In an age where it’s OK to kiss a boy and like it, Glee’s Kurt Hummel at first seems an anachronistic stereotype. The fashion-conscious flamer, played by Emmy-nominated Chris Colfer, loves his show tunes, worships his divas, and can belt a high F like an Italian castrato. He is Sex and the City and Queer Eye for the Straight Guy rolled into one character—the sassy best friend who will make you over.
Primetime television shows have featured gay teen characters before. They are a great source of drama. Done right, a gay bashing or tearful coming out earns high ratings and LGBT media awards. In the mid-90s, My So Called Life battered its gay teen, Rickie Vasquez, with violent bullying, abuse, and abandonment. Dawson’s Creek made history in 2001 with its five-second kiss between two boys not afraid anymore. Fast-forward to 2010, and pretty much every dude on CW’s Gossip Girl is heteroflexible. C’mon, Kurt. Just make out with all your friends and talk about something more important—like drinking.
Kurt is not the first homosexual or gender-bending gay teen on TV, but Glee’s popularity allows his character to ignite more conversations about sexual identity than any of his ancestors. Kurt is groundbreaking in that he does fit in with his peers, although not to the point where his homosexuality is a non-issue. At the same time, Kurt is not an after-school special. Like the rest of Glee’s cast of outcasts, he is your ordinary hyperbolic teenager, but just a bit more fabulous.
Glee’s writers are using their show’s loyal audience and the recent media focus on gay bullying to teach America that no matter how “normal” male homosexuality becomes, being a teen queen requires a unique emotional toolkit. Kurt’s role was transformed this fall from a running gag in Glee’s first season, booty-shaking to Beyoncè and dressing up as Lady Gaga, to a full-season story arc. Past the obligatory coming-out phase, Kurt-centered plots are now the show’s heaviest. Despite having his father’s acceptance and supportive friends, each week Kurt faces a new challenge—isolation, atheism, violence—and grows more defensive and belligerent as a result.
Some modern television shows portray their gay characters just like any other silver screen half-wits. Their argument to viewers is that gays face the same mundane problems as any other American. These are shows where homophobia does not exist and breaking gender norms is ignored by the rest of the cast or fuels an endless source of witty repertoire, ẚ la Will and Grace. Although entertaining, they feature sanitized gays, far from the reality of a closeted teenager in Ohio.
Kurt allows Glee’s writers to say that gay characters are normal, but that their sexuality shouldn’t be ignored. Sure, gays have friends and family and can be just as jealous and vapid as any other primetime television stars, but Glee doesn’t shy away from homophobia. A boy like Kurt at most high schools would attract bullies.
Viewers see him thrown against lockers and into dumpsters and mocked for his over-the-top outfits—a personality quirk that makes him stand out. The writers also refuse to portray Kurt as a saint. He manipulates his friends, is extremely self-motivated, and talks about his homosexuality to the point of obnoxiousness.
You can almost hear the discussions in the writer’s room with recent episodes. Kurt ‘s friendship with rival glee club singer Blaine (played by 20-something dream Darren Criss) is the ultimate “It Gets Better” message. Kurt walks into Blaine and his posse as they perform an all-male cover of Katy Perry’s Top 40 hit “Teenage Dream.” The song, which features one boy singing to another, is Glee’s best-performing single on the billboard charts. Within one episode, Kurt has someone to confide in and the courage to stand up to bullies.
For the first time, a television show’s fame is exposing families across the political landscape to empathize with a gay teen’s experience. A closeted teen scared of his own identity can watch the show with his mother, eying her reactions as Kurt overcomes the unique challenges of being young and gay while remaining fabulous. Whether or not these boys wear feather boas to sleep or kick around a football with their pals, Kurt’s identity is a topic that these boys can talk about with their parents. Glee’s greatest contribution to American culture may be the conversation that starts, “Mom, I’m like Kurt.”
he is awful, his voice is awful, whiny and he feels sorry for himself all the time! he does my head in. He is just a stereo type, camp, girly, into fashion etc… hate him!
im not homophobic btw, i’m gay. Just thank god for blaine, he is a bit more normal!.
I don’t think that disliking Kurt is being homophobic, and I don’t think people see it that way when that opinion is expressed. That’s like saying people would dislike Rachel or Puck because their Jewish. It’s silly and not true, every character on that show has the potential to be disliked because of their personality traits. I like Kurt, but as someone who is bisexual I was pretty disgusted a few episodes ago with how Kurt talked about bisexual issues. As much as Kurt reminds me of one of my friends and I generally like his character, and as much… Read more »
Someone above said: “I think Glee is absolutely correct addressing this issue. I only hope they add the aspect of Cyber Bullying, which can be even deadlier than actual physical bullying. Most physical bullies are male and are easy to spot and avoid. But cyber bullies can be anyone and there is absolutely no one regulating that. Not parents, not teachers, no one.” They did use cyber bullying in the pilot. Rachel was viciously cyber bullied and told she should have never been born etc. It was reminiscent of that real life teen girl who was bullied via myspace and… Read more »
Love the show and the article is so well written. Kurt keeps me interested in the show, you never know what he is up to. What a voice.
Oh, and can’t forget the UNBELIEVABLE singing! 🙂
How do I send fan mail? I am truly impressed with the depth of Mr. Colfer’s acting. I can only assume that he is drawing on personal experiences and emotions to give the character such vibrant debth. I would like to convey my thoughts more directly than leaving “comments.” Les
Smart writing. Specially love the closing lines.
Chris Colfer is admirable the way he breathes life into Kurt. Amazing performer whether its singing or acting, at only 20 years of age. Maybe kids can also start their conversation with, “Mom, I’m like Chris Colfer.”
But teen suicide IS a real problem right now, gay or otherwise. Teens in high school face a barrage of peer pressure more than any previous generation ever faced. All because of the constant and continuous access to on-line social sites like Facebook. Just a few years ago, a teen who felt bullied could go home and lock themselves in their room to get away from it all. Now, if they have a computer, an i-phone, or whatever, the bullies are right there with them. Yet they don’t have a maturity to simply turn off the computer as any adult… Read more »
I’m a fan of Glee, though hardly their target demographic. I hate Kurt. He’s ridiculously obnoxious. Not because he’s gay, just because he’s uninteresting and boring. All the flashy outfits and over-the-top theatrics won’t help you if your personality is that awful. And that’s what I think of Kurt. Yet when I voice this opinion, it’s like I’ve just taken a dump on the Mona Lisa. For some reason we’re not allowed to trash Kurt. If you do, you’re a homophobe. Which is hilarious because I’m anything but. I don’t think Glee is breaking any new ground and I certainly… Read more »
I am no Kurt fan either.. Not because he’s gay.. I am gay…but because he’s annoying,
He has one expression and he’s not a great singer or dancer and that’s the whole point of the show.. A group of kids who sing and dance.. He looks robotic and disengaged in every performance.
and, Sebastian was right.. Blaine IS too good for him. Blaine is warm, sweet, happy and talented, the polar opposite of Kurt.
Chuck, Kurt is NOT annoying, he IS a GREAT singer and dancer, and Kurt IS warm, sweet, happy, talented, and so much more. Sebastian is NOT right. What Sebastian is is a obnoxious, jelous prick who as soon as he snatched Blaine would just use him, throw him away and break his heart.
Daddy Files, I can’t see why you hate Kurt. I don’t think he is ridiculusly obnoxious or that his personality is awful. I think he is sweet and nice. I don’t think the issue is that you trash someone and your a homophobe, I think the issue is you should not be trashing anyone gay or otherwise.
I know, I thoroughly dislike Kurt’s character. Not because he’s gay, but because he’s annoying and selfish. He’s not sweet at all, he’s the biggest bitch on the show which I really think is saying something. All he cares about is himself and when other people don’t bend to fit in with his plans he has a bitch fit. Some of the things he says and does make me cringe. He has a repugnant personality, sure. And I’m not sure if that was deliberate or not. But I think the reason why I hate him is because he is a… Read more »
Beautifully written piece. I agree completely and thankfully, Chris Colfer is up to the task of bringing Kurt to life.