character!! Where’s our hashtag? #Queertoo ! Obviously Hollywood has run out of gay actors!” wrote another. |
Omar Sharif Jr tweeted: “Really Disney Jungle Cruise ? Your first significant gay role will be played by a straight white man perpetuating stereotypes? Fail! This ship should sink.” | Omar Sharif Jr tweeted: “Really Disney Jungle Cruise ? Your first significant gay role will be played by a straight white man perpetuating stereotypes? Fail! This ship should sink.” |
Really @Disney #JungleCruise ? Your first significant gay role will be played by a straight white man perpetuating stereotypes? Fail! This ship should sink. https://t.co/npPESNZaxD | Really @Disney #JungleCruise ? Your first significant gay role will be played by a straight white man perpetuating stereotypes? Fail! This ship should sink. https://t.co/npPESNZaxD |
To me, the outrage feels misguided: a buzzkill during a moment of welcome progress. This ship shouldn’t sink: it should sail with all the glory it deserves. | To me, the outrage feels misguided: a buzzkill during a moment of welcome progress. This ship shouldn’t sink: it should sail with all the glory it deserves. |
Back when I managed UK campaign group Stonewall’s media office over a decade ago, fair and representative portrayal of lesbian and gay people in the media was a priority. A gay character leading a Disney film would have been unthinkable, and momentous. But this week, we’re piling on Disney. | Back when I managed UK campaign group Stonewall’s media office over a decade ago, fair and representative portrayal of lesbian and gay people in the media was a priority. A gay character leading a Disney film would have been unthinkable, and momentous. But this week, we’re piling on Disney. |
I totally hear the argument: as Rupert Everett regularly reminds us, for aeons gay actors have been told by Hollywood to stay in the closet if they ever want to play a straight role. | I totally hear the argument: as Rupert Everett regularly reminds us, for aeons gay actors have been told by Hollywood to stay in the closet if they ever want to play a straight role. |
It’s understandable people want to redress the balance – and when one of film history’s most significant gay roles goes to a straight actor too, of course it’s disappointing. It’s almost as if there’s some conspiracy going on where straight white men have more power and influence and access to great jobs than other people! Yes, I want that world and its twisted logic to change too. | It’s understandable people want to redress the balance – and when one of film history’s most significant gay roles goes to a straight actor too, of course it’s disappointing. It’s almost as if there’s some conspiracy going on where straight white men have more power and influence and access to great jobs than other people! Yes, I want that world and its twisted logic to change too. |
But to demand that only gay actors play gay roles is not the way to correct an inequality. In a world where gay actors are still denied straight roles, it’ll just lead to typecasting of gay actors - the very thing they’re wanting to escape. Gay actors want a diversity of roles just like straight actors do. | But to demand that only gay actors play gay roles is not the way to correct an inequality. In a world where gay actors are still denied straight roles, it’ll just lead to typecasting of gay actors - the very thing they’re wanting to escape. Gay actors want a diversity of roles just like straight actors do. |
Australian author Richard Flanagan recently called out the damage this form of identity politics can do: when creative industries are ruled with fear of call-out culture it can restrict the space for new ideas to form, and destroy the craft. The very essence of writing is to step into the world of someone different, using a combination of research, imagination and initiative to make it convincing, engaging and thought-provoking. And the very essence of acting is depicting the lived experience of someone else. | Australian author Richard Flanagan recently called out the damage this form of identity politics can do: when creative industries are ruled with fear of call-out culture it can restrict the space for new ideas to form, and destroy the craft. The very essence of writing is to step into the world of someone different, using a combination of research, imagination and initiative to make it convincing, engaging and thought-provoking. And the very essence of acting is depicting the lived experience of someone else. |
If Disney hired a notorious homophobe to play the part, I’d have understood the outrage. But Jack Whitehall has no such homophobic record. (Although from the seven figure sum Whitehall is rumoured to be paid, he could perhaps afford to squeeze in a donation to Stonewall, to get more LGBT voices heard.) | If Disney hired a notorious homophobe to play the part, I’d have understood the outrage. But Jack Whitehall has no such homophobic record. (Although from the seven figure sum Whitehall is rumoured to be paid, he could perhaps afford to squeeze in a donation to Stonewall, to get more LGBT voices heard.) |
But the second reason for outrage over Disney’s gay character comes from a place of internalised homophobia. | But the second reason for outrage over Disney’s gay character comes from a place of internalised homophobia. |
Whitehall’s character will be “hugely effete, very camp and very funny,” so it’s being slammed by some gay people for “perpetuating stereotypes”, squandering the opportunity to present an “authentic role model” and, in Omar Sharif Jr’s words, falling back on “tired stereotypes used as devices to make us laugh so we’re comfortable with otherness”. | Whitehall’s character will be “hugely effete, very camp and very funny,” so it’s being slammed by some gay people for “perpetuating stereotypes”, squandering the opportunity to present an “authentic role model” and, in Omar Sharif Jr’s words, falling back on “tired stereotypes used as devices to make us laugh so we’re comfortable with otherness”. |
This is camp-shaming. It feeds the ghastly “masc for masc” narrative: that gay men should only adhere to masculine traits in a narrowly defined representation. It’s a cultural cringe that seeks to erase our fabulous camp history like it’s an embarrassment, hiding behind it as some humiliating stereotype. | This is camp-shaming. It feeds the ghastly “masc for masc” narrative: that gay men should only adhere to masculine traits in a narrowly defined representation. It’s a cultural cringe that seeks to erase our fabulous camp history like it’s an embarrassment, hiding behind it as some humiliating stereotype. |
Ruby Rose cast as lesbian superhero Batwoman in new TV series | |
One of the most wonderful things about being a gay man is the freedom from gender binaries, the ability to express ourselves however we choose, liberated from the expected gender roles of the man. Being camp or effete has affected our language (look up the glorious lexicon of Polari) and our community spirit. It has provided one of the most powerful defence mechanisms to our marginalisation: quick-witted humour. | One of the most wonderful things about being a gay man is the freedom from gender binaries, the ability to express ourselves however we choose, liberated from the expected gender roles of the man. Being camp or effete has affected our language (look up the glorious lexicon of Polari) and our community spirit. It has provided one of the most powerful defence mechanisms to our marginalisation: quick-witted humour. |
It’s 2018. We know not every gay man is camp or effete or even funny. | It’s 2018. We know not every gay man is camp or effete or even funny. |
But don’t try to erase those who are, as we watch The Little Mermaid for the 450th time and sing along full throttle with our sisters. Ariel was our imperfect hero. Now kids have a real life Disney gay character to enjoy. To laugh with. Not at. | But don’t try to erase those who are, as we watch The Little Mermaid for the 450th time and sing along full throttle with our sisters. Ariel was our imperfect hero. Now kids have a real life Disney gay character to enjoy. To laugh with. Not at. |
And hopefully, the first of many. That gay Disney Prince can’t be far off. | And hopefully, the first of many. That gay Disney Prince can’t be far off. |
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Jack Whitehall | Jack Whitehall |
LGBT rights | LGBT rights |
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