Starting this project again - just for me.
As a musical theater fan and former show choir nerd I was naturally drawn to Glee. The covers of old songs combined with the talents of the likes of Lea Michelle sucked me in along with the masses. I understand why it's popular as the show format is practically my ideal.
Last Fall I stopped watching Glee. The story lines were too much for me. I'm a married woman in her late twenties. I have seen a bit of the world. I know that not everyone shares my beliefs or standards. I know that often when creatives are given a platform in popular media they naturally use it as a personal soap box. Maybe that's the case with Glee. I understand all of that. However, what I can't get past is the fact that 1) I don't feel like it's a good representation of the masses and 2) that it gives kids who wouldn't feel a natural inclination to homosexuality the opinion that trying everything is fine.
My first concern is an age old question - does art imitate life or does life imitate art? They may not have been trying to identify with the masses as every school and community is different. I have a hunch that they were going for some identifiable qualities in their characters and story lines (otherwise they'd have an audience who couldn't relate...and then no audience). I teach high school kids in Sunday School once a week. They aren't trying to sleep with "cougars", getting drunk on the weekends, or dealing with teen pregnancy. "Duh," you say, "they are going to Sunday School once a week. That should tell you something." To this I say exactly. They go to church and they worry about getting good grades, going to school dances, hanging out with friends, and what I consider other regular high school problems. They are part of the masses but where is their representation except to be mocked and in need of a "New Christianity, where you still pray but get with the times." (Quote from the most recent episode that yes, I did watch to see the tribute to Whitney. It inspired this post and reminded me why I stopped.) Either God is real and his laws true, or they're not. We don't need men (and by men, I include Glee) to update the rules to get with the times.
My second concern may concern readers. I am not homophobic. I am not anti-gay. I know people have same gender attraction just like I have opposite gender attraction. I guess I have to explain this by first saying that I saved myself for marriage - a feat long since considered impossible by popular opinion. Even funnier, I know lots of people who did as well. I think all of that is something to be controlled and contained until you are within the bonds of marriage. How does this fit with my second Glee concern? I think kids having sex in high school is one thing, but making it seem down right old hat to dabble in homosexuality for kicks makes it feel like premature sexuality is not just a temptation but a hobby. Can we really be so casual about something so sacred? Again, I know not everyone believes the same things I do but can we not all agree that seeing these things on TV gives our children the impression that "everyone has sex in high school" and "trying things out is no big deal."
What Glee has forgotten to mention is that along with all the sex comes STDs (especially a high number of partners), lowered self esteem and greater risk for teen pregnancy? Yes, Quinn got pregnant and quickly delivered a beautiful (and probably 2 month old) baby covered in a little bit of jam. Not real life folks. If you want to hear how messy and stinky sex is and how painful and disgusting labor and delivery is and how your body will never be what it once was and how your sleep deprivation will make you forget words (some of which you probably haven't even learned in the first place because you're 16), come see me. I'm happy to tell you all I know.
Until then, I won't be watching Glee or Vampire Diaries or any of the other supposedly "teen" shows with way too much going on. What happened to the Cosby's and their family dinners, home work, and sibling banter? What happened to Urkle and his science experiments? Or Jessie Spano on Saved By the Bell taking "caffine pills" to stay up and study so she could get into Stanford? Yes, these are dated but I guarantee they have themes that are more consistent with your every day high school kid and don't bother with sex. (Except that one time that the big TV producer wanted to make out with Kelly Kapowski, or is it that he wanted her to smoke after doing the "Say No" ad... I digress.)
So Glee, I love your music but come on.
