Pictured: queer YouTube celebrity Hannah Hart
I’ve always been wary of large companies’ hollow support for queer issues. There’s no shortage of corporate campaigns that are merely acts of tokenism performed so the company is perceived as aligned with the social and cultural climate of progressivism; but that’s where the problem lies. How can we tell, through many layers of opaque bilge, that a corporate body or large business has any vested interest in the queer community that is purely philanthropic in its intention or execution?
Many companies like to position themselves as benevolent forces for good whilst exploiting the ever-living shit out of the people they appear to support and protect. This isn’t new.
The argument that even the most basic representation of queer rights as championed by one of these companies is a win, is one that I think has validity. I’m aware that there is an exploitative undercurrent that is quite substantial in the practices of these businesses, especially ones that have little to show for their humanitarian efforts.
If a company tries to slip itself into the Mardi Gras parade without providing adequate care to its queer employees – I’m not naming any names – then something is acutely fucked. However, in my view, it remains true that any positive visibility, regardless of substance, is better than being crushed into nothingness beneath the heel of an uncaring public that has moved on.
There are murmurs of “get over it” that are at risk of becoming louder if we become complacent in addressing the many real and painful issues that are ice-picked into the poor skulls of queer folk across the country. We’re still bashed and discriminated against, and stared at, and treated as second class citizens. Homosexual Australian citizens are still not allowed to marry each other.
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Any positive visibility, regardless of substance, is better than being crushed into nothingness beneath the heel of an uncaring public that has moved on.
Things like marriage are not cute decorative bows on our lives that we can live without; these are psychological cudgels we get smacked with everywhere we go, all the time, in perpetuity. Until something gives.
YouTube got into a bit of trouble recently when it was discovered that its filtering system automatically labelled any LGBTQ material as restricted content. We’re not talking about lesbians 69’ing on a coffee table here – we’re talking about vloggers who are discussing things like mental health for queer kids, music videos about as risqué as Play School and general queer themed content that would not offend sensibilities if it were heterosexual.
One of the restricted videos was of a lesbian wedding.
YouTube recognised that their system needed work and issued an apology. It’s nice to see that the pressure from the media did some good. It remains to be seen how YouTube will tweak its content filtering systems; Google likes to think of itself as the proto-transparent tech company that cares about humanity. While it’s great that they’ve addressed the queer community directly after being embarrassingly called out for their YouTube-censors-the-gays debacle, it’s also important not to allow these seemingly heartfelt addresses to make us lazy.
We’re not talking about lesbians 69’ing on a coffee table here – we’re talking about vloggers who are discussing things like mental health for queer kids.
In what appears to be a step in the right direction, YouTube are announcing a new campaign called #sharesomegood, which aims to drown out hate speech online “by developing and sharing content that promotes respect, tolerance, diversity and inclusion”. While the addition of the word tolerance makes me roll my eyes, it’s an ambitious and necessary initiative for the online world. I’m interested to see how it plays out; there is a creator’s guide available for download on the site and it’s a nice push for activism that requires one to genuinely act.
It’s unclear whether these companies are using the LGBTQ rights issues as a means to an end, disrespecting our humanity while profiteering from our frustratingly slow rights processes – all while appearing to be the good guy, thereby immunising themselves against any critique that perhaps, they might not be doing what they say they’re doing.
What’s clear is that the zeitgeist is tipped in our favour right now and our social power is increasing, so let’s keep it going and let’s keep companies accountable for their skulduggery.
this week…
On Thursday June 8, head over to The Shift Club on Oxford street for BINGAY – Tribute to Boy George. With dancers and DJs and games all night, The Shift salutes the one and only Boy George for a long and illustrious career. Tickets are on sale now and tend to go fast, so grab ‘em while you can.
On Friday June 9, it’s a Queen’s birthday weekend miracle; PRISCILLA returns to the Imperial Hotel in Erskineville for one night only. Starring Felicity Frockaccino, Farren Heit, April John Fools & Kalin Eade, with DJ JD on the decks afterwards, you can’t miss this show. Entry is free!
On Saturday June 10, get on down to The Bunk3r on Oxford street for Something Gay with Seymour Butz (Kooky), a musical gathering where folks from all walks of life are welcome to party with the best Queer DJ talent Sydney has to offer in the world of House and techno music. Featuring Seymour Butz, Luke O’Connor, Wonky Disko Orchestra and Eliot Mireylees. This is a night not to be missed. Tickets are available now.
