Why no one wants to be your "Gay best friend".

I have come across a handful of female individuals over the years who seem to think having a "gay best friend" is somehow a trendy new relationship to which any fashionable woman should partake in. However, I don't blame these women for thinking the way they do. I blame mainstream media, with it's stereotypical depictions of friendships between gay men and straight women that are so often portrayed in popular television shows such as Sex and the City, Glee, Will and Grace, and the horribly offensive Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys, just to name a few.

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However, I must give some credit to these shows. Twenty years ago the simple idea of basing a television show around any gay character would have been met with instant dismissal by corporate networks. I do believe the gradual production of shows that include gay characters promotes a wider range of acceptance in our culture, but the reappearing stereotypes in these programs is causing some troubling controversy. Too many times have we witnessed overly flamboyant gay male characters who contribute no more than catty jokes and supportive advice to the usual female lead. Often we are portrayed as insecure, depressed and lonely as well. It is apparent that mainstream media doesn't care to advocate in favor of positive gay male role models. You won't find many put together, successful intelligent gay men on TV these days.  This is a growing problem in our culture today that will ultimately have major negative repercussions on future gay generations if it is not repaired.

Last year Teen Vogue even went as far as naming the "gay best friend" or GBF as the "hot new accessory" for any fashionable teenage girl. The article stated that girls can be competitive with one another, and may feel insecure around their prettier more successful female friends. They went on to say that the solution to such problems is to acquire a "GBF". How dare Teen Vogue promote such a harmful stereotype? Why not run an article aimed at helping teenage girls overcome their insecurities, rather than subject a generation of young gay men to harmful objectification? Is our society really that fucked up or is it just me?

It is important to question the validity of any media which portrays gay men in a stereotypical fashion. We are slowly becoming desensitized to the subtle promotion of prejudice in every day life which is why it is crucial to view popular belief, as advertised through the mainstream, with an objective eye.