Perez Hilton and Jesse Jackson: A Treatise

As you probably already know, I have a huge issue with how I'm "seen." Not in the sense of how others continually see me on a day to day basis (i.e. how I dress, carry myself, etc. though this is of much importance to me), but how I am represented in the media by people who belong to the communities I identify with. There is always, to some level, representation of the individual by certain individuals in the spotlight. In my case, and in the case of other African-Americans and gay men (specifically, though this very much does reflect other demographics), I don't think there is always positive representation.

We can say that certain people (namely, Perez Hilton and Jesse Jackson) don't represent us, but in fact they do. When people look at us, what do they see? They see what the media has represented of our certain cultures, demographics, ethnicity and so much more. This is colored by personal experience as well. But what if there is little to no personal experience to give form to how the media represents people? How do these people in the spotlight, whether celebrity or otherwise, affect how the world sees those that belong to the same demographic?

I don't like that Perez Hilton seems like a loud, extravagant, eccentric, and intrusive gossip monger. I don't like that Jesse Jackson seems to come out of the shadows to make some comment about how individuals should apologize to the black community if they do something he thinks is offensive. These two individuals, and others, speak out as though with a megaphone, talking for the rest of us when we don't need it. I hope that someone doesn't see Perez Hilton when they look at me and know or realize that I'm gay, and I also hope that people don't see me as someone who takes every opportunity imaginable to play the race card (except as a good punchline - forgive me for that one) with even the slightest appearance of discrimination. I want to be represented as MYSELF, but I can't stop the media, the machine that loves oh so much to perpetuate stereotypes, from inadvertently, or maybe not, typecasting me. This isn't just an issue for gays or african americans either. Do all republicans identify with Ann Coulter or Bill O'Reilly? Do all liberals identify with Bill Maher? Do all atheists and agnostics identify with Richard Dawkins? I highly doubt it, and these individuals, as well, may be upsetting those whom they inadvertently represent.

One day I will learn to live and let live and those two won't bother me, but it's hard to shake off the anger and frustration I feel at people like that always rising up and doing something counterproductive against the cause they seek to defend. Outing people should be done at those individuals' discretion, not someone who thinks it's necessary and that it will further gay rights. Not every white person who makes a black joke is racist, because black people say them, too (you know someone who's always made remarks about "that lazy negro).

This makes me think of how I am representing gay people, black people, men, humans, college aged individuals. Am I doing my part to make sure that stereotypes aren't being propagated? Is that my job, my obligation? There are many ways to look at this issue. I can't stop Jesse Jackson or Perez Hilton, and it would go against their rights for me to try. Sometimes I just wonder if they think about what they say and how it will affect people in their demographic. However, something like that can't always be predicted. Maybe these individuals do truly believe in the cause they're fighting for, but also maybe, just maybe, they are taking us more steps back than forward.