Media Doing the Right Thing
Long ago, Eric and I started collecting movies with messages -- movies that we wanted our kids to see because the story told was more powerful than we could tell alone. Requiem for a Dream, Trainspotting, and Traffic tell the stories of drug abuse in such real-life, horrifying fashion that I could never imagine starting down that path myself. In Traffic, an honors student starts prostituting herself to get her next fix -- that has stuck with me to this day. And, of course, I have the full set of books and movies with powerful female protagonists; my girls will never want for media that promotes a strong female character. (Wimpy female characters are not allowed!)
I plan to buy Glee for the same reasons. I've only watched season two, but in that duration the show has addressed bullying, sexual orientation, relationships with parents, bystanders, alcohol, sex, and friendship -- all in ways that are really appealing and don't have that "now is the time for the moral" feel. I continue to be impressed with the show; it really has embraced the motto "with great power comes great responsibility" and I applaud their efforts to broach topics in a meaningful way so that kids will start talking with each other (and hopefully their parents) about the same issues.
I also give kudos to Kurt's dad. In many shows with teen protagonists, the responsible adults are lame, disinterested, and/or misguided. Kurt's dad has never been these things; the love he shows for his son is overpowering. At one point this season, the dad realizes the full extent to which his son has been bullied. He immediately takes the issue up with the school's administration but, even more powerful, he turns to Kurt's brother and says "Where were you?!" I also love that the dad sits his son down to talk about sex (on screen, so that every kid who doesn't have someone to talk to them about sex will at least have a reasonable voice from which to hear). I just hope that in 10 years the show won't be horribly outdated because I look forward to watching it with Raina and Lola.
I plan to buy Glee for the same reasons. I've only watched season two, but in that duration the show has addressed bullying, sexual orientation, relationships with parents, bystanders, alcohol, sex, and friendship -- all in ways that are really appealing and don't have that "now is the time for the moral" feel. I continue to be impressed with the show; it really has embraced the motto "with great power comes great responsibility" and I applaud their efforts to broach topics in a meaningful way so that kids will start talking with each other (and hopefully their parents) about the same issues.
I also give kudos to Kurt's dad. In many shows with teen protagonists, the responsible adults are lame, disinterested, and/or misguided. Kurt's dad has never been these things; the love he shows for his son is overpowering. At one point this season, the dad realizes the full extent to which his son has been bullied. He immediately takes the issue up with the school's administration but, even more powerful, he turns to Kurt's brother and says "Where were you?!" I also love that the dad sits his son down to talk about sex (on screen, so that every kid who doesn't have someone to talk to them about sex will at least have a reasonable voice from which to hear). I just hope that in 10 years the show won't be horribly outdated because I look forward to watching it with Raina and Lola.
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