Monday 25 August 2014

Doctor Who and the Fear of Queer Equality

So, predictably, the BBC has been attacked for showing a lesbian kiss in Saturday's Doctor Who episode Deep Breath. "Attacked," in this case, meaning a handful of homophobic morons have kicked up a fuss. Still, it's always the loudest arseholes who get the most attention, and so a number of outlets have reported on the issue, including Pink News.

It is, of course, fabulously stupid. Vastra and Jenny have been portrayed as existing in a same-sex relationship since they first appeared, and have been married for most of that. Not only that, but Doctor Who featured its first same-sex kiss nine years ago, in the first season finale The Parting of the Ways, when Jack briefly kissed the Doctor goodbye. This caused a tiny uproar itself, but nothing much. Here though, it seems that two women kissing is somehow obscene to some people, with the comments lifted exposing deep-seated hatred of homosexual practice. It's very revealing that these individuals have no problem with a family programme showing heterosexual kissing, but consider a lesbian kiss to be "pornographic" or "inappropriate for a children's programme." Only one quote focused on what is surely more questionable, the fact that the two women involved are of different species. Of course, that's just dressing up. It seems this is no problem, but two women sharing a brief kiss on screen is.

I saw Deep Breath at the Orion Cinema with many children in attendance, and not one seemed remotely shocked or upset by the kiss. Chaste homosexual romance is not inappropriate for a children's programme. Homophobia is inappropriate for a human being. Avert your eyes, bigots.



1 comment:

  1. Quite often you hear that 'old people find it uncomfortable if a gay couple kiss in public.'

    Frankly, I don't give a fuck about their comfort.

    I don't especially enjoy seeing ugly and overweight heterosexual couples kissing in the park, but I don't feel I have the right to order them to halt.

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