I Am The Cheese!

2-15-99 You can read the play here.

2-7-99

I recently wrote a whimsical skit in which the two main characters are a young gay couple, James and Daniel. The idea had been in my head for quite some time and I finally wrote it out for an assignment of my Creative Writing class. I showed the skit to my family and friends (it is even being passed about my French class as I write this) and they all loved it - I was feeling rather proud. I got it back this morning from the teacher and one of the first things I noticed were two red circles on the first page. Contained within the first red circle was the word "gay" - the only spot in the skit that this word appears - and contained within the second was the word "brothel" - also the only place it is mentioned in the skit. Connecting these two red circles were two red lines and at the intersection of these were written in red ink these words: questionable subject matter.

Now, the teacher said - no, emphasized - that we could write about sex, drugs, drinking, basically anything as long as we didn't use swearing (ridiculous school policy). Alright, so let me get this straight (no pun intended, I assure you), I can write about a rape as the result of a bunch of kids getting totally plastered and stoned out of their minds, but I can't mention that someone is homosexual? Something is wrong with this picture. I can sort of understand why he would say that two young men living in a whore house would be questionable, but it's barely even a footnote. And the bit about James being gay is just ridiculous! Should I have phrased it differently? Should I have said "heterosexually challenged" instead? Honestly! >=( There is nothing "questionable" in my skit - I made sure of it. (Unless you include a giant, rather queer bird - pun intended - as being questionable.)

What is wrong with writing that someone is gay? Especially if he is and it is the basis for a plot line! I didn't even bother to mention that the two women at the end are lesbians. Why not? Because I didn't want to get in too much trouble by overdoing the "gay theme". (Hey, don't yell at me, I'm annoyed enough at myself as it is.)

This has been a recurring thing I've noticed with schools. If anyone reading this has also read "Our Gay Youth" and the comments included, they will know my surprise when given the okay to write the essay. The fact is, most schools get a bit squeamish when confronted with something society deems as "unconventional". Now I ask you, what is so unconventional about loving someone? Or not loving someone for that matter?

I'm going to switch topics here a moment, so bear with me. I have a friend who does not have a girlfriend, does not want a girlfriend or to get married. This leads most people to automatically assume he's gay, but he's not. He just happens to be into other - and in my opinion better - things than sex. Society is very quick to judge and condemn. Gay is an insult now. (Funny how things change, it used to mean happy.) One of my favorite words was taken away from me as well - queer. I used to use it all the time and my one friend would say odd, and another would say weird. We all meant the same thing, but we used our own choice words to describe it. And now I can't use mine! >=( No fair! Another thing I hear surprisingly often is "Wow, he's gay? That's so cool!" and much to my amusement I might add. I don't think you ever hear "Wow, he's straight? That's so cool!" though if the day came when I did, I may very well die laughing. Ah, enough of this digression!

The best thing I've ever encountered on this "subject" (other than personal reflection) is Henry Rollins and what he said on one of his spoken word CDs. I love that guy, he is so great - and I don't even listen to his music! Maybe I can get an RA for you to listen to (of his commentary, not his music).

Really, the fact that the teacher wrote questionable subject matter doesn't upset me - it is what I've come to expect, after all - but I just can't seem to understand why it's questionable. One could explain to me for hours and hours and I still wouldn't get it. People are people to me and they should be loved and hated for their character, not who they sleep with. As long as they aren't sleeping with me, why should I care? And as long as they aren't hurting me or plotting my torturous demise I'm not going to bother myself about it.

As for the fact that I could write about drugs, alcohol, and sex, why would I want to? These things, to me, are quite questionable material for class - I would never write something like that for school or ever for that matter! I certainly would rather not read about it, there are so many other more worthwhile topics to choose from. But my skit has none of these things. It has nothing even remotely to do with any of these. The only thing would be if someone automatically thinks of sex when they hear the word "gay". In which case, pervert, stop thinkin' about it! If two young people in love with each other, who want to be together, to spend the rest of their lives together, walking along, holding hands, if that is sexually explicit and thereby offensive, then I am guilty as charged. (In the last scene, James and Daniel walk on stage hand in hand - I think it's cute. ^.^) If anyone is offended by that, then, well, gee, I'm sorry. I'm offended by the skimpy clothes the girls at school wear (not that I don't sometimes like what they have to show...) but I'm not going to tell them that they're being indecent and should stop wearing such slutty clothes. They aren't hurting me in any way, so why should I waste my thoughts on it - being offended I mean, not... anything else. ~_~ To each his own, right?

I would like to say, in all fairness, the other comments that the teacher wrote on my paper. I didn't mean to make him look bad, he's a really great teacher, even if all the writing I have to do is killing my hands. (The sacrifices that must be made for love... ::sigh::) He said that more narration was needed (::???:: no it isn't) and that it was a "clever play-skit" that "needs tightening". He mentions that there are a lot of scenes - there are four small ones - and asks if it could be easily acted out. Yes, it could, I made it that way - you don't even need any scenery or props.

At any rate, I just wanted to get that out. I have a feeling that I'll be writing a lot more about things. Well, that's good, I need to get in the habit. Thank you for reading this, and I hope I gave you something to think about. Reply if you like, I do so love getting e-mail from people that have been to my site. ^-^ Ja ne!

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