Clay Aiken: Gender roles and challenges: A Critique Continuum- American Idol- 02-26-06
By arne9. Sunday, 26. February 2006, 17:39:22
Clay Aiken: Gender roles and challenges: A Critique Continuum- American Idol- 02-26-06
This Article is written and owned by: Arne
Reading the several articles out there about Clay Aiken and this latest nonsense issue, I did hone in one that had transcripts of Diane Sawyers interview with Clay. This is in part why these women made the brilliant (not) deduction that Clay must be gay, because he had responded to a question that he did have feminine qualities but had said NO! he was not gay!
Alrighty then let us break this particular statement down shall we! First, someone admitting that they have feminine qualities in their makeup does not mean they are necessarily gay. What it means to me personally is that Clay has simply admitted what most American men have, which is the same feminine qualities.
Think of it!! We all now live in a world that has changed and western societies have for the most part changed drastically!! even if you are from the South. Today’s males change their children’s diapers, they cook, they clean (help their spouses with housework) they do laundry, they do dishes, they normally equally help in parenting their child. Due to this change in society and changed perceptions on gender roles, all males can say they have feminine qualities in their makeup. Most males may do all or some of the above duties in their daily life. Does this make them gay and should they be expected to be labelled and stigmatized as gay?
Today’s females equally have male qualities, women work, they take jobs as business executives, police officers, politicians, such as senators, mayors, lawyers, doctors, firewomen, ambulance drivers, sports programs such as hockey ( the Canadian women hockey team just won the gold medal). Wrestling, truck drivers, pilots and in the military, judges and so on. They mow the grass, take out the garbage and so on and so forth. Today’s women also have male qualities due to the same ideologies and perceptions of gender roles in today’s society. Do these daily tasks make them gay?
This is due to progress; men are no longer considered the sole breadwinners in the home and having the women dependent on them for survival. In the old days, women were supposed to be barefoot and pregnant so to speak, and men were the King of the castle so to speak. This no longer applies does it!
Further men take jobs as nurses, as secretaries, and so on. (since men were once dominant in the world of work, there is not as big as a list as with women)! Men also are single parents and raise their children single handily, does this make them gay?
If the perception on feminine qualities are that one must be gay, and that Clay Aiken is gay. Because they have feminine qualities and perform tasks that was once separated to either gander. Well then there are millions of gay people living in America and western society! In a whole! Really what is one’ s definition of a man, that he has to thump his chest like Tarzan and be that big, strong, he man! No my personal description of a man is one that helps rear his children, that changes diapers, that helps around the house.
Males and females over time have changed that old process; both women and men usually work in any duel parent household. Single parents are contrived of either a women or men raising their children alone! The world has changed and the days of a man being the breadwinner and women left at home to raise the children, run the household and have supper on the table at five has been out the window for a very long time. In fact, most parents are teaching their children no matter what gender they are to be independent, and are teaching them life skills, including the above. The life skills we teach our children today are necessary for their survival on all levels including household chores and child rearing!
Clay Aiken is not gay; he is a desirable young man that has morals, values and sound intellect. Clay Aiken is a spiritual person and his conduct and behaviour has been exemplary. The world has changed to this degree as well. The minute that someone comes along that is clean, not into to drugs and that their behaviour is so exemplary and above the norm: Then this society wants to find something wrong with him or her! I think Clay Aiken is an important example to the younger generation and he establishes and encourages great character in not just the younger generation; also some adults who are in great need of this guidance!!
Finally, why is there such an importance attached to whether a parson is gay or not? I do not get what the difficulty is in that thought process. I think as long as it is two CONSENTING ADULTS, in any relationship there should be no issues on gender. There is too much of a gay phobia going on in the world today, for no reason but ignorance if you ask me. Are gay people not human beings? What any consenting adult does behind close doors is their business and should remain their business!!! Further gay people have the same EQUAL RIGHTS, as anyone else on the planet! They have the right to same life, liberty and freedom that we all value. I think there are other social issues that I would love to see taken up! This is not an issue; it is a choice that two people make. Further, Dick Cheney’s daughter is gay! Did it stop his popularity in getting re-elected? I think that but for the few ignorant people out there, that America really doesn’t have a gay phobia, the problem is that those few that do, are the ones that make the headlines!
Clay Aiken’s choice is not to kiss and tell, Clay Aiken’s choice is to value his personal privacy, Clay Aiken’s choice is not to have loose morals or values, Clay Aiken’s choice is to have a spiritual path and he follows that path. It should be left to Clay to determine, when, if and with whom! he will have a relationship with, without the interference of others including flimsy and ignorant interpretations of the law! He certainly does not owe any explanation to anyone on those personal choices! It is Clay Aikens life, not anyone else’s and he should be left to conduct his life anyway he chooses. These allegations are nonsense, they are malicious and vicious from my perception. The only harm that is being done is to a fine young man that has chosen to walk tall!!!
This Article is written and owned by: Arne
Reading the several articles out there about Clay Aiken and this latest nonsense issue, I did hone in one that had transcripts of Diane Sawyers interview with Clay. This is in part why these women made the brilliant (not) deduction that Clay must be gay, because he had responded to a question that he did have feminine qualities but had said NO! he was not gay!
Alrighty then let us break this particular statement down shall we! First, someone admitting that they have feminine qualities in their makeup does not mean they are necessarily gay. What it means to me personally is that Clay has simply admitted what most American men have, which is the same feminine qualities.
Think of it!! We all now live in a world that has changed and western societies have for the most part changed drastically!! even if you are from the South. Today’s males change their children’s diapers, they cook, they clean (help their spouses with housework) they do laundry, they do dishes, they normally equally help in parenting their child. Due to this change in society and changed perceptions on gender roles, all males can say they have feminine qualities in their makeup. Most males may do all or some of the above duties in their daily life. Does this make them gay and should they be expected to be labelled and stigmatized as gay?
Today’s females equally have male qualities, women work, they take jobs as business executives, police officers, politicians, such as senators, mayors, lawyers, doctors, firewomen, ambulance drivers, sports programs such as hockey ( the Canadian women hockey team just won the gold medal). Wrestling, truck drivers, pilots and in the military, judges and so on. They mow the grass, take out the garbage and so on and so forth. Today’s women also have male qualities due to the same ideologies and perceptions of gender roles in today’s society. Do these daily tasks make them gay?
This is due to progress; men are no longer considered the sole breadwinners in the home and having the women dependent on them for survival. In the old days, women were supposed to be barefoot and pregnant so to speak, and men were the King of the castle so to speak. This no longer applies does it!
Further men take jobs as nurses, as secretaries, and so on. (since men were once dominant in the world of work, there is not as big as a list as with women)! Men also are single parents and raise their children single handily, does this make them gay?
If the perception on feminine qualities are that one must be gay, and that Clay Aiken is gay. Because they have feminine qualities and perform tasks that was once separated to either gander. Well then there are millions of gay people living in America and western society! In a whole! Really what is one’ s definition of a man, that he has to thump his chest like Tarzan and be that big, strong, he man! No my personal description of a man is one that helps rear his children, that changes diapers, that helps around the house.
Males and females over time have changed that old process; both women and men usually work in any duel parent household. Single parents are contrived of either a women or men raising their children alone! The world has changed and the days of a man being the breadwinner and women left at home to raise the children, run the household and have supper on the table at five has been out the window for a very long time. In fact, most parents are teaching their children no matter what gender they are to be independent, and are teaching them life skills, including the above. The life skills we teach our children today are necessary for their survival on all levels including household chores and child rearing!
Clay Aiken is not gay; he is a desirable young man that has morals, values and sound intellect. Clay Aiken is a spiritual person and his conduct and behaviour has been exemplary. The world has changed to this degree as well. The minute that someone comes along that is clean, not into to drugs and that their behaviour is so exemplary and above the norm: Then this society wants to find something wrong with him or her! I think Clay Aiken is an important example to the younger generation and he establishes and encourages great character in not just the younger generation; also some adults who are in great need of this guidance!!
Finally, why is there such an importance attached to whether a parson is gay or not? I do not get what the difficulty is in that thought process. I think as long as it is two CONSENTING ADULTS, in any relationship there should be no issues on gender. There is too much of a gay phobia going on in the world today, for no reason but ignorance if you ask me. Are gay people not human beings? What any consenting adult does behind close doors is their business and should remain their business!!! Further gay people have the same EQUAL RIGHTS, as anyone else on the planet! They have the right to same life, liberty and freedom that we all value. I think there are other social issues that I would love to see taken up! This is not an issue; it is a choice that two people make. Further, Dick Cheney’s daughter is gay! Did it stop his popularity in getting re-elected? I think that but for the few ignorant people out there, that America really doesn’t have a gay phobia, the problem is that those few that do, are the ones that make the headlines!
Clay Aiken’s choice is not to kiss and tell, Clay Aiken’s choice is to value his personal privacy, Clay Aiken’s choice is not to have loose morals or values, Clay Aiken’s choice is to have a spiritual path and he follows that path. It should be left to Clay to determine, when, if and with whom! he will have a relationship with, without the interference of others including flimsy and ignorant interpretations of the law! He certainly does not owe any explanation to anyone on those personal choices! It is Clay Aikens life, not anyone else’s and he should be left to conduct his life anyway he chooses. These allegations are nonsense, they are malicious and vicious from my perception. The only harm that is being done is to a fine young man that has chosen to walk tall!!!
