Before if this thread ends up getting the ax, since the sentiment seems to be going around, I want to put this out there as an example of how I changed from a homophobe when I was younger:
When I was a teenager, BEWITCHED was one of my favorite shows (I still enjoy it today, I just don't usually go out of my way to watch as much). I always had a preference for Dick York as the first Darrin for a number of different reasons: he was more animated and neurotic in his expressions and mannerisms, which made Darrin's reactions to whatever Samantha's family got him into all the more funny; Dick Sargent, while also a lanky and gangly guy like Dick York, lacked that aspect. But another reason for my preference for Dick York was because Dick Sargent was gay. I know it wasn't known at the time the series was in production, but it was already known when I discovered BEWITCHED (along with rumors of his death being the result of AIDS). Likewise, I loved Uncle Arthur because Paul Lynde was such a riot . . . then I found out that not only was Paul Lynde gay, but that it apparently was "common knowledge" that he was. See, because I had limited exposure to gay people, I never picked up on so-called "effeminiate mannerisms" or the "gay voice" stereotypes, so I never would have guessed - and when I found out, I felt bad because I felt like I couldn't be a fan of Paul anymore because of it. Even later, I remember TV Land did a documentary on homoerotic subtext in older shows, and apparently both BEWITCHED and I DREAM OF JEANNIE are really popular shows among the LGBTQIA community . . . and I couldn't fathom why. I remember celebrities like Bruce Vilanche talking about how BEWITCHED was a show about eccentric characters who don't quite fit in the world around them, but they couldn't care less, or Judy Gold talking about how she had a really big crush on Barbara Eden as a kid, even admitting, "I didn't know what was going on in my head, I just remember thinking she's really pretty, I like her." Not to mention all the comments about what a drag queen Endora is (admittedly, that I still don't see), or from peopel like Bruce and Carson Kresley talking about how hot Larry Hagman was.
Again, I was young, had very little knowledge about sex, sexuality, and the like - all I knew was what religion and Bush-era society said about gays, that they were an "evil cult" bent on taking over the world to make everyone gay . . . like I said, I'm not proud about it, but there was once a time where even I felt like this so-called "gay mafia" was pushing agendas and trying to shove their lifestyle down our throats . . . I even remember once making a comment in a conversation that, "I'm glad there's still some straight people left in the world." Yes, I actually said that in a conversation . . . and I'm not proud (especially considering the person I said it to had a gay relative). I think I may have even made some homophobic remarks (albeit in jest) when another gay MCer (DanDan, I believe) would flirt with me (which I believe was also in jest).
It was ignorance. Just plain ignorance. I can remember my earlier years here at MC where Jamie and I would often butt heads over differences of opinions - while, admittedly, that had nothing to do with his sexuality, I still credit years of actually getting to know and befriending him in helping open my eyes to just how wrong I (and a lot of people still are) was about the LGBTQIA community. Back then, when I would learn somebody I knew was in the closet, my reaction was devastation; today, when I learn somebody I know is gay (such as another longtime MCer whose friendship spans my entire time here), my reaction is I don't care one way or another, they're still my friends, and I still like them regardless if they're straight, gay, bi, whatever.
So, yeah. How stupid of me to think I could no longer be a fan of Paul Lynde because he was gay . . . just as stupid as Michelle Bubblehead Bachmann saying kids can't watch THE LION KING because a gay man (Elton John) did the music.