The Trouble With Teen Wolf

When Teen Wolf debuted June 5, 2011, on MTV, many gay fans immediately zeroed in on the show’s queer appeal. Of course, any story dealing with werewolves would’ve found a home in the hearts of several LGBT fans — after all, this is a story about people forced to hide who they really are.
But Teen Wolf also flipped the objectification script by flaunting the buff bods of the boys in its cast at every opportunity, including numerous homoerotic locker room scenes, and then took it even further. Boys would flirt with boys as well as girls — most frequently by Stiles Stilinski (played by Dylan O’Brien). Before long, it became obvious that the creative minds behind Teen Wolf weren’t simply using queer elements to infuse the show with gay appeal, they were ramping up the gay appeal to court a young audience. And this audience had grown up with LGBT visibility in various forms.
The show existed in a world where homophobia was nonexistent — a groundbreaking concept, even in basic cable. The presence of out gay teen Danny Mahealani (played by Keahu Kahuanui) among the show’s cast of supporting characters was a monumental shift for a gay character on a TV series aimed at a young teen audience. Not because Danny was a part of the world, but because of the way every other character reacted to him. The straight characters on the series weren’t simply OK with the fact that Danny was gay. His sexuality was treated no differently than differences in eye color. Instead of being taunted by the star jock of Beacon Hills High — Jackson (played by Colton Haynes) — Danny was his best friend.
Though Danny’s screen time was limited compared to the heterosexual leads in the cast, he quickly became a fan favorite. However, the biggest LGBT draw for many fans was Stiles, thanks to the numerous hints dropped throughout the series that the character might not be straight. Furthermore, the sexual tension perceived by many fans between Stiles and the werewolf beefcake Derek Hale (played by Tyler Hoechlin) fueled fan fantasies even further, prompting a number of fans to ship the two as a couple (affectionately referred to as Sterek).
By the time Teen Wolf entered its third season, the show was primed to be one of the gayest ever aimed at a young audience. A new gay teen was introduced in the form of alpha wolf twin Ethan (played by Charlie Carver), who became romantically involved with Danny, and “Sterek” speculation, which had been encouraged by the show’s cast and production team, was at an all-time high.
But while the third season included standout moments for visibility such as a hotel room make-out session between Danny and Ethan in the episode “Motel California” (which was depicted in the same light as an opposite-sex smooch fest that took place later in the same episode), the show’s potential to be an LGBT entertainment beacon began to fade. Danny and Ethan’s romance received little screen time and went largely undeveloped, with Ethan’s character moving away from Beacon Hills following the heroic death of his straight twin brother at the season’s end.
Additionally, the is-he-or-isn’t-he draw of Stiles’s sexuality became less of a reason to watch and more of a point of contention for several fans who began to accuse the show of “queer baiting” by continuing to tease viewers that the character might swing both ways while avoiding any actual payoff.
When news originally broke that Teen Wolf’s fourth season, which wrapped last week, would include a new gay teen of color named Mason (played by Khylin Rambo), many fans were hopeful that the show’s potential to greatly further LGBT visibility would be realized.
Instead, the opposite happened.
Stiles became romantically involved with the female werecoyote Malia (played by Shelley Henning), Danny completely disappeared from the show with no explanation, and Mason — who received very little character development – essentially became a token character.
Fans hungry for LGBT visibility from a show that had begun with such potential were outraged at the new direction, and when The Advocate published a recent interview with the show’s principal cast discussing the history of the show’s positive LGBT elements, a wave of angry comments ensued.
While some might dismiss fan outrage over the show’s dwindling LGBT representation, their passionate outcry highlights a growing divide between younger viewers and those who are creating the shows they watch. For a generation that has never known a time when LGBT people were not represented on the small screen in some form, limited visibility and queer subtext are no longer enough to hold their interest.
The continued teases that a character might be bisexual with no payoff, the same-sex romances that end as quickly as they begin with little development, the disappearance of gay characters without explanation, and the absence of any well-developed LGBT character four seasons into a show that appeared to bank heavily on its queer appeal early on have left vocal fans howling.
Network executives and the creative minds helming film and TV projects should take note of Teen Wolf’s current turmoil and adjust their approach for entertainment aimed at a younger audience. For this demographic, LGBT integration isn’t simply a future aspiration — it’s reality. More than ever before, young people are out, allies are vocal, and a person who doesn’t interact with a member of the LGBT population on some level is becoming an anomaly. An attitude of equality is eclipsing the previous generation’s perception of diversity as millennials grow more frustrated with token flashes of positive imagery on TV at a time when more accurate and inclusive forms of entertainment can be found via YouTube.
Nevertheless, it may not be time to put down the wolf pack just yet. The show has already been green-lit for a fifth season and the LGBT inclusive elements that have been woven into the series are still a part of its expanding world. Yes, the gay, lesbian, and bisexual characters who have already made (brief) appearances have been (small) positive steps forward for LGBT visibility on the small screen (especially for a show aimed at an audience of 13 and up). A show that is supposed to exist in a land where homophobia is an unknown concept still has great potential to be a catalyst for lasting change in entertainment. However, we need to see something more than subtext and lip-lock service, because the fans have spoken — and they're hungry like the wolf.

Brit on trial for gay sex in Uganda says He is living in fear.

 A British man on trial for gay sex in Uganda has said he is living in constant fear.  Ex-pat Bernard Randall, 65, is facing up to seven years in prison for gross indecency and allegedly trafficking obscene material after police found a video on his laptop of him having sex with a Moroccan.

 His 30-year-old Ugandan live-in partner Albert Cheptoyet is also being charged.  The retired banker’s picture was splashed across the front page of notoriously homophobic tabloid Red Pepper, beneath the headline ‘Exposed’.

 Randall has said he is now moving house every couple of days out of fear of attack. He cannot fly out of the country due to the Ugandan government holding his passport until his trial.  ‘I never know if someone is going to recognise me, be anti-gay and attack me,’ Randall said, as reported by The Times.

 Moses Solomon Male, a pastor, appeared on television condemning Randall.  ‘[Homosexuals] control the police, they control the judiciary, they even hold the Government to ransom,’ he said.  Same-sex relationships are already punishable by 14 years jail in Uganda with politicians threatening to make the laws even tougher by extending the death penalty to ‘repeat offenders’.

 But the country is still likely to be sensitive to criticism if they openly prosecute and imprison people simply for consensual gay sex. Its Anti-Homosexuality Bill, dubbed the ‘Kill the Gays Bill’, appears to now be on the back burner after international condemnation.

The Great Cause sources who took these photos at the hearing said Anti-Homosexuality Coalition members were also present in court.  Ugandan publications have claimed the pair were going for or had gone for ‘medical tests’ to discover if they had gay anal sex.  But Ugandan prosecutors have also denied this.

 The presiding judge confessed this is the first case of its kind she has dealt with and therefore said she needed time to consider it, although she pledged it would be dealt with as soon as possible.  Randall and Cheptoyet were released on bail of UGX1.5million ($593,000 €430,000) while their sureties were bonded at UGX500,000 ($198,000 €143,000).  Activists from Uganda Gay On Move have ‘strongly condemned’ the government for the arrests describing them as an ‘invasion of privacy’.

 They have warned other people will use some of the trumped-up allegations against the pair as ‘an excuse to blackmail LGBT people’.  The British Foreign Office is aware of the arrest and said it is providing Randall with consular assistance.

A British man on trial for gay sex in Uganda has said he is living in constant fear.
Ex-pat Bernard Randall, 65, is facing up to seven years in prison for gross indecency and allegedly trafficking obscene material after police found a video on his laptop of him having sex with a Moroccan.
His 30-year-old Ugandan live-in partner Albert Cheptoyet is also being charged.
The retired banker’s picture was splashed across the front page of notoriously homophobic tabloid Red Pepper, beneath the headline ‘Exposed’.
Randall has said he is now moving house every couple of days out of fear of attack. He cannot fly out of the country due to the Ugandan government holding his passport until his trial.
‘I never know if someone is going to recognise me, be anti-gay and attack me,’ Randall said, as reported by The Times.
Moses Solomon Male, a pastor, appeared on television condemning Randall.
‘[Homosexuals] control the police, they control the judiciary, they even hold the Government to ransom,’ he said.
Same-sex relationships are already punishable by 14 years jail in Uganda with politicians threatening to make the laws even tougher by extending the death penalty to ‘repeat offenders’.
But the country is still likely to be sensitive to criticism if they openly prosecute and imprison people simply for consensual gay sex. Its Anti-Homosexuality Bill, dubbed the ‘Kill the Gays Bill’, appears to now be on the back burner after international condemnation.
GSN sources who took these photos at the hearing said Anti-Homosexuality Coalition members were also present in court.
Ugandan publications have claimed the pair were going for or had gone for ‘medical tests’ to discover if they had gay anal sex.
But Ugandan prosecutors have also denied this.
The presiding judge confessed this is the first case of its kind she has dealt with and therefore said she needed time to consider it, although she pledged it would be dealt with as soon as possible.
Randall and Cheptoyet were released on bail of UGX1.5million ($593,000 €430,000) while their sureties were bonded at UGX500,000 ($198,000 €143,000).
Activists from Uganda Gay On Move have ‘strongly condemned’ the government for the arrests describing them as an ‘invasion of privacy’.
They have warned other people will use some of the trumped-up allegations against the pair as ‘an excuse to blackmail LGBT people’.
The British Foreign Office is aware of the arrest and said it is providing Randall with consular assistance.
- See more at: http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/brit-trial-gay-sex-uganda-im-living-fear111113#sthash.zuhtbQeA.68B3C9L0.dpuf

A British man on trial for gay sex in Uganda has said he is living in constant fear.
Ex-pat Bernard Randall, 65, is facing up to seven years in prison for gross indecency and allegedly trafficking obscene material after police found a video on his laptop of him having sex with a Moroccan.
His 30-year-old Ugandan live-in partner Albert Cheptoyet is also being charged.
The retired banker’s picture was splashed across the front page of notoriously homophobic tabloid Red Pepper, beneath the headline ‘Exposed’.
Randall has said he is now moving house every couple of days out of fear of attack. He cannot fly out of the country due to the Ugandan government holding his passport until his trial.
‘I never know if someone is going to recognise me, be anti-gay and attack me,’ Randall said, as reported by The Times.
Moses Solomon Male, a pastor, appeared on television condemning Randall.
‘[Homosexuals] control the police, they control the judiciary, they even hold the Government to ransom,’ he said.
Same-sex relationships are already punishable by 14 years jail in Uganda with politicians threatening to make the laws even tougher by extending the death penalty to ‘repeat offenders’.
But the country is still likely to be sensitive to criticism if they openly prosecute and imprison people simply for consensual gay sex. Its Anti-Homosexuality Bill, dubbed the ‘Kill the Gays Bill’, appears to now be on the back burner after international condemnation.
GSN sources who took these photos at the hearing said Anti-Homosexuality Coalition members were also present in court.
Ugandan publications have claimed the pair were going for or had gone for ‘medical tests’ to discover if they had gay anal sex.
But Ugandan prosecutors have also denied this.
The presiding judge confessed this is the first case of its kind she has dealt with and therefore said she needed time to consider it, although she pledged it would be dealt with as soon as possible.
Randall and Cheptoyet were released on bail of UGX1.5million ($593,000 €430,000) while their sureties were bonded at UGX500,000 ($198,000 €143,000).
Activists from Uganda Gay On Move have ‘strongly condemned’ the government for the arrests describing them as an ‘invasion of privacy’.
They have warned other people will use some of the trumped-up allegations against the pair as ‘an excuse to blackmail LGBT people’.
The British Foreign Office is aware of the arrest and said it is providing Randall with consular assistance.
- See more at: http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/brit-trial-gay-sex-uganda-im-living-fear111113#sthash.zuhtbQeA.68B3C9L0.dpuf

Chris Brown denies anti-gay slur and pleads not guilty to assault charges

R&B star Chris Brown is denying claims of making a homophobic slur during an alleged attack on a man outside a Washington DC hotel.
 
The incident occurred at around 4.30am on Sunday morning.
TMZ.com reports a law enforcement source claimed that the R&B star said, “I’m not into this gay shit, I’m into boxing,” before punching the alleged victim.

But a friend close to the controversial rapper insisted: “Chris is many things, but NOT homophobic.
“He is upset that he’s been quoted as making any kind of homophobic comment and is desperate to set the record straight.”

Brown, 24, has been released following his arrest; the charges have been reduced from a felony to a less serious misdemeanour.
The singer’s lawyer, Danny Onorato, said: “Christopher Brown committed no crime.
“We understand that his security staff acted to protect Mr Brown and Mr Brown’s property as he was authorised to do under District of Columbia law.

“We are confident that Mr Brown will be exonerated of any wrongdoing.”
According to court documents, the man told police he’d tried to push his way into a photograph Brown was taking with a woman and her friend.

Parker Adams, 20, from Maryland, claimed he was punched by both Brown and his bodyguard Chris Hollosy before Brown boarded his tour bus.
The star is due back in court on 25 November.

Brown recently spoke out in support of gay rights – but he also has a history of making anti-gay remarks when he loses his temper.
The singer became embroiled in a long-running feud with Frank Ocean earlier this year following an altercation where homophobic language was allegedly used by one of Brown’s entourage.

In August, the ‘Don’t Wake Me Up’ star was ordered to do 1,000 hours of community service after his probation stemming from a 2009 assault on his ex-girlfriend Rihanna was restored.

Chris Brown Arrested for Antigay Assault

The R&B singer will go on trial today for allegedly assaulting a 20-year-old man last weekend in Washington, D.C.

Chris Brown will stand trial today for a charge of felony assault against a man who Brown perceived to be gay.
The Grammy Award-winning singer allegedly punched the man in the face early Sunday morning outside of the W Hotel in Washington, D.C., after the victim, Issac Adams Parker, tried to jump into a photograph being taken of Brown and a witness, reports to the Associated Press.

The report notes that Brown, who was in D.C. to perform at a club, said, "I'm not into that gay shit,” and "I feel like boxing," before punching the 20-year-old man in the face. Brown’s companion and supposed bodyguard, Christopher Hollosy, 35, also stepped into the fray and punched Parker in the face. Officials say the incident occurred at around 4:30 a.m
.
Parker was treated for his injuries, including a broken nose, at a local hospital and released Sunday. Police say the felony charge is related to the extent of the damage Parker sustained.

The R&B singer is currently on probation, which he initially received for assaulting Rihanna, his girlfriend at the time, in 2009. The probation was reinstated in August, after his involvement with an alleged hit-and-run occurrence.

He also made headlines in January for an altercation with gay singer Frank Ocean, who claims he suffered an injury to his hand during the incident, which occurred January 2013 in the parking lot of a Hollywood recording studio. No formal charges were filed by Ocean.

Texas Judge Nixes Republican Antigay Dogma, Crosses to Democrats

I cannot tolerate a political party that demeans Texans based on their sexual orientation, the color of their skin, or their economic status,' says Carlo Key.

Judge Carlo Key

A Texas judge says he’s leaving the Republican Party and becoming a Democrat, in part because of the Republicans’ antigay stances.

“I cannot tolerate a political party that demeans Texans based on their sexual orientation, the color of their skin, or their economic status,” said Carlo Key, a judge in Bexar County, which includes San Antonio, in a campaign ad released Monday.

 “For too long,” he added, “the Republican Party has been at war with itself. Rational Republican beliefs have given way to ideological character assassination. Pragmatism and principle have been overtaken by pettiness and bigotry.”

He also objected to the recent federal government shutdown and the Republican fight against health care reform. “I cannot place my name on the ballot of the political party that is proud to destroy the lives of hundreds of thousands of federal workers over the vain attempt to repeal a law that would provide health care for millions of people throughout our country,” he said.

Key also held a press conference Monday to announce his change of party. “Make no mistake, I did not leave the Republican Party, it left me,” Key said, according to the San Antonio Express-News. “My principles have led me to the Democratic Party, and my only hope is that more people of principle will follow me.” He was joined at the press conference by several prominent Texas Democrats, including Congressman Joaquin Castro.

Key has been a Bexar County Court-at-Law judge since 2010 and was an attorney before that. He will run for reelection as a Democrat next year. There had been speculation about him switching parties after he attended a recent fund-raiser for Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Wendy Davis, currently a state senator who gained a higher profile this year with her filibuster for abortion rights.

Documentary About LGBT In Uganda Doing Wonders Across Africa And U.S.

A new documentary explores the American connection to the virulently homophobic climate in Uganda.

When people with opposing viewpoints engage in dialogue, change is possible. It doesn’t happen all the time, or always easily, but it happens.
That’s what filmmaker Roger Ross Williams is seeing with the dialogue around God Loves Uganda, his powerful new documentary about American fundamentalist Christians’ export of homophobia to Africa.
“The most amazing thing happened at this recent screening in Malawi,” says Williams, whose film has been shown around the world and is now having a theatrical release in the U.S.
After a group of clergy and laypeople, the latter largely LGBT but closeted, viewed the movie, they engaged in a nationally broadcast debate about homosexuality, with most of the religious leaders condemning it. But then a few of the LGBT people in the audience made coming-out statements, and one of the ministers recanted the antigay comments he had made earlier. “I’m withdrawing my statement,” he said. “Gays and lesbians are good.”
“That’s why I made the film — moments like that,” says Williams. The minister who recanted said he’d never met a gay person, at least one he knew was gay and the film and the dialogue made him realize they were humans like him. “They had built up this monster in their minds,” Williams says of the religious leaders.
In making God Loves Uganda, Williams found that many of the fundamentalist Christians spreading their antigay dogma abroad are not monsters either, although their message is a harmful one.
“What really surprised me was how nice and well-mannered the fundamentalist evangelicals were,” he says. “I had in my mind, as a gay man, demonized them, the same way they had demonized us. … They’re really nice and you like them, and they’re preaching something really dangerous and don’t even realize it’s dangerous.”

Antigay Pundit Compares LGBTs to Terrorists, Anorexics, and Voldemort.

The managing editor of World Net Daily made bold and incendiary comparisons in a recent op-ed.
David Kupelian, the managing editor of World Net Daily, published a vehemently anti-LGBT column Sunday on the conservative news site.
The op-ed, titled “Amputating Healthy Organs ‘The New Normal,’” bemoaned the influence of the “powerful LGBT lobby” and compared transgender people to terrorists and anorexics.

“If I suggested genetics or biochemical imbalances were responsible, you would laugh,” Kupelian stated, comparing transgender identity to the indoctrination of children to terrorism. “Little jihadists are created when, from an early age, they are continually indoctrinated, intimidated, degraded, rewarded, tempted, lied to, punished, threatened and praised (for reinforcement) — until their little developing minds and emotions are not their own anymore. They have a new implanted identity, very different from the one they were born with.”

He also likened the LGBT rights movement to a “burgeoning form of totalitarianism,” a “madness,” that “like Voldemort,” the evil antagonist of the Harry Potter series, the public is afraid to name or address.
“This revolutionary sexual anarchy movement, which more than any other ideology, including Marxism, Islam or atheism, has the potential of permanently corrupting our nation’s core ‘operating system’ called the family — is the one issue that almost everybody is afraid to confront,” Kupelian continued.
“There is no end to the madness, because madness has no end — it’s a black hole with no bottom,” he wrote.