All around smart guy Matt Baume recaps last night’s State of the Union speech, and the progress LGBTs have made under the Obama administration.
Matt Baume: The State Of The Union Is Gay
Matt Baume Explores American TV’s First “Same-Sex Married Couple”
Smart guy Matt Baume reminds us of a truly ground-breaking moment in television history: the night America met it’s first same-sex marriage couple.
From Baume:
When did gay partners become a part of the family on TV? October 9, 1977. That’s the night CBS aired an All in the Family episode entitled “Cousin Liz,” which in just a half hour did three amazing things: it showed America that they could have queer family members. It depicted what may be TV’s first gay marriage. And oh yeah it may have changed the course of an election.
I haven’t thought about this episode since it aired in 1977, but I do remember it. At the time I must have been 14 years old. I didn’t exactly know I was gay yet, but it lodged in my consciousness.
Baume does a great job of breaking down how the storyline at first goes all “comedy” on the idea of a lesbian couple. But then, as only “Edith” could do when given the chance during All In The Family, she steps past the “dingbat” and becomes our teacher.
Definitely worth the watch. Make sure you check the moment at the 5:05 mark.
Matt Baume On Matt Damon’s Statement That Actors Should Keep Sexuality Secret
Matt Damon, while promoting his new movie The Martian made mention to The Guardian of how he sees the effect of coming out on the careers of gay actors:
“I think it must be really hard for actors to be out publicly,” he continues. “But in terms of actors, I think you’re a better actor the less people know about you period. And sexuality is a huge part of that. Whether you’re straight or gay, people shouldn’t know anything about your sexuality because that’s one of the mysteries that you should be able to play.”
Matt Baume has his own take on those comments:
Matt Damon told an interviewer this week that actors should keep their sexuality secret whether straight or gay, which is a little hypocritical considering he’s an open book when it comes to his heterosexuality.
I don’t think he’s a homophobe, but imposing a double standard on gay actors is just wrong.
Does “Straight Acting” Really Honor The History Of Stonewall?
Matt Baume is furious that “Stonewall” director Roland Emmerich would have the gall to use the term “straight acting” to describe the hero of his new film.
The Stonewall Riots were a lot of things, but “straight acting” was never one of them.
Check out Matt’s thoughts below.
Why Does the Supreme Court Get to Decide Marriage Laws?
Matt Baume, who has a knack for breaking down why things work they way they do, drops this short video explaining why the Supreme Court became the final answer on marriage equality.
From Baume:
Where does the Supreme Court get off deciding the definition of marriage? Well, it is kind of their job.
Look at it this way: Remember a few years ago when Pluto stopped being a regular planet and became a trans-Neptunian dwarf? That happened because astronomy experts decided there should be a change in the definition of “planet.” In the same way, the Supreme Court decided what the Constitution requires from the definition of “marriage.”
Matt Baume On Kentucky’s Rogue County Clerk
Smart guy Matt Baume asks (and answers) the questions: “What happens if a clerk doesn’t approve of a couple that wants to get married? Can a clerk keep their job AND follow their conscience?”
Matt Baume Looks At The Strange, Horrible History Of “Ex-Gay” Therapy
After several posts about so-called “ex-gay” torture therapy here on The Randy Report, I did encounter a few people who asked me, “What if someone wants to be ‘cured’ of the gay? Shouldn’t they be able to do that?”
And the answer? Of course. Except – it doesn’t work.
And the history behind most of the “treatments” is pretty sketchy – forced cuddling, horse stroking, and monkey testicles, anybody?
Smart guy Matt Baume takes us on a disturbing journey through the ages of “curing the gay.”
Matt Baume On The Raid Of Rentboy.com
Matt Baume looks at the recent raid and shutting down of Rentboy.com.
It’s a good day for Craigslist! The Department of Homeland Security just raided Rentboy.com, putting an end to one of the best ways for escorts and clients to find each other online.
And good for DHS! Because prostitution is bad, right? Well, not so fast. If sex work is so harmful, why is it that so many major medical and human rights groups actually support decriminalization?
Personally, since everyone knew about Rentboy for over a decade, I wonder why shut the site down now?
Matt Baume On 70s/80s Sitcoms And The Homos
In a very worthwhile 7 minute history of the portrayal of gays on sitcoms in the 1970s and 1980s, Matt Baume tracks how gays slowly gained visibility (and a voice) on TV.
When did TV first permit joking while gay? I’ve been combing through sitcoms to figure out when queers stopped being a scary threat, and were allowed to be real people with love lives and funny punch lines. Here are just a few of my favorite early gay characters on sitcoms.
As Baume states at the end, a 7 minute video can’t provide enough time to cover all the good and bad of the gay 70s and 80s. I am a bit surprised he skipped over Showtime’s Brothers which featured an openly gay lead character that was memorably positive.
But, again, how much can you fit into a web video?
Very good watch here.
Matt Baume Asks: “Do Protests Have To Be Disruptive?”
Matt Baume explains that political protests can be really inconvenient sometimes.
And sometimes they target powerful people who already agree with the protestors! What’s the point of that?
Well, there is a point, and Matt gives you the skinny on why the squeaky wheel gets the oil. And we sometimes need the “oil” to get things unstuck.