My Girlfriend Thinks I'm Gay . . .

[Eliot Wild]

Because I absolutely love Les Miserables.

My fascination started with Victor Hugo and carried on with the musical. What follows may be more appropirate for the religious debates threads, but since it is music-based, I figured I'd throw it out here for consideration.

Besides, I've been drinking, as usual, and what do I care if everyone thinks I'm an idiot.

But for those who aren't familiar with Les Miserables, the following piece makes us confront a moral dilemma through the main character, Jean Valjean. He is wanted for a crime that could send him back to prison for many years, perhaps the rest of his life. However, the lawman, Javert, who has been desperately tracking him for countless years has caught a man that looks exactly like Jean Valjean but is not him. Javert is thoroughly convinced this man he has in custody is the right man. So, Valjean can just say nothing and let this man go to judgment in his place.

What should he do? What does he do?

Of course, he does the right thing.

Would I have the fortitude and strength of self to do the right thing though it cost me so much? What makes us do the right thing? Is it belief in a God, in judgment hereafter? Or is it the personal respect we have for ourself that demands we do the right thing, that we not give in to any outside pressure and thereby fracture our own integrity?

Who am I? I'm Jean Valjean! You're damn right I am!!


[youtube]6PXZ1nLiUZo[/youtube]
YouTube - [Les Miserables] 10th anniversary - WHO AM I?

'So, Javert, you see it's true, this man bears no more guilt than you.
Who am I?
Who am I?
24601'

 

[Eliot Wild]

[youtube]2WdoAnlQ30U[/youtube]
YouTube - [Les Miserables] 10th anniversary - The Confrontation

 

[Eliot Wild]

[youtube]qqDv4FHBw3A[/youtube]
YouTube - [Les Miserables] 10th anniversary - Fantines Death

 

[Noaidi]

I don't know if you are gay, Eliot (It's not my concern either way), but you do have a crap taste in music.
Can I recommend some Alice In Chains or Whitesnake?

 

[Alceste]

Hmmmmm - how much did your shirt cost, and do you own a pedicure kit?

 

[Shadow Wolf]

You can respond simply by saying that the leather fashion seen commonly on the heavy metal scene, as started by Robert Halford (Judas Priest's singer, who is gay), used to be considered a gay fashion.
And then there is always Freddy Mercury who sang about fat bottom girls.

 

[blackout]

My Girlfriend Thinks I'm Gay . . .

Well.... are you?

 

[Herr Heinrich]

I have been wanting to see Les Miserables and Into the Woods for some time now. I will have to keep my eyes open to see if it is coming to the Playhouse Square anytime.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

I thought she thought you were gay because you can never get it up around her?

Ziiiiiinggg!!!

 

[Valjean]

So "gay" for her, is synonymous with appreciation of musical theater or literature, or is it a personal moral code that renders one gay?

I remember when gay had sexual overtones. I must be getting old.

 

[Penumbra]

Because I absolutely love Les Miserables.

My fascination started with Victor Hugo and carried on with the musical. What follows may be more appropirate for the religious debates threads, but since it is music-based, I figured I'd throw it out here for consideration.

Besides, I've been drinking, as usual, and what do I care if everyone thinks I'm an idiot.

But for those who aren't familiar with Les Miserables, the following piece makes us confront a moral dilemma through the main character, Jean Valjean. He is wanted for a crime that could send him back to prison for many years, perhaps the rest of his life. However, the lawman, Javert, who has been desperately tracking him for countless years has caught a man that looks exactly like Jean Valjean but is not him. Javert is thoroughly convinced this man he has in custody is the right man. So, Valjean can just say nothing and let this man go to judgment in his place.

What should he do? What does he do?

Of course, he does the right thing.

Would I have the fortitude and strength of self to do the right thing though it cost me so much? What makes us do the right thing? Is it belief in a God, in judgment hereafter? Or is it the personal respect we have for ourself that demands we do the right thing, that we not give in to any outside pressure and thereby fracture our own integrity?

Who am I? I'm Jean Valjean! You're damn right I am!!


[youtube]6PXZ1nLiUZo[/youtube]
YouTube - [Les Miserables] 10th anniversary - WHO AM I?

'So, Javert, you see it's true, this man bears no more guilt than you.
Who am I?
Who am I?
24601'

Eh, just go kill a bear with your teeth to prove otherwise.

Hmmmmm - how much did your shirt cost, and do you own a pedicure kit?

I know a guy who gets regular pedicures who is completely heterosexual. He was my former supervisor.

 

[Scuba Pete]

My Girlfriend Thinks I'm Gay . . .

You say it, like it's a bad thing. Nothing more than a preference.

 

[Quagmire]

A woman I knew once decided I was gay because I knew all the words to "Surrey with the fringe on top" from the musical Oklahoma. I tried explaining to her that the only reason I knew all the words was because I'd seen When Harry met Sally a bunch of times.

She told me that didn't help.

I kind of see her point.

 

[DarkSun]

So "gay" for her, is synonymous with appreciation of musical theater or literature, or is it a personal moral code that renders one gay?

I remember when gay had sexual overtones. I must be getting old.

I find this irony absolutely fabulous darling. And no, my perpetuation of the queer stereotype doesn't mean I'm gay. Teehee.

 

[Kathryn]

Hey, my husband the oilfield company man, a man who looks like a heady mix of the Marlboro Man and Robert Redford in his prime, and who has dodged bullets in central America, traded Winstons and cold Cokes for freedom when detained by paramilitary troops in Indonesia, and braved Lwanda, Angola on National Independence Day - yes, that man - LOVES pedicures! I have treated him to several spa days on special occasions.

One time he was sitting there with a masque on his face getting a pedicure and another oilfield guy came out of one of the little siderooms at the spa. They looked at each other for a minute or two and one of them said, "Hey man. This didn't happen."

He does, however, absolutely HATE musicals of any sort. I think he's afraid that he may connect with some inner gay guy or something if he sits through one. Who knows...

And he won't pay more than $20 for a shirt. Most of his have a little tab on them that says, "Carhart."

 

[MysticSang'ha]

Eliot, my husband loves muscials. He hates Les Miserables though, unfortunately.

There's a bit of a reason WHY he likes them, and it's usually because when he goes to see one, it's because I'm in it.

So maybe I didn't really help your case there, love. Sorry.

 

[Valjean]

If only women wore Carharts and steel-toed boots. That would be so hot!

 

[Panda]

Of course liking musicals makes you gay. I mean everyone knows being gay has nothing to do with liking men or anything and all to do with liking musicals, spa days and having a sense of fashion.

 

[Eliot Wild]

Uhhhhh, sincerely, I was NOT trying to promote an undue gay stereotype. I just thought it was a cool, provocative title.

It's, just, when I kick back with a chilled glass of pinot grigio, wearing my $125 silk nightshirt and rest my pedicured toes on top our lavender ottoman and start singing, "Who am I, I'm Jean Valjean," my girlfriend looks over and tells me, "Honey, you're acting really gay."

I'm just kidding. Seriously, my girlfriend does not perpetuate stereotypes of anykind, apparently that is solely the domain for my social thoughtlessness and insensitivity. And I don't really have a lavender ottomon nor a $125 nightshirt. Although pedicures can be refreshing to the soul, and that's all I'll say about that.

But this brings up a good question, since I have seemingly stumbled upon this topic through my appreciation of Les Miserables and perhaps some particularly rash choices in prose . . .

By employing this stereotype or any other, even in what I perceive to be a harmlessly joking manner, have I been thoughtless and insensitive? Does this bother some gay people?

And please note, I try to find humor in just about all things, usually targetting myself as much as anyone else. I am certainly not trying to be hurtful . . . cynical, sure, but not deliberately cruel. Any thoughts?

 

[Kathryn]

If only women wore Carharts and steel-toed boots. That would be so hot!

If you REALLY want to meet some of those, I'm sure I can set you up.

The only trouble is - the women I know who wear Carharts and steel toed boots usually prefer women.

OH NO, DID I JUST SAY THAT? And is it insensitive and wrong, even if it's true?

Maybe we should all just stop while we're behind.