Insecure's New Gay Character Gave a Quick Lesson in Code-Switching

Discussion in 'Television and Web Series' started by cuspofbeauty, Jul 25, 2017.

  1. cuspofbeauty

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    Insecure's New Gay Character Gave a Quick Lesson in Code-Switching

    [​IMG] Insecure has added a gay character.

    The HBO dramedy introduced its audience Sunday to Ahmal, the gay brother of series protagonist Issa Dee (Issa Rae).

    Ahmal, played by Jean Elie (American Crime, Alvinnn!!! and the Chipmunks), debuted at a party in the season 2 premiere, where he arrived as Issa’s date. “Your brother is your plus one?” asked an incredulous Molly (Yvonne Orr), Issa's best friend.

    “You said we had a lot in common! Ahmal, did you call mom back?” Issa asked. After a negative response, she replied, “Me neither. See?”

    Ahmal’s scene was short. But it offered a telling lesson in how queer people code-switch based on factors like gender and sexual orientation. When greeting a straight male friend, he said, “Hey, bro, what up?” with a warm hand-slap and half-hug. With a female friend, his tone immediately shifted. Ahmal’s voice rose several octaves as he screamed her name, "Tiffany" (Amanda Seales), with enthusiasm. She responded in kind, smiling and snapping.

    Ahmal also threw shade at another character, Kelli (Natasha Rothwell), and her coat.
     
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  2. itsumoconfused

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    So who wants to donate their HBO account to me so I can binge season 1 and then start watching season two without feeling out of the loop????
     
  3. Omega Level

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    Wait, did Issa say he was gay? Am I missing something? Or are we claiming him as gay because Tiffany smiled and "snapped"? :rudy:
     
  4. Nick Delmacy

    Nick Delmacy is a Verified MemberNick Delmacy Da Architect
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    So is he the reason straight black men in my Facebook timeline have started posting about no longer wanting to watch the show?

    Screen Shot 2017-07-25 at 4.03.57 PM.png
     
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  5. Jai

    Jai Being strong minded.
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    I'm so sick of these Str8 hetero homophobots & their comments. As much as we are progressing, you still have some folks that gotta be ignorant n**gas. Now, I could be wrong, and the comments could be directed towards the tone of the shows females but you just have to get tired of this shxt if it's about gay inclusion. It's a show about the black experience so it is meant for everyone; wether gay or not (Though I wish a gay version of this series was made..)

    Its always one bridge troll always fonting off about the gays and the eyeroll..
     
  6. OhSheit

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    You sure? It could be because they're just realizing that the show is more female centric. I don't see how the greeting described in the OP could tick someone off to not watch the show, it was less than 10 seconds. It honestly went over my head that he was gay too. But again, black dudes are weird like that so who knows...
     
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  7. cuspofbeauty

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    I didn't get gay from him either. I thought he was just playing around.
     
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  8. OckyDub

    OckyDub is a Verified MemberOckyDub I gave the Loc'ness monstah about $3.50
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    Based on last season, I like how they discussed and handled male sexualities and struggles as it relates to the show's two heterosexual male stars.

    After seeing this episode, we now have two homosexual characters (Isa's co-worker) who are both more effeminate on the spectrum. Nothing wrong with this and its seems typical of homosexual men but that doesn't make it less disappointing for a show to me that is non-typical in many ways.

    Like when the character was written, was it based on the writer's personal experience with homosexual men (like is her brother like this in real life), or is this based on other archetypes that already exist on / in shows and films, so the character is based on stereotypes?
     
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  9. Nick Delmacy

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    Most openly gay black men are like this so I would wager it's based on personal experience. Even the Out gay black men who lean more masculine that I've interacted with at various jobs and networking events tend to skew slightly effeminate once you spend enough time with them (ie: talking about Beyonce or any other Diva, office women discussing some black reality show, the overly tight low-cut shirts/blouses they often wear, etc).

    "They" will NEVER depict a gangsta rap music listening to, football/basketball playing, car fixing, sportsbar frequenting, pool playing, harder, masculine Black gay man in the media...Unless they also depict him as being on the Down-Low with a wife or girlfriend.

    They can't wrap their minds around that type of person existing...and to be honest, those type of Black man are not in the majority, so its kinda understandable.

    The closest thing we'll get is the sophisticated lawyer/business man who is revealed to gay in the second or third season of the show.
     
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  10. OhSheit

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    I was skimming through a podcast with a panel of 3 black woman, and this scene with Issa's brother actually threw them off. They came to a conclusion that the guy is "fluid" (that's what they said). Couldn't grasp that a gay man could be in between or code switching, or anything. And then I'm sure they probably don't think gay man could be masculine either. It was automatically "oh he probably swings both ways" all because he wasn't effeminate to the extreme that they're use to - though you guys might say otherwise. So maybe Insecure is going somewhere with this and this character is atypical to some. Maybe the next time we see the character he'll be doing more masc things.

    TO ME this scene wasn't worthy of an observation, think piece, article, etc., or worthy of praise or negative reaction. I want to see more before I feel any type of way. Again, I almost missed it while watching to begin with.
     
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  11. Nick Delmacy

    Nick Delmacy is a Verified MemberNick Delmacy Da Architect
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    All of this is valid and supports the frustration. And, to be fair, I've never even seen an episode of "Insecure" before so I was mostly speaking in generalities regarding black male characters on television and web series. Even Black & Sexy TV couldn't get it right and they had a gay black male who frequents this website creating the characters!

    To this day, the closest thing I've ever seen to the gay black male I'm referring to has been on "The D.L. Chronicles." Somewhat on "The L.A. Complex" too, somewhat. But both shows leaned heavily on the characters being "down low," with one of those shows even saying so in its' title.
     
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  12. Dante

    Dante https://www.gofundme.com/qv7v5dw
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    Good questions.

    For me, film and movie writers should at least set up a focus group on gay and bisexual men before they develop one into a film or show. It wouldn't hurt. They can't keep reaching for the common stereotype of gay men and then place him on the tv screen with a "This is a Gay Man!" t-shirt.
     
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  13. Aejae

    Aejae Socially Awkward Aejae
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    pica black gay male, and we're in the year of 2017. You'd think we'd made some progress in really being ourselves 100% of the time....
     
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