gendered violence? yes, but let’s not forget about race
February 1, 2012
Racheline at Letters From Titan has, again, written a very engaging and thought provoking piece about the gendered violence of Michael[1]. The combination of this, the complications of sexuality, and this comment at Deconstructing Glee:
Because it was the New Directions against the “Old School” = establishment.[2]
Begs me to point how race factors into a lot of what happened on the episode. In this analysis, I will likely need to be corrected on the details since I fast forwarded through almost any part that didn’t have Blaine in it (I watched some with Kurt, but that is it).
It should be noted that the two targets/victims of Sebastian are PoC. Sebastian’s comments to Santana in the cafe are among the most overt expressions of racism we see in the show. I’m sure some people will be inclined to point out how he is likely responding to Santana’s strategic use of stereotypes to empower herself (don’t believe me? She isn’t actually ghetto. Anyone else remember that her dad is a doctor?). Even so… It doesn’t change the fact that his comments are entirely racist.
It is important that in the ‘Bad’ face off that the two people facing the warblers are Blaine and Santana. It is important in light of Deconstructing Glee’s observation about new directions vs. ‘old school.’ Which in this case is really those impudent PoC challenging white supremacy. A supremacy that is actively engaged in the colonial appropriation of culture that doesn’t belong to it (lest we forget that the source of this conflict is a Black man’s music).
Of course, many people are already saying how sweet it is that Blaine sacrifices himself for Kurt. Which would be sweet if it were not entirely expected that characters of colour (in TV and movies) always martyr themselves to save white people. It is one of the few acts of heroism allowed PoC in the media: we are only noble when saving or upholding institutions of whiteness.
The scene does highlight an interesting observation that when dominant power structures are challenged it is often PoC who disproportionately bear the consequences, while *all* of the white people involved in this confrontation get off with very little consequence. Indeed… given that queer PoC are far, far more likely to be victims of violence, this is the one truth presented in that episode of glee: no one cares if queer PoC hurt. No one. (I’m not even going to touch the also racist notion that we need a white man — artie — to speak up for us) — It was nice to see Santana and Blaine supporting each other, as this is fairly realistic [the need for PoC to support each other ’cause no one else gives a damn]
Last, I’m not sure how anyone could be surprised that mr. schue behaves as he does. It is unsurprising that he would strategically employ his white man rules to disenfranchise all the marginalized people in glee. If something had happened to the white, cis, hetero people in the group (i.e., finn/rachel) he’d be fucking killing the warblers. But he doesn’t care. Not a surprise.