Earl<3Kenny

The acceptance of homosexuality has advanced greatly from the baby boomer generation to m generation (technology generation?). It always interests me how my grandparents and my parents (to some extent) have a difficult time accepting homosexuality while I see no problem with it. In television, the portrayal of homosexuality has evolved and become a popular, humorous and comfortable subject for many shows. On the first episode of my favorite show, My Name is Earl, Earl, the main character who has set out to offset his previous wrongdoings with the help of karma, aids a gay man, Kenny, accept his homosexual lifestyle. Earl and his brother Randy ring Kenny’s doorbell in hopes of gaining back Kenny’s friendships after bullying Kenny all throughout their childhood years together. Kenny is fearful of letting Early and Randy into his house because of their history; however, when Kenny does let them in, Randy finds a gay pornographic magazine inside the house. Having never seen a gay person before, Earl and Randy foolishly run away leaving Kenny disappointed yet again. The director of My Name is Earl provides a clear example of heterosexism-the discrimination in favor of heterosexual people- in this episode. Earl and Randy, two beer drinking tough guys, bully Kenny, a small, weak man who is wearing stereotypical homosexual clothes and has a “gay voice”. When Earl returns to Kenny’s house to apologize, Kenny discusses how he has been living his “whole life scared to be who I really am because of what people might think”. Earl realizes his heterosexual privileges and decides to take Kenny to a place where he would feel comfortable and not constrained by society: a gay bar. The gay bar fits all stereotypes-men in speedos dancing on poles, bubbles floating around, techno music, and gay men drinking martinis. Earl feels Kenny needs the confidence to talk to other homosexual men so Earl takes it upon himself to talk with other gay men and introduce Kenny. After a night at the gay bar Kenny realizes that he can fit in somewhere. Earl says to “never underestimate the power of confidence”. For us as a society to break the lack of homosexual privileges and break all stereotypes we must gain confidence in ourselves and others to accept people regardless of their sexual preference.