“The Whole World’s Gone Gay!”: Gay Inty, Queer Culture, and The Simpsons | SprgerLk

Contents:

• REVISG THE FIRST-EVER GAY EPISO OF THE SIMPSONS
• THREE GAYS OF THE CONDO
• CLASSIC GAY TV: THE SIMPSONS, 'HOMER'S PHOBIA'{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}NEWSBY LOUIS PEZMANSEPTEMBER 19, 2012/11:36 AMBY LOUIS PEZMANSEPTEMBER 19, 2012 / 11:36 AM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"CLASSIC GAY TV: THE SIMPSONS, 'HOMER'S PHOBIA'","DATEPUBLISHED":"2012-09-19T15:36:23.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2012-09-19T15:36:23.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"LOUIS PEZMAN","ARTICLESECTN":"NEWS"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN CLASSIC GAY TV, LOUIS PEZMAN LOOKS AT CLASSIC AND NEW-CLASSIC GAY-THEMED EPISOS OF TELEVISN. WAS THIS A MAJOR STEP FORWARD LGBT REPRENTATN OR A CRGEWORTHY RELIC OF THE PAST?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SERI: THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}EPISO: “HOMER’S PHOBIA” (SEASON 8, EPISO 15){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ORIGAL AIR DATE: FEBARY 16, {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}PLOT POTS: BART STROYS THE DRYER, BUT THE FAY N’T AFFORD TO REPLACE . MARGE CIS TO SELL HER GRANDMA’S PREC CIVIL WAR FIGURE. THE SIMPSONS GO TO COCKAMAMIE’S, A STORE THAT SPECIALIZ MP – “THE TRAGILLY LUDICRO, THE LUDICROLY TRAGIC” – AND MEET THE FLAMBOYANT OWNER, JOHN (VOICED BY JOHN WATERS). HOMER AND JOHN H OFF STANTLY, AND HOMER V JOHN OVER. THEY DANCE TO “I LOVE THE NIGHTLIFE,” WHICH IS MAYBE THE GAYT THG YOU N DO OUTSI OF MAN-ON-MAN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}TURNS OUT HOMER HAS THE WORST GAYDAR EVER, BEE HE EAKS OUT WHEN MARGE TELLS HIM THAT JOHN IS GAY. (“OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD, I DANCED WH A GAY. MARGE, LISA, PROMISE ME YOU WON’T TELL ANYONE.”) HOMER ROLV TO SHUN JOHN, EVEN AS THE RT OF THE SIMPSON FAY EMBRAC HIM. AS BART BEGS TO ACT GAYER – WEARG A HAWAIIAN SHIRT, CHOOSG A PK SNOWBALL OVER A HOSTS CUPKE – HOMER BE TERMED TO STRAIGHTEN HIM {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IT’S A TOTAL DISASTER, AS THE WHOLE WORLD HAS APPARENTLY GONE GAY. HOMER TAK BART TO A STEEL L THAT TURNS TO A BIG GAY DIS. WHEN HE CIS TO TAKE HIS SON HUNTG – ALONG WH STUNNG EXAMPL OF MASCULY MOE AND BARNEY – THEY END UP HUNTG DOMTITED REER STEAD OF ER. THE REER GET THE UPPER HAND, AND ’S UP TO JOHN TO SAVE HOMER’S LIFE WH A MISSILE-FIRG ROBOT SANTA. HOMER FALLY ACCEPTS JOHN, LEADG JOHN TO NCLU THAT WE ULD END HOMOPHOBIA IF ALL GAY MEN WOULD JT SAVE A STRAIGHT MAN’S {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHAT MAK IT GAY: PREV EPISO OF THE SIMPSONS HAD SOME GAY THEM: SEASON 2’S SIMPSON AND DELILAH” EVEN SHOWED KARL (VOICED BY HARVEY FIERSTE) KISSG HOMER. BUT “HOMER’S PHOBIA” WAS THE FIRST EPISO TO TRODUCE AN OPENLY GAY CHARACTER. (IT ALSO NTU THE LONG PROCS OF OUTG SMHERS, WHO SEEMS TO HAVE A THG WH JOHN.) AND HAS THE GLAAD SEAL OF APPROVAL, EARNG THE GLAAD MEDIA AWARD FOR OUTSTANDG TV – INDIVIDUAL EPISO. ALSO: JOHN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HOW DO IT HOLD UP: WHAT’S TERTG ABOUT “HOMER’S PHOBIA” IS THAT ’S VERY RELEVANT BUT ALSO A PRODUCT OF S TIME – CURRENT SS MAY MAKE THE OCSNAL GAY JOKE, BUT ’S RARE FOR A MA CHARACTER TO EXPRS SUCH SEVERE PREJUDICE. ON THE OTHER HAND, ’S SO OVER-THE-TOP THAT MAK HOMER OUT TO BE AN IDT, NOT A BIGOT. THAT’S WHY REMAS ONE OF THE GREAT TV EPISOS ABOUT HOMOPHOBIA: RATHER THAN GET PREACHY, SHOWS EXACTLY HOW STUPID HOMOPHOB {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}KEY L:{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“I LIKE MY BEER LD, MY TV LOUD, AND MY HOMOSEXUALS FLAAAAMG.” (HOMER){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JOHN: “HOMER, WHAT HAVE YOU GOT AGAST GAYS?”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HOMER: “YOU KNOW, 'S NOT UAL. IF THERE WAS A LAW, WOULD BE AGAST .”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}MARGE: “HOMER, PLEASE, YOU’RE EMBARRASSG YOURSELF.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HOMER: “NO, I’M NOT, MARGE. THEY’RE EMBARRASSG ME. THEY’RE EMBARRASSG AMERI. THEY TURNED THE NAVY TO A FLOATG JOKE. THEY ED ALL OUR BT NAM LIKE BCE AND LANCE AND JULIAN. THOSE WERE THE TOUGHT NAM WE HAD. NOW THEY’RE JT—”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JOHN: “QUEER?”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HOMER: “YEAH, AND THAT’S ANOTHER THG! I RENT YOU PEOPLE G THAT WORD. THAT’S OUR WORD FOR MAKG FUN OF YOU. WE NEED !”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“WHERE YOU BEEN, HOMER? ENTIRE STEEL DTRY’S GAY. YEAH, AEROSPACE, TOO. AND THE RAILROADS. AND YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE? BROADWAY.” (MOE){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“YOU KNOW BART, MAYBE ’S JT THE NCSN TALKG, BUT ANY WAY YOU CHOOSE TO LIVE YOUR LIFE IS OK WH ME.” (HOMER){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}LOUIS PEZMAN IS A EELANCE WRER LOS ANGEL, SPENDG MOST OF HIS TIME AS THE WEEKEND EDOR AT GAWKER AND A NTRIBUTOR TO WSTREAM AND HE’S A LTLE B DOROTHY, A LTLE B BLANCHE. YOU N FOLLOW HIM ON {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}RELATED: CLASSIC GAY TV: THE GOLN GIRLS, 'ISN'T IT ROMANTIC?'{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS
• “THE WHOLE WORLD’S GONE GAY!”: GAY INTY, QUEER CULTURE, AND THE SIMPSONS
• 'SIMPSONS' ANIMAT GAY NUPTIALS, AND A DEBATE
• THE GAY SONG

REVISG THE FIRST-EVER GAY EPISO OF THE SIMPSONS

Cult in John Waters was the first openly gay character on The Simpsons, and the show's treatment of him signaled a tidal shift Amerin TV.

When a character was referred to as gay, the figure qutn almost always played as tragic or, more often, herently il. The Simpsons mocked almost everythg (except Scientology) s Goln Age, but unlike most ss of the time, the seri didn’t treat s first openly gay character as a walkg joke. Beg gay was, and of self, seen as a punchle even for progrsive televisn of the ‘80s and early ‘90s, and few shows were terted challengg this.

THREE GAYS OF THE CONDO

However, the show was still subject to work censorship and, although the star of Ellen me out as a lbian two months later, “Homer’s Phobia” was one of the first attempts to break down the visible barrier faced by gay characters.

CLASSIC GAY TV: THE SIMPSONS, 'HOMER'S PHOBIA'{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}NEWSBY LOUIS PEZMANSEPTEMBER 19, 2012/11:36 AMBY LOUIS PEZMANSEPTEMBER 19, 2012 / 11:36 AM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"CLASSIC GAY TV: THE SIMPSONS, 'HOMER'S PHOBIA'","DATEPUBLISHED":"2012-09-19T15:36:23.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2012-09-19T15:36:23.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"LOUIS PEZMAN","ARTICLESECTN":"NEWS"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN CLASSIC GAY TV, LOUIS PEZMAN LOOKS AT CLASSIC AND NEW-CLASSIC GAY-THEMED EPISOS OF TELEVISN. WAS THIS A MAJOR STEP FORWARD LGBT REPRENTATN OR A CRGEWORTHY RELIC OF THE PAST?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SERI: THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}EPISO: “HOMER’S PHOBIA” (SEASON 8, EPISO 15){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ORIGAL AIR DATE: FEBARY 16, {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}PLOT POTS: BART STROYS THE DRYER, BUT THE FAY N’T AFFORD TO REPLACE . MARGE CIS TO SELL HER GRANDMA’S PREC CIVIL WAR FIGURE. THE SIMPSONS GO TO COCKAMAMIE’S, A STORE THAT SPECIALIZ MP – “THE TRAGILLY LUDICRO, THE LUDICROLY TRAGIC” – AND MEET THE FLAMBOYANT OWNER, JOHN (VOICED BY JOHN WATERS). HOMER AND JOHN H OFF STANTLY, AND HOMER V JOHN OVER. THEY DANCE TO “I LOVE THE NIGHTLIFE,” WHICH IS MAYBE THE GAYT THG YOU N DO OUTSI OF MAN-ON-MAN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}TURNS OUT HOMER HAS THE WORST GAYDAR EVER, BEE HE EAKS OUT WHEN MARGE TELLS HIM THAT JOHN IS GAY. (“OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD, I DANCED WH A GAY. MARGE, LISA, PROMISE ME YOU WON’T TELL ANYONE.”) HOMER ROLV TO SHUN JOHN, EVEN AS THE RT OF THE SIMPSON FAY EMBRAC HIM. AS BART BEGS TO ACT GAYER – WEARG A HAWAIIAN SHIRT, CHOOSG A PK SNOWBALL OVER A HOSTS CUPKE – HOMER BE TERMED TO STRAIGHTEN HIM {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IT’S A TOTAL DISASTER, AS THE WHOLE WORLD HAS APPARENTLY GONE GAY. HOMER TAK BART TO A STEEL L THAT TURNS TO A BIG GAY DIS. WHEN HE CIS TO TAKE HIS SON HUNTG – ALONG WH STUNNG EXAMPL OF MASCULY MOE AND BARNEY – THEY END UP HUNTG DOMTITED REER STEAD OF ER. THE REER GET THE UPPER HAND, AND ’S UP TO JOHN TO SAVE HOMER’S LIFE WH A MISSILE-FIRG ROBOT SANTA. HOMER FALLY ACCEPTS JOHN, LEADG JOHN TO NCLU THAT WE ULD END HOMOPHOBIA IF ALL GAY MEN WOULD JT SAVE A STRAIGHT MAN’S {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHAT MAK IT GAY: PREV EPISO OF THE SIMPSONS HAD SOME GAY THEM: SEASON 2’S SIMPSON AND DELILAH” EVEN SHOWED KARL (VOICED BY HARVEY FIERSTE) KISSG HOMER. BUT “HOMER’S PHOBIA” WAS THE FIRST EPISO TO TRODUCE AN OPENLY GAY CHARACTER. (IT ALSO NTU THE LONG PROCS OF OUTG SMHERS, WHO SEEMS TO HAVE A THG WH JOHN.) AND HAS THE GLAAD SEAL OF APPROVAL, EARNG THE GLAAD MEDIA AWARD FOR OUTSTANDG TV – INDIVIDUAL EPISO. ALSO: JOHN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HOW DO IT HOLD UP: WHAT’S TERTG ABOUT “HOMER’S PHOBIA” IS THAT ’S VERY RELEVANT BUT ALSO A PRODUCT OF S TIME – CURRENT SS MAY MAKE THE OCSNAL GAY JOKE, BUT ’S RARE FOR A MA CHARACTER TO EXPRS SUCH SEVERE PREJUDICE. ON THE OTHER HAND, ’S SO OVER-THE-TOP THAT MAK HOMER OUT TO BE AN IDT, NOT A BIGOT. THAT’S WHY REMAS ONE OF THE GREAT TV EPISOS ABOUT HOMOPHOBIA: RATHER THAN GET PREACHY, SHOWS EXACTLY HOW STUPID HOMOPHOB {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}KEY L:{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“I LIKE MY BEER LD, MY TV LOUD, AND MY HOMOSEXUALS FLAAAAMG.” (HOMER){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JOHN: “HOMER, WHAT HAVE YOU GOT AGAST GAYS?”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HOMER: “YOU KNOW, 'S NOT UAL. IF THERE WAS A LAW, WOULD BE AGAST .”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}MARGE: “HOMER, PLEASE, YOU’RE EMBARRASSG YOURSELF.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HOMER: “NO, I’M NOT, MARGE. THEY’RE EMBARRASSG ME. THEY’RE EMBARRASSG AMERI. THEY TURNED THE NAVY TO A FLOATG JOKE. THEY ED ALL OUR BT NAM LIKE BCE AND LANCE AND JULIAN. THOSE WERE THE TOUGHT NAM WE HAD. NOW THEY’RE JT—”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JOHN: “QUEER?”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HOMER: “YEAH, AND THAT’S ANOTHER THG! I RENT YOU PEOPLE G THAT WORD. THAT’S OUR WORD FOR MAKG FUN OF YOU. WE NEED !”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“WHERE YOU BEEN, HOMER? ENTIRE STEEL DTRY’S GAY. YEAH, AEROSPACE, TOO. AND THE RAILROADS. AND YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE? BROADWAY.” (MOE){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“YOU KNOW BART, MAYBE ’S JT THE NCSN TALKG, BUT ANY WAY YOU CHOOSE TO LIVE YOUR LIFE IS OK WH ME.” (HOMER){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}LOUIS PEZMAN IS A EELANCE WRER LOS ANGEL, SPENDG MOST OF HIS TIME AS THE WEEKEND EDOR AT GAWKER AND A NTRIBUTOR TO WSTREAM AND HE’S A LTLE B DOROTHY, A LTLE B BLANCHE. YOU N FOLLOW HIM ON {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}RELATED: CLASSIC GAY TV: THE GOLN GIRLS, 'ISN'T IT ROMANTIC?'{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

While no one explicly stated that any characters were to be stereotyped, was all-but-unheard of for a character like John, who was picted as charmg, lm, and genial, to be gay.

The Simpsons rarely ma small-town Sprgfielrs the villas of the story, but this stance, turng Homer to the bad guy led Amerin dienc to intify wh a sweet, likable character who happened to be gay over the regnizable s dad they were ually expected to love and see as herently harmls spe his prejudice.

“THE WHOLE WORLD’S GONE GAY!”: GAY INTY, QUEER CULTURE, AND THE SIMPSONS

However, “Homer’s Phobia” picked Waters not bee of his fame but bee his public image reprented the perfect tersectn between all-Amerin manners and the more outre, unfaiar aspects of queer culture, mp, and the gay experience.

Castg Waters as a level-head, kd, and unrstandg face of the LGBTQ+ muny allowed The Simpsons to celebrate mp, queer culture, and outsir art whout makg the character himself a stereotype or offensive riture of what was perceived as “gay. In ntrast, anyone unfaiar wh the director’s ovre got a funny, self-pretg look to LGBTQ+ culture a story where beg gay was neher a joke to lghed at, or an odd spectacle to be leered and jeered at. Waters had a sense of humor about John and ma him a funny figure whout treatg his gayns self as a joke.

The fact that his character The Simpsons was both mp and ol pared to Homer and pany’s “normal” and nrotic reactn to him was one of televisn’s first attempts to see homophobia as the exceptn and not the norm.

'SIMPSONS' ANIMAT GAY NUPTIALS, AND A DEBATE

This January, one of the -hosts of the podst Gayt Episo Ever, upload a supercut to YouTube of every LGBTQ+ joke om the entire n of The Simpsons, so far. Each episo of their podst discs what they have termed to be the ‘gayt episo’ of any given televisn show.

THE GAY SONG

In the span of thirty years, prevly homophobic characters bee more acceptg, some even bi-cur.

The majory of the gay jok the first ten to fifteen years that The Simpsons was on the air do not age particularly well. A gay person watchg them might be ma to feel like a b of a creep, as their only nsistent reprentatn on The Simpsons was Waylon Smhers. They foc on "Homer’s Phobia", the fifteenth episo of season eight, "Three Gays of the Condo", the seventeenth episo of season fourteen, and "Liv’ La Pura Vida", the seventh episo of season thirty-one.

He stops teractg wh John, but Marge and the kids ntue to, until Homer starts to thk that John is turng Bart gay. Where he is a stereotypil flat character whose only real attribute is beg gay, John is a well-round character who shows the dience that not every gay person is like Smhers. In this episo, Homer is almost illy homophobic, sayg thgs like “oh my god, I danced wh a gay”, and “now we n never say only straight people have been this hoe”… but the words of Mackie and Lak, for Homer to go on this journey might be more valuable than not.

If a viewer was perhaps somewhat homophobic, seeg Homer go through a change may have been a better fluence than would be to see characters who were already acceptg of people of different sexuali and sexual inti. The next episo of The Simpsons featured on Gayt Episo Ever was "Three Gays of the Condo", released 2003. Mackie and Lak discs how this episo uld have been much better than was but is really jt another stereotypil reprentatn of gay people.