Sharing StoriesInspiring Change. Deconstructing the « Sassy Gay Buddy »

David Levy, composing for JewishBoston.com, recently challenged us at JWA to comment on the gender/sexuality dynamic of this 2nd City’s brand brand new movie show, « Sassy Gay Friend.  » He published:

There is an extended tradition in Judaism of imagining various variations of the most popular tales, from rabbinic midrash to contemporary novels. Comedy troupe The 2nd City has tossed their cap to the band this week by having a brand new youtube movie in their « Sassy Gay buddy » series.

If you’ren’t knowledgeable about the show, it began almost a year ago as being a goof from the fate that is tragic of lots of Shakespeare’s heroines. Possibly, the videos advised, Ophelia, Juliet, Desdemona plus the remainder might have had happier endings when they just possessed a BFF to guide them far from difficulty. (we will keep it to JWA when it comes to inescapable deconstruction of just what these videos state about sex and sex. )

If that is a challenge, We accept. Within the videos, Ophelia, Juliet, Desdemona and Eve are each going to make a move stupid when their « sassy homosexual friend » steps in, speaks some feeling into them, and saves a single day. Within the movie below, the sassy friend that is gay Eve from eating the apple.

My, my. How to start. « Sassy Gay buddy » extremely demonstrably plays on stereotypes — the label that gay males occur to become ladies’ « sassy homosexual buddies » and also the label that ladies are, as it’s over and over repeatedly stated when you look at the videos, « stupid bitches. « 

The very first issue right here could be the presumption that exactly just what each one of the females do is stupid. Like, being murdered by the spouse, killing yourself, or consuming the apple. Let’s keep in mind why these females have actually in a few real method been abused, used, tormented, or tricked, and calling their actions « stupid » seems a bit like blaming the target.

The problem that is second the the presumption that homosexual guys are professionals at being females.

They are better at it because, well, they truly are perhaps maybe not ladies. They could see these circumstances more plainly simply because they don’t possess « brains crafted from rib.  » They’re also in a position to see these circumstances plainly since they’ren’t straight guys and as a consequence sidetracked by intimate attraction to females. Given that they occupy neither area, they occur to instruct females (and males on Queer Eye for the Straight Guy) how exactly to be « better » straight people. That is demonstrably demeaning to right gents and ladies, but additionally to men that are gay. In this label, gay guys occur simply to help right people, and they are therefore paid down to a supporting role and usually desexualized in order to not be threatening (think Stanford on Intercourse therefore the City).

Finally, https://camsloveaholics.com/dxlive-review I hate the expression « stupid bitch.  » The sassy homosexual buddy utilizes this to Juliet and Ophelia, and then turns it in himself when you look at the videos about Eve and Desdemona. The expression « stupid bitch » is vile given that it invalidates ladies as real individuals with genuine desires, issues, psychological state problems, or views. He is stating that ladies do not have legitimate cause of acting how they do, they simply function crazy since they’re « stupid bitches.  » By calling Juliet and Ophelia « stupid bitches,  » their so-called sassy homosexual buddy dismisses the despair and heartbreak (and of course the misogynistic and paternalistic forces oppressing the ladies) behind all of their suicides because well, silly. Using this method, he could be not just insulting ladies, but those who have ever struggled with depression and ideas of committing committing suicide.

All of having said that, I really enjoyed these videos a whole lot. Extremely yes that are offensive but pretty funny too. This is the plain benefit of comedy — it plays on terrible stereotypes, is usually pretty offensive, and we also like it. Simply glance at Joan streams, Sarah Silverman, and a variety of other comedians that have made us laugh with very innapropriate humor.

The most readily useful part, I think, may be the one about Juliet. Enjoy!