Actress Jane Lynch, who plays bullying teacher Sue Sylvester on the Fox show Glee, joined Rachel Maddow Wednesday to talk about how television has helped evolve public opinion on homosexuality.
“People are tied to their televisions,” said Lynch on The Rachel Maddow Show. “People come up to me like they know me, they think we’re friends.”
Lynch argues that the familiarity of the medium has introduced more Americans to gay characters. “If the characters are flawed, [viewers learn] it has nothing to do with our orientation. It’s because we’re flawed. We’re full human beings.”
“Joe Biden said you have to put us out in the culture,” says Lynch, referring to Vice President Biden’s Meet the Press interview where he announced he was “absolutely comfortable” with gay marriage and where he credited shows like Will and Grace for educating Americans.
Lynch shared that before President Obama announced his support of gay marriage, she thought she was unemotional about the issue. When she heard the president’s words, Lynch found herself moved. “For the first time, I realized that I’d been kind of distanced from it emotionally, but that [moment] really kind of broke it open for me. It made me very very happy.”
“I don’t know if it will change history or if it was political calculus on his part, but I think President Obama does believe in the dignity of our relationships and in our right to exist. I think there are people we aren’t going to convince in this lifetime, but I think there are changeable folks. A lot of people change when they’re in the presence of one of us, when they get to know us, when they get to know our families. That’s why being out is important for me, and why I appear in public with my family. Not hiding it is very important.”
Lynch also subbed for Maddow for one segment, reporting on “The Best New Thing in the World.” And while she seemed to enjoy delivering the news— she even came up with the topic herself— she said TV punditry is not in her future.
"I'm a political junkie, and I'd love to play a cable news host. I don't know that I'd want to do that day in and day out."
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I agree that the TV has been a positive force in the growing acceptance of people with a lifestyle different than the usual heterosexual.
Mainly, I agree with Ms. Lynch that as more gay people come out of the closet and are visible, that action helps further the acceptance of the movement as well.
I am nearing fifty now but when I was dragged out of the closet in my mid-twentys, many "straight" people said they have never met a gay person. I corrected them by saying I was sure they met gay people, its just that the gay person stayed in the closet and didn't feel free to be themselves by the persistent hatred and fear of gays leading to the discrimination we experienced daily. It is, by far, much better today. I still have some in my own family that think "all gay men are molesters" and that may never change. I still have hope, though. To stay with incorrect beliefs, and not grow, is one foolish idea.
I wonder if Lynch felt the same way when Dick Cheney said the same thing on gay marriage years ago?
Good question.
He was vice prez, while JWB and the rest were militantly against it.
Doubtful, as he had taken no political action that might lend her to believe he might actually DO anything to further validate his statement.
President Obama has at least lent his full support to ENDA and helped wipe out DADT.
Obama is a political wh*re. He would throw his granny under the bus if he thought it would get him reelected.
That's absurd and indefensible. Evolve already! That way, your opinions will be informed by fact rather than knee-jerk scapegoating.
So Obama got the Gay vote and 21 million for his campaign, simply by saying he supports Gay marriage. Now if he throws in amnesty for illegal aliens, he is sure to be re-elected.
JRPeterman:
Please stay on topic. The article said NOTHING about our brave President who did the correct thing. Amnesty is too hot a topic and will NEVER be addressed.
Spoken like a true gay rights AND Obama hater. How sad for you.
Peterman, what a loathsome creature you are. You are clearly a typical, small-minded, none-too-bright Republican bigot. Mitt, an arrogant, amoral product of privilege who counts on the mindless for his chance to deceive Americans into voting him into the White House, applauds your attempts to appear clever.
Peterman is a "loathsome creature" who is "small-minded" and "none-too-bright" because Andrew Smith disagrees with his opinion.
But before you judge Mr. Smith harshly for his harsh judgements, remember he is psychic. For example, he magically knows that Peterman is a Republican, and that Mitt Romney has both read and approved of Peterman's comments.
And yet... Peterman made a simple, objective, two-sentence observation that was not only pertinent, but probably true.
BTW, I'm an Independent who believes party politics, (along with lobbying), has destroyed the country. IMO, party politics is for people who are either too lazy--or too stupid--to think for themselves.
Just saying.
Gosh, this was such a happy topic - until you started submitting all this truth. Gosh - you are a (fill in whatever subject you prefer here) - hater. Your (fill in that same subject or choose another to appear to be real cool) - hate is just mean and you should be punished. Oh, wait, I am a tolerant person. How can I be so intolerant of good morals and values? Oh, yes, I almost forgot, I am a liberal - I dont have to explain anything. Now, where was I? Um, let's see, was I talking about more gov't spending for "never stop" programs? Did I ask why Obama hasnt been made King for Life yet?, gee, so many liberal ideas and so little space. Maddow - can you please get a larger space here???
This is exactly why the television needs to be put away.
Immorality abounds.
Traditional values are attacked.
Dogs and cats living together........
Wow, we should all bow down to His Majesty King Obama. For what? 8 % unemployed? No, Bush has been out of office for 3 yrs+. Bad excuse. For catering to his largest fundraising block - gays - and saying homosexual marriage should be legal? Why? Is he ignorant of the fact that any - ANY - society that accepts gays as "normal" has gone down to ruin in the history of our world? Yes, all of them. Gosh, sorry to rain on your rain on your parade Maddow and Lynch, but this story is merely ANOTHER media ploy to make it appear that Obama is doing everything correctly.
NO. He is not. He is the ruin of this nation with his idiotic ideas. Gays Strengthen families? Really? How? With the HIV? Yes, 75% of HIV patients are gay. Oh, but dont mention THAT FACT, you might hurt their self-esteem. When HIV first was discovered, it was 98%. So they have spread it pretty well in 30 years.
No, no, please, let's not talk FACTS. Let's get all liberal and talk about how all these subjective measures that no one is really sure about are going to make everyone happy all the time in everything. Gee, how is your self esteem now? Well, just wait, it will get better when Obama's Socialist plot continues if he is reelected. He will make Hitler and Stalin look like choir boys. No, I am NOT saying he is H & S, just his plans are an awful lot like their plans.
I'll try to stick to the topic at hand instead of spending too much time taking down all of your Fox News talking points.
Did you know, and I'm guessing you didn't because you pulled your "statistics" out of your nether regions, that 66% of women that are HIV positive got it through heterosexual sex? If half of the men got it through gay sex, that means the other half didn't. So, I think that it's safe to say that your 75% and 98% stuff is bunk. Try doing some research instead of just spewing garbage - the internet is your friend.
ALL societies in history have eventually fallen, given enough time. So, what's your point?
I don't know whether that statistic is valid. But, since you seem to think that HIV is relevant to this discussion, I suppose that we should also deny marriage to heterosexuals since they also contract HIV.
Puratinism is the suspicion that someone, somewhere, is having fun.
Bad spelling is bad spelling
goood smeller goood smeller.
Hollywood glamorized the Gay lifestyle. Examples everywhere. Ellen, How I Met Your Mother. It portrays these people in a constant positive light. I don't buy it. I don't buy Gay's adopting babies. How is that fair to the children? Sorry but its a male/female bond. All of this forced down the publics throat acceptance is wrong.
I watch HIMYM and haven't seen any glamorization of the LGBT lifestyle. As to your other idiotic statement. You'd rather kids be shuffled from foster home to foster home and be paid for by the big, scary government than given to a loving couple? Do you have any proof that children being brought up by gay parents are any worse off than those in the male/female bond thing you speak so highly of? What about single mothers? There may be no male part to your inane thought. What then? Who will think of the children!?!
You are so right. They're much better off as foster children, without a permanent home. Stability and love is over-rated.
Single mothers??? HOW ABOUT THEM?? Maybe you should ask those who deal with kids everyday and see how BABY DADDIES have been the rage for years now. Just keep pandering to these fringe groups. Loving couple my arse. Nothing but a bunch of circus freaks playing Politically correct.
It is a shame that the homophobic Radical Right Insurgency feels it must attack any post they have drooling fits over. Jane Lynch as well as millions of folks, gay & straight that do not live in a one dimensional universe applaud the diversity that makes this country strong.
Reason # 762 to vote to reelect President Obama in November. Along with Democratic majorities in both houses. Our only shot at retaining any semblance of sanity in the US of A.
Humanmancalvin, Sarasota, Fl
The Banker: How is it that gay-related ANYTHING makes you so angry and bitter. Ever heard of the Golden Rule??? Let me remind you, do unto others as you would have them do unto you. It's a good practice. Does anything gay touch your life negatively?? If so, how?? Why do you care so much about this topic?? Just wondering because I really feel the need to know why someone "hates" another group of people different from them...sort of makes no sense to me. Oh, and another reality of life.....what you give, you get....what you put out there comes back to you....
Most interesting line from Rachel..." I'm still waiting to meet my real self...it's gonna be in a dark alley and there's gonna be a fight."
Sodom & Gomorrah all over again.
Satan is on th Rise.
when i used to work,,i worked with 3 gay peoples,,,i am not gay but for me ,,it has to be respect of other peoples,,those gay peoples were decent and good peoples,,very normal,,,one was a woman,,she always treated me with respect and never made a pass at me,,,we were friend,,and she knew i am not gay,,so she was a co-worker like anyone else,,what i do not understand the religious peoples from any religion,,they seem to think god created the world ,,so he created gay ,black,orientals,white etc,,if they really believe in god,,they should respect god's work,,so religious fanatics are not logical,,either they respect god or they do not,,,who told them to judge,,i do not believe for a minute that they preach the word of god,,they preach what their very narrow mind think is the word of god,,but it is not,,,,god supposedly create all of us,than he created the gays,,so the gay peoples have a right to be happy,,nobody chooses to be born gay,white ,black etc we were born,,equal just love other peoples as they are,if you know them ,you will like them if they are good peoples inside
Why aren't you happy?