Okay, it is the end of 2009, and everyone everywhere is making their “year in review” lists (including Dallas Voice; see our Friday, Jan. 1 issue to find out who is our LGBT Person of the Year and our Top 10 Stories of 2009).
Change.org has its list online of the “Top 5 Gay TV Moments in 2009.” Most of them I didn’t see, because I don’t watch the shows they cite. They have clips of each of the five moments, starting at No. 5 with the scene from “Modern Family” where the gay couple present their newly-adopted daughter to the rest of the family. Wonderfully funny!
Ongina’s coming out as HIV-positive on “RuPaul’s Drag Race” is No. 4, followed by Vogue Evolution on “America’s Best Dance Crew” at No. 3, the “Single Ladies” dance by the football team on “Glee” at No. 2 and Callie Torres standind up to her anti-gay father on “Grey’s Anatomy” at No. 1.
The clips from “Modern Family” and from “Glee” had me laughing out loud at my desk, but it was the other clip — included in the paragraph about “Glee” that made me realize what Change.org was saying was truly valid: Positive, realistic depictions of LGBT people on TV really can make a difference.
The clip I’m talking about its a video of the real-life football team from real-life Glendale High School in California performing the “Single Ladies” dance on stage, in full football uniform, for a talent show. I have NO DOUBT that I would have never seen the football team at my high school do something like this, and if they had, they would have been laughed — or booed — off stage.
We really have come a long way baby.
I think #12 has been practicing at home in front of the mirror.