Same-Sex Marriage in Modern Family

1. Same-Sex Marriagein Modern Family Ivana P. Alonso INGL 4057

2. About Modern Family American comedy series which debuted on ABC on 2009 Mockumentary style, the fictional characters frequently talk directly into the camera Tells the life and relationship of a family consisted of three immediate ones Mitchell, Cameron and their adopted daughter Lily

3. Modern Family Clips http://www.1channel.ch/external.php?title=Modern+Family&url=aHR0cDovL3d3dy52aWRlb3NsYXNoZXIuY29tL3ZpZGVvL1ZJQU9RUDI5QkIzRA==&domain=dmlkZW9zbGFzaGVyLmNvbQ==&loggedin=0 2:20 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7-otxxvXQg

4. Social construction or Essentialist Social construction Essentialist Marriage Opposite sex Same-sex marriage Heteronormativity Homosexuality Gay and lesbian relationships

5. Preambule • Why did this interest me? • What do you believe it is saying to society? • How did society receive this? • “La produccióntrata de tratar el tema de los gays lo más normal posible” • Se nospresentanvariassituacinesque (Mitchell & Cameron) enfrentancomo padres homosexuales en unasociedadheterosexista…son unafamilia tan normal como la tradicional…” • “Normal, I guess, representa la realidad de la sociedadmoderna”

6. Queering Relationships • Our society has long viewed queer sexualities as “…deviant, sinful, or both..” (Ginsberg, 1999) • Based on the idea that heterosexuality is the ultimate and best form of sexuality • The term family has been synonymous with heterosexuality • Specific brand of heterosexuality (marriage, baby making, monogamy, ownership of property, espousing middle class and white class values) • The biological act of reproduction has been, and continues to be, a “defining feature” of families (Seidman, 1991)

7. Gayle Rubin (1993) Charmed circle Outer limits good, normal and natural heterosexuality marriage, monogamy sexual activity being restricted to the private sphere same generation bad, abnormal, unnatural homosexuality cross-generational sex sexual activity outside of marriage non procreative sex

8. When homosexuality is pictured it is hardly sexualized (heterosexuality > homosexuality) • Long term monogamous relationship is superior • Homosexuality approaches legitimacy only so far as it reflects middle class conventional forms (Rubin,1993) • Heteronormative discourse produces (not repress) gay male subjects (DavinGrindstaff, 2003)

9. Queer Nation (Slagle, 1995) • Queer individuals are unique and that simply because they are different does not justify oppression by the dominant, heterosexist movement • Differences in the various individual identities should be celebrated • Goes for the broadest and most explicit assertion of presence express and communicate they are gay • “We’re here, we’re queer, get used to it” • Queer relationships go against the grain of heteronormativity and heterosexist beliefs and practices • Many same-sex marriages, even domestic parternships do not qualify as queer relationships

10. Cameron & Mitchell: Traditional CoupleFitzpatrick, Jandt, Myrick & Edgar, 1994 • Homosexual couples are characterized by being closed or sexually exclusive • Traditional – conventional ideological values about relationships, demonstrate interdependence • Tend to avoid conflict more than they realize, but in general are cooperative and conciliatory. • They value parenting, spending time with each other in close proximity and place marriage (duality) over independence

11. Lesbians, Gays and the MediaFred Fejes & Kevin Petrich (1993) • In the 1980’s “comedy programming presented homosexual characters who, aside from a few stereotypical behaviors (sharper wit, more affeminate or “sensitive” manner”) were heterosexual in every other sense • Gays and lesbians rarely are presented as members of a larger homosexual community, gays and lesbians are secondary or occasional characters who exist primarily in a heterosexual environment • Example: Jay, Gloria, Claire & Phil: white, middle class, married, child conceiving and monogamy

12. Sexual behavior between homosexual characters is generally off limits; television homosexuals are de-sexed and without desire • Mainstream network television does not present gays and lesbians in the context of their own identity, they are woven into the dominant heterosexual metanarrative (Leo, 1989; Gross, in press) • Homophobia has been replaced by heterosexism (Fejes & Petrich)

13. Traditional • Same sex couples have discovered that relationship stability is facilitated by traditional patterns, they “act out” traditional understanding of ongoing relationships • There are more traditional individuals in the homosexual than in the heterosexual sample • Modern Family portrays liberation theory and heterosexualizes the gay couple as traditional • White middle class and gender roles

14. Conclusion • Modern Family portrays liberation theory and heterosexualizes the gay relationship • Gays are being heterosexualized • They’re being fit into categories and created by heterosexual customs and beliefs • Queer Nation tries to break the heterosexist system “A gay or lesbian regular network program with gay or lesbian main characters is far in the future” (Fejes & Petrich, 1993) More acceptance and less discrimination or censure Society still has a long road ahead in terms of homosexuality, their acceptance and their movements