false perceptions abound

A preliminary search into google images for the term "gay man" brings a number of quite offensive and irritating images, although I found this image in particular, one of the most irritating in terms of it's cultural representation of what a gay man 'is'.

Despite the wide array of cultural representations of LGBT people's in media today it is surprising to find that most are still archetypal constructs of a stereotype based on years-old homophobia.

The cultured idea here is that gay men are inherently effeminate, and frequently cross-dress.

Not to say this isn't the case for some people (straight and gay people alike) but the factor of representation that comes across here astoundingly effects a great number of people who continue to believe this is what a gay man really is.

Speaking from personal experience, as a gay man, I find more and more frequently when people find out about it that they exclaim, "What? Wow, I would never have guessed." and a co-worker even said to me, "You need to be more effeminate." (jokingly; we're friends).

This representation isn't just limited to any given image on google however; even "pro-gay" television shows like Will & Grace are not without their negative representations, despite the theme being that gay people obviously are amongst us and are just normal people trying to live their lives. The character of Jack is a prime example of this cultured image wherein people who enjoy the show continue to be exposed to representations of a group of people that subconsciously becomes truth to them. The political representation, although false, becomes something that they can rely on when they envision a gay person.

Despite what i tell people, as well, as I am a representation of something OTHER than the stereotype so often presented in the media, people's misconceptions about what gay men are or aren't is still strongly held in place.

Even people who are tolerant individuals who support what people who wish to ostracize LGBT people's would call a "lifestyle", I find continually express that the stereotype is their vision of the LGBT community even when I myself am a standing contradiction.

This goes back clearly to what Dyer says regarding the 'raced-person' v. the un-raced person, " The claim to power is the claim to speak for the commonality of humanity. Raced people can't do that - they can only speak for their race."

The manner in which I mean is that despite the fact that being gay is part of who I am, it does not make up WHO I am, but I am immediately singled out as a GAY MAN instead of a MAN WHO IS GAY. I'm automatically associated with a cultural representation instead of simply who I am as a human being.

All in all I find the lack of credible representations of gay people's quite irritating, not even in the fact that they are not in existent but that they are not more common and in the way that their sexual orientation is not central to their character.