Saturday, 10 July 2010
Asylum Ruling: Dial-a-Cliché
Fagburn was a little surprised how few columnists have taken up the gauntlet of the "Kylie and cocktails" ruling from the Supreme Court this week.
In the Telegraph there was Charles Moore's; 'Is Attending Kylie Concerts a Fundamental Human Right?'
Though this appears to be an eye-catching headline given by a sub, as it's not a question he addresses in the article.
A thoroughly modern old fogey, Moore applauds the fact that same-sexing is no longer illegal in the UK; "Anyone who believes in freedom and opposes the state control of private life should rejoice."
Or should have been rejoicing over 40 years ago, Charles.
It's relatively reasonable stuff for him, but then halfway through the bilious cliches - Or is it his whisky? Probably both... - kick in; "But now they've gone too far! Fucking in the streets! No it's not bloody 'normal'! And if you say you think all these perverted pansies should be flogged to with an inch of their lives they call you a 'homeopath'!!!"
Those aren't Mr Moore's exact words, but you get the general idea.
Philip Hensher in The Independent used the "All queens love Kylie" cliche as a hook to map out a broader set of modern gay male stereotypes; the Disco Bunny, the Muscle Mary, The A-Gay, the Old Hand, the Hoxton Bitch, the Country Member, and the Grand Old Gay.
It was surprisingly accurate, funny and neatly drawn, and Hensher acknowledges that we are legion and the number of ways of being gay are many, if not infinite.
"Nevertheless, one thing that gay men like to do is to be recognised by another, and to develop a little sense of belonging. Subject to peer pressure, a gay man will have a tendency to join a number of social groups, often more apparent from the outside to an observer."
Might Fagburn be so bold as to suggest one more gay stereotype, Mr Hensher?
The slightly haughty but ever so cultured old queen.
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