So, if any of you collegiettes happened to be near a television, or on tumblr, or anywhere but under a rock, you would know that Tuesday, November 8th, 2011 was a momentous day for Gleeks everywhere. It was the day that Blaine and Kurt (the show’s two prominent gay characters) would do the dirty, make the bed rock, engage in coitus, do the horizontal mombo, make the beast with two backs, knock boots… they were ready to take the next step in their relationship and have sex.
Gay sex on a television show with a broad audience (many watchers being young children) is something that has to be handled very gingerly in a society such as the one we live in. For many parents out there, the subject of homosexually is usually one that is hidden under the rug. But, for the most part, I would say that Ryan Murphy and the gang did a bang up job. They managed to keep it very innocent for the younger viewers, but also touching and pronounced enough for older audience members.
But it’s really easy to take the pessimistic route and point out the flaws of the episode. For one, the actual sexual act was not shown. All we really got was a shot of the two stud muffins in bed with their clothes on, and a little hand holding (fingers laced) with a weirdly dramatic focus on Kurt rubbing Blaine’s tank top with his thumb. While, it was a sweet moment and Gleeks’ hearts stopped everywhere, it was quite tame for the casual sex scenes we see between straight couples on television so often.
If we take the high road, though and think about how special this moment really was, then, the episode can be appreciated for its full worth. In retrospect, the first season’s greatest obstacle was getting audience members to adjust to a gay main character, and then there was the whole ordeal in attempting to air an episode displaying the two lovebirds smooching. But now, two seasons later, Gleeks across the globe sat in front of their televisions with laptops in tow and were able to live blog their hearts out about the most anticipated fornication in the nation. This show has allowed families to discuss the topic of homosexuality with an accepting and open mind. The characters of Kurt and Blaine have served as a guiding light for gay teens who don’t have that ideal gay couple to look up to the way us straight folks have Lucy and Ricky Ricardo, or Claire and Cliff Huxtable. This episode breaks conservative barriers and slowly but surely, the way Kurt and Blaine’s kisses became a routine thing, homoeroticism will be viewed with a less discerning eye.