QAF was groundbreaking, and is still ahead of its time. It should have won a ton of Emmys for writing and acting, but was ignored. Shameful for the Emmy voters. I wish we had ANYTHING this gay positive and realistic in this era on television or movies.
I totally agree and one of the only shows that comes close is The Fosters, which just so happens to be the creation of Peter Paige, who played Emmett on QAF.
Agreed. The acting was (mostly) awful and the writing was almost as bad! this 13 minute video points out a bunch of missed opportunities for the writers in this episode alone.
As a man born before Stonewall, my first pride parade was NYC in 1989, and even then, a mere 20 years after the riots, the parade was much more about party than protest. We had so much to demand (marriage rights, employment rights, the right to treatment for diseases (not just AIDS), hell, even our right to exist was tenuous at best) but, as someone who watched the whole parade start to finish, mostly I saw white men demanding the right to sexual gratification (also an important right, don’t get me wrong). Two years later I was part of a GLB rights protest in Allentown PA, and while that protest help lay the groundwork for political action including Allentown amending its human rights ordinance to include sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes, within 5 years the annual pride protest became a pride festival where the main focus was having a good time, and most participants were eager to avoid any “negative” political action. Fast forward to 2018, 49 years after Stonewall, and the local pride festival has further morphed into a pleasant afternoon in the park that attracts (judging by the people I saw) more straight families than GLBT people. I felt a certain victory seeing local banks selling mortgage products to same-sex couples with adopted kids, but also a certain sense that we can yet fail, can loose all we have worked so hard to gain, if we complacently sit back and enjoy a pleasant (welcoming to all, including straights, without a tinge of protest or activism) pride and forget that there are still very vocal groups of individuals who want nothing less than the complete rollback of all civil rights and the elimination of all gay people. We still have work to do, will still need legislation to protect us from discrimination and we need to continue the cultural fight for true acceptance.
John Early After the news that broke yesterday about Kennedy leaving the Supreme Court, how worried are you that it is going to effect us badly? I ask as a 26 year old that always seeks to find the opinion of people that came before me, that know the same issues I face. I am gladly so one of the few brave enough in the south to stand for who I am and protest our mistreatment. Because unlike a lot of my peers I saught out my history, and want to make sure that it never happens again.
John Early , could you conceive that the public and joyous party eventually led to the normalization that gave rise to political changes, like marriage equality?
Well, I believe that visibility is a weapon all in it's own. I say let them have their fun. The more straight people who attend, the better, as it helps to relieve them of their phobias and make LGBT friends. The anti-gay crowd's greatest weapon against us is ignorance and uncertainty. They lost uncertainty when we were able to get married and the sky didn't fall. They will lose ignorance when people can see for themselves what kind of people we are, and not the hateful rhetoric of some right-wing pod caster.
Yup. Also, small thing not really that important but the young folk tend to do it this way more these days 'LGBTQ'. I know this freaks people who are accustomed to 'GLBT' out, but it was a move made to not put cis white males at the forefront. I know, small. But, still, the common now.
Er... Brian forced the business guy to give hundreds of thousands of dollars to gay positive causes. He got the business jerk to part with what he values even more that his hate- his money. I call that a win.
@@lstarsabb but the community didn't really know about the full scope of any of it. I don't even remember if he told his friends he had a hand in that positive manipulation. And as for finally realizing and changing, it was good for his character arc, but also very long overdue.
Queer as Folk will always be one of the most important tv shows of our history. Without it, there’d be no The L Word, no Noah’s Arc, no Queer Eye, no Logo TV and a lot of other gay shows. It gave us a voice and normalized us on TV. I do wish they had more minorities in the show (I am Latino) but I have to wonder, considering the times, a lot of gay people of color deal with serious homophobia from their families. I think there were a lot more openly gay whites people at the time. Maybe something to think about. I still appreciate, still, the importance of this show and I wish Showtime could give us a reboot. One last thing, Brian redeems himself in season 3 finale. Go look it up! He did something very risky and it cost him everything
It's true, QAF really did change things for the better. I just don't think it ages very well. As far as Brian goes -- I find it hard to be impressed by someone who only does the right thing after they've exhausted every other alternative.
Bryan Baccari I always hated it because I saw the UK one first and Americans are always stealing UK shows. But it did go in more detail than the original. Just wish it wasn’t such an obvious rip off.
@@MattBaume Brian was raised in an abusive household. his mother constantly wished he was dead, his father beat the shit out of him on a daily basis and his sister only talks to him if she has needs and his money. Brian is a survivor of so much crap so of course he's going to go after what he wants and to hell with anyone else, he's been raised to believe he can't trust anyone and his only blood family hates him. He redeems himself and gives back to the community which to be honest hates him or puts him on a pedestal.
I live near a large liberal city that's surrounded by many small conservative towns. So for people from these towns, Pride is a place where they feel safe to be proud of who they are. They don't have to hide who they are, like they often need to hide from their family. For myself and many of the people I talked to, protesting isn't the main goal at Pride - it's a chance to be yourself
The irony of the queer community fighting for equality and acceptance is that the same community itself has a problem with equality and acceptance. And I'm not saying they should quit fighting for it but rather look inwards as well.
What, you have a problem with Pride parades excluding cops, Irish groups, Republicans, and any bunch of humans they've cubbyholed into a box so they can apply prejudice to them? Diversity is wonderful, until it means actually hanging around with people who are DIFFERENT.
I love the balance you struck between pointing out how far this show and this episode pushed LGBT representation and brought up important issues but still didn't let it off the hook for all the places where it should have gone further and didn't.
My young daughters and I go to Pride. It’s really not a hard concept to teach children that boys can marry boys and girls can marry girls. It’s easy for me as a straight guy, but it’s important for us to show solidarity to those in the LGBTQ community who are still victims of violence and oppression.
Wow, just awesome work again Matt! Our dear family friend, Michael, passed from AIDS 26 years ago. He was closeted for many years and what you have said here about the importance of PRIDE has really struck a chord with me, also what you said about survival and the thriving of the queer community. Thank you so much.
Twenty years ago there wasn't much awareness of trans people, even among gays and lesbians. We assumed any man in a dress was a drag queen. Twenty years ago, I'd say I didn't know any trans people. Today a lot has changed and I have quite a few trans friends.
I watched the original series years ago because of Charlie hunnam he looks so young back then I much prefer the showtime version compared to the original 🌈🤔🤨🤗😍
@@thearbiter6350 He didn't say it changed or influenced his sexuality. He said it helped him come to terms with or accept his sexuality, that he was already born with. Just to be clear, nobody should have to do that. We shouldn't have to become comfortable with who we are, because we grow up in environnents that make us uncomfortable with ourselves.
@@Genevieve1023 No one's born sexually active. We're ALL A-sexual as kid's c'mon now. Our bodies and brain's aren't even developed yet, now if your talking about gender disphoria that's diffrent that's more of an identity issue not sexulity as a child.
Watching this for a second time. This time, it’s right after the Supreme Court ruled it’s unconstitutional to discriminate against employees for being gay. We have come so far and have even further to go. This pride it’s back to a march for our BIPOC & trans family... during a plague. Crazy times, but we still have our community. Thank you ❤️
Pride is fun but... it's sorta off putting how commercial it is now. I suppose that's okay but I kinda miss the weirder, grittier edge. Also, I LOVED YOUR BOOK!!!!! Although from the look of the cover, a bunch of my co workers thought it was a Christian marriage self help book and asked me if I was going through a thing lol
Matt Baume Ummmmm Im not sure honestly just maybe a video talking about how the show was kinda revolutionary for queer people with representation at the time and still somewhat today. I cant believe yoy replied :)
I concur. This show was so important, and not just because it had gay characters. We already had Will and Grace and other shows. This is the show that was honest. While other shows were all about fashionable guys listening to Cher, this was unapologetically sexual. It addressed HIV, which any other show would ignore or only use "in a special episode" to have a one episode character as a source of pity by the main cast. Drug use was shown, and it was unique in it's often neutral tone towards it. Brian did drugs constantly, and it was shown as glamorous, or at least as a part of gay party culture, but Ted's experiences showed the toll that it was having on the community. It never went too far into either direction. And it was not afraid to have gay villains, to shine a mirror on our own faults as a community.
@@MattBaume The season one finale where Justin gets bashed is one of the most devastating works of art I've ever witnessed. I'm not sure it'd be the best episode to do, but I've never had a movie or show move me or bring me to tears the way that episode did. As for iconic QAF episodes worth looking at, I think the episode where Mike's uber proud and supportive mom (who has a brother that lives with her with AIDS) finds out her son is dating someone with HIV (whom prior to learning this, she also adored) and she is vehemently against it. They follow the journey of her coming to terms with it and really does some awesome character growth. Or better yet, you could do the episode where Mike is dealing with the reveal that Ben has HIV and how he dealt with it. They had many story arcs over the seasons dealing with various challenges of living and loving someone with HIV, I think any of those episodes would give you a lot to talk about and create interesting conversation in the comments.
@@inventedcool1076 The episode where Justin is bashed is the hardest thing to watch on a show with a lot of difficult moments. The juxtaposition of the joy you feel when he and Brian dance, in a big fat "fuck you" to the people and institution that constantly oppressed him (Justin), against that sickening moment when Justin looks back and smiles at Brian a second before you hear the sound of the bat hitting him, its just..horrible. Devastating, as you said. I usually just skip it because I love that Brian came through for Justin at the dance and I like to think of them that way.
To be fair, a lot of these episodes have long term arcs and consequences. Unlike most Sitcoms, this show shows character change over many episodes. There's quite a bit of context. I think Brian redeemed himself for selling out to his community much further down the line.
Emmett was my favorite character. He ALWAYS remained true to himself. I miss QAF. Wish they would update it with the same actors and make the show about how the characters are currently.
QAF US developed from the UK ONE and discussed even more issues in depth which are still relevant today. And the cast members are all so adorable and loveable. It is still my all time favorite series.
I still remember my first Pride parade in Chicago in the 80s, Some of the spectators threw garbage, eggs and tomatoes at us. Still here baby and happy with who I am!
You need to see this from that time. There has been so much change there was no discussion or any woke culture/discussion at all then. It's easy to say stuff negative about it but it was groundbreaking at the time.I saw this when it came out I was 16/17. It helped show me there was a way beyond straight. It was exciting and the character of Brian Kinney was amazing.
There's also a great line where Brian tells Justin something to the effect of, "Pride is about not letting homophobes and (The man that assaulted you for being gay) win."
I've been giving you and yout videos the side eye for a while and thought about unsubscribing because you NEVER talk about queer people of colour. I'm so happy you addressed it in this video. Thank you!
Don't forget that this show was created by Russell T "Dr Who" Davies and was originally set in Manchester. Although there are many more episodes in the US series, lots of the themes from the UK show are developed further in the USA. both grfeat shows.
If you want to make a video on pride you should mention the constant straight complaint of it being “too adult” for children, like its ok to take your 3yo to hooters butif they see a man in booty shorts it will scar them for life!
Also "You guys already got gay marriage why do you need to still do Pride? and Why can't their be Straight Pride?" are another couple of good ones I hear a lot.
I consider myself bisexual but I am in a heterosexual relationship and I haven’t really told my parents about it but my dad and step mom hinted at me getting married to a woman when I was younger and were totally cool with it; they always told me if I told them I was gay they would be cool with it. I’m considering taking my 2 kids (1&2 currently) to pride next year.
Another poignant moment which takes up the question of “why are we here” comes when Justin asks that question during the parade. Brian matter of factly, in monotone, replies, “To make sure Chris Hobbs doesn’t win.” Chris Hobbs, Justin’s brasher, represents the injustice we collectively fight against. Matt, great conclusion to answer that question concerning why we celebrate Pride. And I think where the series lacks in addressing important causes during Pride, it makes up for itself throughout the series in different and varied ways, reminding the view that the struggle against injustice is a daily one.
Watching this video again and I finally recognized Michael's actor (Hal Sparks) as the dad in Lab Rats. Did not expect THAT show to pop back into my memory while watching a video like this
Matt, thank you so much for giving some much deserved attention to a series which still highlights important issues to the Queer community, Pride being just one of them. And great question about Mel and Lyndsay: should they bring a stroller or a motorcycle? I believe the answer is “BOTH!” I believe members of the Queer community, in 2018, can celebrate our freedom to be out and flamboyant if we want, and at other times, to lovingly raise families, share a home and contribute productively to society without the fear of prejudice.
I've been bingeing "Queer as Folk" in June/July of 2021 on Showtime On Demand, and curiously the "Pride" episode is nowhere to be found in the lineup- where that episode is supposed to be in the chronological order of airings, they present another episode (from season 4, no less) ? As a completeist, I'd really like to see that episode and curious as to why it's not available to see. Came to the QaF party late and absolutely loving it!! 🏳️🌈🌈😍
that is...very strange. Also, if you can find them, I highly recommend watching the show on DVD rather than streaming. The music originally used in the show was so good that several soundtracks were released. To make the show available for streaming, they had to use different music bc the licenses for all those songs would be prohibitively expensive- but some of the really iconic scenes (like Brian celebrating Gus's birth on the hospital roof with Michael, Emmett as Fetch Dixon becoming a webcam sensation, Brian crashing Mel and Lindsay's party and drugging everyone, all of Liberty Avenue celebrating Stockwell's defeat at the end of S3)- those are all 10000x better with the music originally intended.
For pride events, my view has much changed over the years. When I was young, they were so much about me, even if I was background security or event prep staff. I felt so alive, so wired in, so connected and excited to be celebrating what I'd though was once forbidden and unspeakable. But here I am, decades later, and now I see pride as 'not just for me', and not even for any of us who attend...but as a huge signal for those who couldn't, or can't yet attend...for every nervous, frightened soul that hungers in silence to be heard, to be truthful, to be NOT alone in the world. Our spectacle and noise is so that they know a world of others like them is waiting close by, and that they are not, and never have been truly alone. Once, many years ago, I was the silent, the frightened, the lonely...now, decades later, I am the message I hope they hear, the foghorn and lighthouse that say a safe harbor is near even in all the fog of life. QaF may have missed its mark here and there, but I loved it dearly at the time. Hell, I was happy just that a show existed that made the people and issues I lived with daily seem to come to life on screen. Whatever its flaws, it had the brutal honesty to admit that we ARE ALL flawed, complex, variables in an equation that hasn't ever been truly 'solved', but endures just the same...and thats more than most shows would ever dare.
If you want to talk about a different side of the LGBT community in your next episode one that includes trans people and people of color than I recommend you talk about the 1990 documentary about the New York Ball Scene, Paris is Burning. It’s historic.
I've never seen the show but I'm glad to see this discussion about it. As a gay trans man, and a bit of a bear, I never really felt at home at the parades. Hopefully one day I will.
Such a great review and critique around the erasure of trans and POC people. I live in the Toronto neighbourhood and remember when this episode was being shot. People were thrilled to be able to show the community!
@@Arella17 your 100% right it should. But for many people of color at some gay events they don't always feel welcomed. I remember when I first started to go to the gay clubs I would be the only Hispanic person surrounded by white people. And I always felt invisible but as years went on things change an now it's different. Sadly It still takes time for some gay communities to include LGBT of color feel welcomed.
Queer as Folk truly helped me find my queer identity when I was young (perhaps to young for some scenes) I remember watching it alone in my room at night flinching if i heard anyone outside my door fearing they would catch me and it may sound cheesy but it helped give me the courage to come out and now I got my own Debbie who is more excited for pride month then I am. Now that im older and educated I know it has faults but it holds a special place in my gay identity.
Also, Sylvia Rivera had nothing to do with the Stonewall riots. On the night of the riots, she was in an apartment uptown, passed out on heroin. Years later, she asked LGBT historians to create a role for her in the riots, which is pretty cynical.
You could start with Wiki: "After her older friend, Marsha P. Johnson, was being praised for being involved in the Stonewall Riots, Rivera would later claim that she was also present there. However, Stonewall historian David Carter questioned Rivera's claims to have ever been at the riots that night, based on contradictory statements she made as well as testimony relayed to him by early gay rights activists, including Marsha P. Johnson, who denied Rivera was present at the riots."
"What should I be proud of? The fact that I got bashed?" " Yes. Yes, you should, because you survived." I'm not crying, you're crying. Hit a little close to home there, and I completely agree. Be proud that despite everyone else that is trying to sweep you under the table, bash you within an inch of your life, or keep you from basic, human rights....be proud that we survived. That which does not kill us makes us stronger.
Pride events here in Chicago are massive. The parade itself has turned into a way to see politicians pretend to be supportive of the community. They become an ally for the day. I was at the pride parade last week with 160 floats, over 10 percent were politicians running for office this week. Yes the city's mayor is a lesbian and she was there on a float with her wife. But there were politicians out there who will not support the community the second that they stepped away from the event. I saw a majority of Chicago sport teams out there as well. One of the mascots was twerking on top of a bus. You don't see that every day. Maybe this parade has gotten away from the meaning of what it is supposed to be. I don't know yet. Has it lost its message? I don't know. There might have been more straight people there in the crowd? There was tons of free stuff given away and I ended up with a shopping bag full of beads, stickers, and other stuff. I gave some stuff away to those who didn't get much. For me as a straight woman, Pride is a year long thing. I support LGBTQ+ stores(got some cute jewelry from a Black LGBTQ+ owned this year), put money back into the neighborhood, donated to a medical center that helps community members get free health care, and other things. It is all about support and friendship. If that is wrong, then that is something that I will have to live with.
It’s really cool to see so many older gays in the comments. :) usually when you see LGBT content it’s to a fanbase of millenials or gen z. So it’s nice that you draw the attention of an older crowd, too.
Thank you for making these videos. It really means a lot to see how queer people have been represented in the media in times past and also learn about the effects of that media on people's attitudes towards us.
12:17 "Remember the past. Enjoy the present. Demand a better future." The fact that this line didn’t go viral and end all "what is Pride for?" discourse is a shame. Regardless, I would totally buy it on merch!
+Matt Baume Hey love this series on gay cinema you're doing. But pleaseeeeeeeee do The Boys In The Band. It is my favourite gay film and it has such a weird context, like how the play was written when we were still in the closet as a community and there was so much self hatred but when the film came out we were fighting to rebuild our self esteem and tons of gay people hated it... like I'm 100% sure you've seen it but I just wanna hear your take. Pleaseeee?
Visibility alone is enough reason for Pride. Samuel R. Delaney, a gay scifi writer, has an anecdote about sneaking to a truck stop to meet other gay men. The cops arrived and he saw scores of men fleeing from between the trucks. That was the first time he realized how many other gay men there actually were, before then, he had no idea.
The beer story is actually a true story. The Original UK series was sponsored by a beer company. They got cold feet and pulled sponsorship. They regretted it as the show was a hit but what happened next was far worse for them. Gay bars across the country stoped stocking the beer and us gays boycotted buying it.
If you were to ask anyone who their favorite character on QaF is, a lot will say Debbie, Brian, Michael, Emmett, Ted or Justin....my favorite character was Uncle Vic. He came out way before Justin was even THOUGHT of...he was a great voice for the show and I hated when they killed him off. He lived through the AIDS epidemic, the riots and the worst stigmata against the LGBT community.
It's good, but US version is better in my humble opinion. I found connection between Brain and Justin more captivating than between Stuart and Nathan, the supporting characters are stronger and their had longer run, so the story is better developed. But still, original was fun to watch, it's sad that they didn't get more seasons.
2:05 Wow. I've never seen that photo before. It really is heartwarming to know that, even in some of the worst of times, not everyone was so closed-off. It may have been a small percentage, but it was there.
Wonderful video! From the perspective of the franchise though, it might be a little bit harsh as it is literally an episode of those specific character’s growth.
God damn Matt. You out did yourself. This is great. I grew up as a young teen aged watching QaF thinking that it was the be all end all of the gay community but as a person of color i don’t see myself in the show except in weird ways with Justin and his almost illegal romance. But the way extrapolated a message of your own from this episode is fantastic. Keep up the amazing work!
If possible (and I know this might not fit in closely to the largely American culture you're examining) I'd love to see your opinion on Graham Chapman (who came out publically in 1972, just 5 years after Britain decriminalised homosexuality), Monty Python's treatment of queer people, and its significance at the time. Loved the video! This series gives me life
Lots of times, I wish there was a better way for longer-form discussion on TH-cam, with some moderation. -- I guess I'ma little odd, or maybe not. I'm quiet in person and more outspoken online, but I'm out. And for some, maybe I'm too gay and for others, not gay enough. I don't get that; I'm gay; why can't that be enough? -- I'm not particularly in the local "gay community" or the online gay community, I guess. But look, I grew up in a time and place, like most of my generation, when being gay was not exactly the most popular and got you bullied (or worse) and was also not legal until recently. But we have Pride parades, and, well, I don't know how I fit in. I don't quite fit the characters in Queer As Folk, either, maybe, or maybe that's just my impression. What am I saying? I guess I'm saying, there must be lots of gay guys and girls like me out there too. We're just as gay, damn it. We belong or we want to. And we need to be proud too, because for so long, even now, people like us, old or young, still get discriminated against, just for wanting to love someone, and others so often fail to see beyond the sexual aspect to the love, to the other things about us. Well, damn it, I grew up wanting that love too and being conflicted about it and often getting bullied or beaten up or hassled, just because I was different in this way and others didn't like it. So what? Well, I don't know, except -- I want something better for all of us. There's still so much homophobia out there, people who don't understand or don't want to, and there's too much internalized shame and confusion, like what I went through. I want that world where any gay person can be just as open about asking someone they like as any straight person, and where if the person they like doesn't like them, it's no problem, just like for straight folks, so you can go ask someone else, and no one is bothered by that, and so you can find that someone to love and be loved. Pride? I'm not sure how much that parade is for me, and yet it is, because there are lots of us who don't quite fit the loud and proud, and yet we're here too; we want love too, and we want to be proud and not bothered for who we are deep down. That, simple acceptance of who we are, deep down. Not some choice or lifestyle; I didn't just wake up one day and say, ooh, I think I'll be gay today, but maybe not tomorrow. No, I was gay before I knew what that was, and oh, the other kids knew it too, even if it was an open secret. So... I think I want something more than just a parade one night or a month of pride. I think I want acceptance, belonging, inclusion, and love. I want it to be OK that I am different in this way, among other ways, and among other apple who are different too. I just... I hate to see things going backward, with people getting more intolerant and homophobic again. I want progress for us, including those folks who are a little more "out there" than me. Because they've been through it too, and maybe they are better adjusted in some ways than I am. So... I don't know, I just wish it would get better and stay better, not just a slogan or a parade. -- And I hope that's understandable to others out there. And I am glad there is Pride. I'm still here; there are folks who are no longer here; and there are lots of younger gay folks growing up, just starting this journey. So I want it for all of us. -- I hope that is understandable to someone, that's all.
I rarely read comments, but I'm so happy I read yours! You've said everything I wanted, but didn't have the right words to describe how I feel. It's such a relief to know I'm not the only one. Thank you so much!
I was watching the news shortly after the pride parade in New York and one of the reporters said something along the lines of, "It felt more like a protest this year," and all I could think was, "That's kind of the point?" Don't get me wrong, I love a good vibes environment, but it's important to remember that the point of pride - or at least the original point - was to protest, was to be a kind of middle finger to the oppressors and as a passive-aggressive reminder that we are real people, too.
When these episodes aired, I was still a relatively newly out gay man living in Salt Lake City. Gay Pride there was equal parts celebration and protest since the conservative state government, and monolithic religious control of the Mormons created a very oppressive environment for us. Now living in San Francisco, I often look at the celebration here and wonder "what's the point?" and "who is this for?" Corporations get top billing in the parade, ahead of groups formed by GLBT individuals to address issues that effect our community, and if you're not catering to that main stream club going, white, muscular, cismale audience, you're booted even further back. The fesitval is relatively unwelcoming (as it the gay community at large) of gay men who aren't in good shape, who might be hairier, or taller/shorter, who might be more fem, or who might be more into leather or kink, and they try to hide that whole part of the parade by pushing them to the back, and giving organizations representing those groups very poor booth locations within the festival grounds itself. Pride here isn't for the majority of gay people, and instead if very specifically catered to one subculture, and their corporate sponsors. This is why I haven't attended an event for almost 10 years now. They don't want me there, and so I don't want to be there.
I went to the Australian Midsoma Pride March at the start of this year as part of a group from my workplace and for the first time in my life, I felt inconspicuous and at home among strangers. I got super sunburned, went to the beech, met drag queens, ate grate food and fir the first time in my whole life, felt ok just being me. Also, please PLEASE do a review or video on the Russle T Davis version of this show!!!
The best episodes of sense8 were the pride episodes. And then netflix, the bourgeois bastards, canceled it. I wonder if that played a part in the cancellation
It would have played a part only if there were a noticeable drop in viewership or number of ad revenue as a clear cause-and-effect result. Sense8 was very, very costly to produce and each episode took longer to film than those of most shows. The people who watched it loved it, but there were not enough of them. Had the show achieved the viewership and success of Stranger Things or Game of Thrones, cost would not matter and they could have pulled their pants down and danced naked for an hour and still the show would likely have survived. Shows have been cancelled over content in the past, but it is highly unlikely that this was one of them.
there is an amazing independent British film called pride which you guys should check out, its got a great cast including like bill nighy and andrew scott.
I was going to make a joke about how disgusted I was that this wasn't an exploration of the *clearly superior* British version, but your examination if the episode and issues it raised was just too good. You've given me a fair bit to think about. Again.
I've always wondered if people get why it was called "Queer as Folk". Because the original British show was set in Manchester in the UK (my hometown) and the term "queer as folk" comes from the local idiom "there's nowt as queer as folk" basically meaning "people can be strange".
People have been treating Pride like a gay(er) version of Mardi Gras for decades. Nobody should be surprised that it's turned into something that's forgotten about the day after, like literally every other holiday.
Hey Matt, I love your videos and explanations! Do you have a video, or would you please make a video, on how to be a good ally? It’s one thing to be well-meaning, but I’d like to make sure I’m not just well-intentioned but helping people with everyday actions.
I explained pride as follows to someone once: It's not about being proud of something you did nothing to achieve, it's about being proud as in not ashamed of who you are. And for the record, for some of us, being here is a fucking accomplishment. However dirty and messy it was the fact we survived to reach our current selves is an accomplishment deserving of pride. How many of us over the age of thirty have lost friends, relatives or lovers to HIV, violence, suicide, drugs and alcohol? Yeah, if you lived through all that and still held on to yourself you have a right to be proud.
My first pride parade was just me (a 22 bisexual) taking care and being followed by my sister and a bunch of her friends, I was just the supervisor of high school gays
My husband and I watched some of the episodes of this show several years ago (I had seen them when they were 1st aired, he hadn’t) and it quickly became evident that they had aged BADLY! Part of this was due to the progress we had made in the past 20 years (including the outlawing in 2020, at long last, of gay and trans employment discrimination in the Southern states that previously had no protections for LGBT people - by a conservative Supreme Court, no less) and of course, marriage equality. But part of it was due to the fact that Queer As Folk often portrayed heteros as either strong LGBT allies or raving homophobes (like Michael’s co-workers in the clips shown in this vid) when in reality, most were somewhere in between. I’m not sure where Matt grew up, but I grew up and came out in the South in the late 1980s and I never experienced, in that often backwards region, overt homophobia in the workplace like “Queer as Folk” portrays! So these overly exaggerated representations don’t ring true for me. I would now have to classify this dawn of the Millennium show “Queer As Folk” as a “period piece” or a curio, not relevant for the present day. Thank God for progress!!!
I live in a mid sized city in Pennsylvania. I've gone to the pride picnic many times, and its quite fun. I've never really gone to the actual pride fest for years. So, I went two years ago an this is how it opened: A local politician came up with his kid, and spoke at length about acceptance, rights, family, adoption rights. He spoke about breaking the stereotypes that most think about us, which resulted in a wave of applause. Then he left the stage and the drag show began.....yeah, we totally smashed those stereotypes that day.
nbkcq28 straight look and acting? Not what I'm saying at all. I have bears, twinks, drag queens and transexual peeps among my friends. My boyfriend is trans. My problem is the community I live in, and the gay community here in general. We get picketteed every year by christofascists etc. There is a big community here, all kinds of talk. I've pushed for more variety and visibility myself, both in the parade and in the event. Nothing. 15 people show up for the parade, and all there is is a drag show. Every year. That is my problem, not drag queens.
High Zenburgh if you enjoyed that pride festival try attending the pride festival in Allentown. Lots of good performers, other activities like volleyball, and very family friendly. Of course you won’t see much by way of protest. Aug 19, 2018 www.bradburysullivancenter.org/pride
High Zenburgh Drag is an important part of pride because of its historical value. It was the trans and drag community that kicked off stonewall not gay men.
Alex Noa no shit, I'm 50 and lived in NYC. Do you read my previous comment? Drag isn't the issue, I've dated 4 drag queens. It's like he says in the video: A mix of fun, and substance. There's little stone wall here, and plenty of studio 54. Our new mayor is doing a great job. He's a devout Christian, and yet he had the fountain lights changed to pride colors, had a huge pride flag painted on a crosswalk downtown and is flying the pride flag under the U.S. and Pennsylvania flags. So things are looking up.
A bunch of families at a barbeque that are gay creates a space for straight people to see us as we really are. People. It's easy to not care about us, to think we are strange, to fear us if we are different. Pride as a block party shows them that we are their neighbours, coworkers, friends and family. The people they know and like and relate to.
My issue with pride parade the last 10 years is it’s all on advertising party never felt like it’s actually changing anything. It’s just for people to party and spend their money
Shortly after the mass shooting in Orlando there was talk of showing the world that the gay community would not be silenced. That's the first year I joined my daughters at pride. Several coworkers abd other acquaintances were also in attendance. I've gone every year since, usually wearing a dress.
7:30 I totally agree with you. I LOVED qaf and watched it three times but it was off putting that there were barely any EXTRAS of color let characters of color.
Request for future Culture Cruise episodes: * Omar, Snoop, Kima, and the other LGB characters in "The Wire." * LGBT characters in Bioware games, particularly the "Mass Effect" and "Dragon Age" series. * Lamar in "Revenge of the Nerds."
Matt Baume - LOL! Iron Bull: I should've guessed. It's interesting to see how the romance options in their games have changed over the years, going all the way back to their Black Isle days and Baldur's Gate 2. Could argue over the characters with other fans for--well, for longer than I'd care to admit.
Three years ago, my employer at a landscaping company wanted everyone to work an extra day on Sunday, and I was scared to tell him I already had plans to attend the pride parade. It helped that I also needed to check out a new apartment. He didn't have any problem, got kinda quiet but didn't press the issue, though I can't help think if it were ten years earlier it wouldn't have gone as favorably
It is impossible to make everyone feel welcome in One Unifying Event. If it's impossible to have multiple events, draw up a rota similar to that of the British Open and let the various factions take turns at being the host and setting the norms. Didn't Brian get the drink maker to give a hefty donation to the Marriage Initiative? While he was given to twisting everyone's tails, he was usually able to put a bit of sting into it. Best Coincidence of the episode: Emmett's dancing partner at the end was portrayed by Alexander Chapman, who had a brilliant turn in a much heftier drag role, the convict who doubled as Lydie-Anne in the Canadian film Lilies. And, as so often happens, Ted gets overlooked. His story line may be the best one of the episode, representing all the "under average" gays who don't feel they belong. Ted begins the episode a bit depressed that his, "Happy Pride; how's it going?" schtick is going over like a lead balloon with the hotties, But, just when he's about to give up, he draws the attention of hunky Troy (a former pickup of Brian's the previous season). After Ted overcomes his suspicion, Troy gives him a good topping but is non-committal about meeting up at Pride. When they do run into each other, Troy explains that, each year, he finds some average gay and gives him Something to Remember. "I give him me!" It's Troy's way of Giving Back to the Community. Brian later confirms that Ted was this year's pity f***, but gives Ted a pickup line that should get him some action. Only (and this is the best part, as it pops the bubble of Brian as Supergay), while Ted is repeating the pickup line to himself and nerving himself to use it, he's approached by someone similar to himself who addresses him, "Happy Pride; how's it going?"
Hi Matt, QUEER AS FOLK was a great series and I've seen all five seasons of it. There should be a retrospective show showing what happened to the characters. We need a modern version of it for the younger generations. I also met the two women who played the lesbian lovers and the actor who played Michael's second lover , the college professor when they made a personal appearance at a bar. I only wish Pittsburgh was as liberated as it showed in the series. I'm sure a lot of people came here and were disappointed when they saw that Liberty Avenue was not as liberated as its Toronto counterpart. Those things have improved ,Pittsburgh still has a long way to go. A lot of gay people still have families that live in the area who don't want to come out to their parents or employers. There is still a lot of homophobia around and occasional gay bashing, Some fundamentalists stand on the sidewalk and heckle marchers to cause incidents to make the media. I did march in the Pride Parade for 15 years until my legs gave out and worked art a booth of an organization I was a member of. As I said, we've come a long way but we still have a long way to go so we cam be open about our sexual orientation in the smaller cities like Pittsburgh as they are in New York, San Francisco, Chicago and more open cities that people move to which are more open and understanding. and not worry about what their families will think.
I'm surprised you didn't mention cops at pride. I know this video is 2 years old but it was still a conversation back then. The show didnt even mention it. I'm glad you talked about the lack of people of color and non cis people though
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QAF was groundbreaking, and is still ahead of its time. It should have won a ton of Emmys for writing and acting, but was ignored. Shameful for the Emmy voters. I wish we had ANYTHING this gay positive and realistic in this era on television or movies.
I totally agree and one of the only shows that comes close is The Fosters, which just so happens to be the creation of Peter Paige, who played Emmett on QAF.
Ste Richardsson 👍👍👍👍
Agreed. The acting was (mostly) awful and the writing was almost as bad! this 13 minute video points out a bunch of missed opportunities for the writers in this episode alone.
Yes. That it was. Lol!
Actually QAF is a remake of a British version so us brits did it first, how about you act like it?
I went to my first pride this past weekend! Straight out of the closet too, after graduating a super homophobic christian school
Welcome out!
Thanks! I fought hard to get here.
Good for you. It’s not an easy process, but you come out on the other side so much better.
Oh wow. Your story could be a storyline on QAF!
I know it was a year ago, but congratulations! I wish all things prosperous to you and those you love!
As a man born before Stonewall, my first pride parade was NYC in 1989, and even then, a mere 20 years after the riots, the parade was much more about party than protest. We had so much to demand (marriage rights, employment rights, the right to treatment for diseases (not just AIDS), hell, even our right to exist was tenuous at best) but, as someone who watched the whole parade start to finish, mostly I saw white men demanding the right to sexual gratification (also an important right, don’t get me wrong). Two years later I was part of a GLB rights protest in Allentown PA, and while that protest help lay the groundwork for political action including Allentown amending its human rights ordinance to include sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes, within 5 years the annual pride protest became a pride festival where the main focus was having a good time, and most participants were eager to avoid any “negative” political action.
Fast forward to 2018, 49 years after Stonewall, and the local pride festival has further morphed into a pleasant afternoon in the park that attracts (judging by the people I saw) more straight families than GLBT people. I felt a certain victory seeing local banks selling mortgage products to same-sex couples with adopted kids, but also a certain sense that we can yet fail, can loose all we have worked so hard to gain, if we complacently sit back and enjoy a pleasant (welcoming to all, including straights, without a tinge of protest or activism) pride and forget that there are still very vocal groups of individuals who want nothing less than the complete rollback of all civil rights and the elimination of all gay people. We still have work to do, will still need legislation to protect us from discrimination and we need to continue the cultural fight for true acceptance.
John Early After the news that broke yesterday about Kennedy leaving the Supreme Court, how worried are you that it is going to effect us badly? I ask as a 26 year old that always seeks to find the opinion of people that came before me, that know the same issues I face. I am gladly so one of the few brave enough in the south to stand for who I am and protest our mistreatment. Because unlike a lot of my peers I saught out my history, and want to make sure that it never happens again.
John Early , could you conceive that the public and joyous party eventually led to the normalization that gave rise to political changes, like marriage equality?
Well, I believe that visibility is a weapon all in it's own. I say let them have their fun. The more straight people who attend, the better, as it helps to relieve them of their phobias and make LGBT friends. The anti-gay crowd's greatest weapon against us is ignorance and uncertainty. They lost uncertainty when we were able to get married and the sky didn't fall. They will lose ignorance when people can see for themselves what kind of people we are, and not the hateful rhetoric of some right-wing pod caster.
Yup.
Also, small thing not really that important but the young folk tend to do it this way more these days 'LGBTQ'. I know this freaks people who are accustomed to 'GLBT' out, but it was a move made to not put cis white males at the forefront. I know, small. But, still, the common now.
I just think LGBT has a better ring to it. Better to start with a soft syllable, I think.
Er... Brian forced the business guy to give hundreds of thousands of dollars to gay positive causes. He got the business jerk to part with what he values even more that his hate- his money. I call that a win.
MavenCree exactly
Between that and thinking Justin only got ‘beat up ‘ it makes me wonder if he watched the episode
And season 4 was the season that made Brian see that conquiences of overlooking homophobia for money.
@@lstarsabb but the community didn't really know about the full scope of any of it. I don't even remember if he told his friends he had a hand in that positive manipulation.
And as for finally realizing and changing, it was good for his character arc, but also very long overdue.
Brian IS Rage, Gay Crusader
Queer as Folk will always be one of the most important tv shows of our history. Without it, there’d be no The L Word, no Noah’s Arc, no Queer Eye, no Logo TV and a lot of other gay shows. It gave us a voice and normalized us on TV. I do wish they had more minorities in the show (I am Latino) but I have to wonder, considering the times, a lot of gay people of color deal with serious homophobia from their families. I think there were a lot more openly gay whites people at the time. Maybe something to think about. I still appreciate, still, the importance of this show and I wish Showtime could give us a reboot.
One last thing, Brian redeems himself in season 3 finale. Go look it up! He did something very risky and it cost him everything
It's true, QAF really did change things for the better. I just don't think it ages very well. As far as Brian goes -- I find it hard to be impressed by someone who only does the right thing after they've exhausted every other alternative.
Bryan Baccari I always hated it because I saw the UK one first and Americans are always stealing UK shows. But it did go in more detail than the original. Just wish it wasn’t such an obvious rip off.
@@MattBaume Brian was raised in an abusive household. his mother constantly wished he was dead, his father beat the shit out of him on a daily basis and his sister only talks to him if she has needs and his money. Brian is a survivor of so much crap so of course he's going to go after what he wants and to hell with anyone else, he's been raised to believe he can't trust anyone and his only blood family hates him. He redeems himself and gives back to the community which to be honest hates him or puts him on a pedestal.
And, oddly enough, no Doctor Who revival without Russel T Davis making Queer As Folk
@@themorganrileyshow5520 your mind...galaxy brain
Queer as Folk actually helped inspire me to come out in 2002. 🌈
I live near a large liberal city that's surrounded by many small conservative towns. So for people from these towns, Pride is a place where they feel safe to be proud of who they are. They don't have to hide who they are, like they often need to hide from their family.
For myself and many of the people I talked to, protesting isn't the main goal at Pride - it's a chance to be yourself
The irony of the queer community fighting for equality and acceptance is that the same community itself has a problem with equality and acceptance.
And I'm not saying they should quit fighting for it but rather look inwards as well.
What, you have a problem with Pride parades excluding cops, Irish groups, Republicans, and any bunch of humans they've cubbyholed into a box so they can apply prejudice to them? Diversity is wonderful, until it means actually hanging around with people who are DIFFERENT.
I love the balance you struck between pointing out how far this show and this episode pushed LGBT representation and brought up important issues but still didn't let it off the hook for all the places where it should have gone further and didn't.
"That I got bashed and didn't die?" damn Justin. Great video!!
My young daughters and I go to Pride. It’s really not a hard concept to teach children that boys can marry boys and girls can marry girls.
It’s easy for me as a straight guy, but it’s important for us to show solidarity to those in the LGBTQ community who are still victims of violence and oppression.
Wow, just awesome work again Matt! Our dear family friend, Michael, passed from AIDS 26 years ago. He was closeted for many years and what you have said here about the importance of PRIDE has really struck a chord with me, also what you said about survival and the thriving of the queer community. Thank you so much.
Twenty years ago there wasn't much awareness of trans people, even among gays and lesbians. We assumed any man in a dress was a drag queen. Twenty years ago, I'd say I didn't know any trans people. Today a lot has changed and I have quite a few trans friends.
Did you ever watch the great British version that this came from? The show helped me come to terms with my sexuality
I watched the original series years ago because of Charlie hunnam he looks so young back then I much prefer the showtime version compared to the original 🌈🤔🤨🤗😍
What does that say about human sexulity if a t.v. show can influence it?..lol.
@@thearbiter6350 He didn't say it changed or influenced his sexuality. He said it helped him come to terms with or accept his sexuality, that he was already born with. Just to be clear, nobody should have to do that. We shouldn't have to become comfortable with who we are, because we grow up in environnents that make us uncomfortable with ourselves.
@@Genevieve1023 No one's born sexually active. We're ALL A-sexual as kid's c'mon now. Our bodies and brain's aren't even developed yet, now if your talking about gender disphoria that's diffrent that's more of an identity issue not sexulity as a child.
@@thearbiter6350 So you never had a crush on anybody before you hit puberty? That's unusual.
Watching this for a second time. This time, it’s right after the Supreme Court ruled it’s unconstitutional to discriminate against employees for being gay. We have come so far and have even further to go. This pride it’s back to a march for our BIPOC & trans family... during a plague. Crazy times, but we still have our community. Thank you ❤️
Pride is fun but... it's sorta off putting how commercial it is now. I suppose that's okay but I kinda miss the weirder, grittier edge.
Also, I LOVED YOUR BOOK!!!!! Although from the look of the cover, a bunch of my co workers thought it was a Christian marriage self help book and asked me if I was going through a thing lol
Oh my, I hadn't considered that the cover gave that impression. Haha whoops. I'm glad you liked it! :D
Please please please do more episodes based off of queer as folk
I love the show and i love yours so pleaaaasssseeeeee
Heh ok! Are there any episodes you recommend?
Matt Baume
Ummmmm Im not sure honestly just maybe a video talking about how the show was kinda revolutionary for queer people with representation at the time and still somewhat today.
I cant believe yoy replied :)
I concur. This show was so important, and not just because it had gay characters. We already had Will and Grace and other shows. This is the show that was honest. While other shows were all about fashionable guys listening to Cher, this was unapologetically sexual. It addressed HIV, which any other show would ignore or only use "in a special episode" to have a one episode character as a source of pity by the main cast. Drug use was shown, and it was unique in it's often neutral tone towards it. Brian did drugs constantly, and it was shown as glamorous, or at least as a part of gay party culture, but Ted's experiences showed the toll that it was having on the community. It never went too far into either direction. And it was not afraid to have gay villains, to shine a mirror on our own faults as a community.
@@MattBaume The season one finale where Justin gets bashed is one of the most devastating works of art I've ever witnessed. I'm not sure it'd be the best episode to do, but I've never had a movie or show move me or bring me to tears the way that episode did.
As for iconic QAF episodes worth looking at, I think the episode where Mike's uber proud and supportive mom (who has a brother that lives with her with AIDS) finds out her son is dating someone with HIV (whom prior to learning this, she also adored) and she is vehemently against it. They follow the journey of her coming to terms with it and really does some awesome character growth.
Or better yet, you could do the episode where Mike is dealing with the reveal that Ben has HIV and how he dealt with it. They had many story arcs over the seasons dealing with various challenges of living and loving someone with HIV, I think any of those episodes would give you a lot to talk about and create interesting conversation in the comments.
@@inventedcool1076 The episode where Justin is bashed is the hardest thing to watch on a show with a lot of difficult moments. The juxtaposition of the joy you feel when he and Brian dance, in a big fat "fuck you" to the people and institution that constantly oppressed him (Justin), against that sickening moment when Justin looks back and smiles at Brian a second before you hear the sound of the bat hitting him, its just..horrible. Devastating, as you said. I usually just skip it because I love that Brian came through for Justin at the dance and I like to think of them that way.
To be fair, a lot of these episodes have long term arcs and consequences. Unlike most Sitcoms, this show shows character change over many episodes. There's quite a bit of context. I think Brian redeemed himself for selling out to his community much further down the line.
Emmett was my favorite character. He ALWAYS remained true to himself. I miss QAF. Wish they would update it with the same actors and make the show about how the characters are currently.
Matt, just wanted to say what a superb narrator you truly are!!
Aww thank you! :D
QAF US developed from the UK ONE and discussed even more issues in depth which are still relevant today. And the cast members are all so adorable and loveable. It is still my all time favorite series.
I still remember my first Pride parade in Chicago in the 80s, Some of the spectators threw garbage, eggs and tomatoes at us. Still here baby and happy with who I am!
Five years later, and when you ask me to think of a show that acknowledges Pride, and my first thought is Blues Clues. I love how far we've come. 💙
You need to see this from that time. There has been so much change there was no discussion or any woke culture/discussion at all then. It's easy to say stuff negative about it but it was groundbreaking at the time.I saw this when it came out I was 16/17. It helped show me there was a way beyond straight. It was exciting and the character of Brian Kinney was amazing.
There's also a great line where Brian tells Justin something to the effect of, "Pride is about not letting homophobes and (The man that assaulted you for being gay) win."
I've been giving you and yout videos the side eye for a while and thought about unsubscribing because you NEVER talk about queer people of colour. I'm so happy you addressed it in this video. Thank you!
He doesn't mention at 7:08 that the actor who played Michael is Native American.
Don't forget that this show was created by Russell T "Dr Who" Davies and was originally set in Manchester. Although there are many more episodes in the US series, lots of the themes from the UK show are developed further in the USA. both grfeat shows.
If you want to make a video on pride you should mention the constant straight complaint of it being “too adult” for children, like its ok to take your 3yo to hooters butif they see a man in booty shorts it will scar them for life!
Also "You guys already got gay marriage why do you need to still do Pride? and Why can't their be Straight Pride?" are another couple of good ones I hear a lot.
Jack Fruth but just because someone else does it does it make it right?
Magnus Malamute Because there are still LGBT people around the world getting killed just for existing. So fuck your straight pride.
patricio rodriguez stfu
Dave102693 👌🏻
I consider myself bisexual but I am in a heterosexual relationship and I haven’t really told my parents about it but my dad and step mom hinted at me getting married to a woman when I was younger and were totally cool with it; they always told me if I told them I was gay they would be cool with it. I’m considering taking my 2 kids (1&2 currently) to pride next year.
You should review the movie Pride (UK 2014) it's based on a real story
Tabby Lynne pride is the shit, it’s one of my favourite movies~
@@toffletorte Me too - amazing film - would love to know how it compared to the actual history.
Another poignant moment which takes up the question of “why are we here” comes when Justin asks that question during the parade. Brian matter of factly, in monotone, replies, “To make sure Chris Hobbs doesn’t win.” Chris Hobbs, Justin’s brasher, represents the injustice we collectively fight against.
Matt, great conclusion to answer that question concerning why we celebrate Pride. And I think where the series lacks in addressing important causes during Pride, it makes up for itself throughout the series in different and varied ways, reminding the view that the struggle against injustice is a daily one.
Watching this video again and I finally recognized Michael's actor (Hal Sparks) as the dad in Lab Rats. Did not expect THAT show to pop back into my memory while watching a video like this
Matt, thank you so much for giving some much deserved attention to a series which still highlights important issues to the Queer community, Pride being just one of them.
And great question about Mel and Lyndsay: should they bring a stroller or a motorcycle? I believe the answer is “BOTH!” I believe members of the Queer community, in 2018, can celebrate our freedom to be out and flamboyant if we want, and at other times, to lovingly raise families, share a home and contribute productively to society without the fear of prejudice.
I've been bingeing "Queer as Folk" in June/July of 2021 on Showtime On Demand, and curiously the "Pride" episode is nowhere to be found in the lineup- where that episode is supposed to be in the chronological order of airings, they present another episode (from season 4, no less) ? As a completeist, I'd really like to see that episode and curious as to why it's not available to see.
Came to the QaF party late and absolutely loving it!! 🏳️🌈🌈😍
that is...very strange. Also, if you can find them, I highly recommend watching the show on DVD rather than streaming. The music originally used in the show was so good that several soundtracks were released. To make the show available for streaming, they had to use different music bc the licenses for all those songs would be prohibitively expensive- but some of the really iconic scenes (like Brian celebrating Gus's birth on the hospital roof with Michael, Emmett as Fetch Dixon becoming a webcam sensation, Brian crashing Mel and Lindsay's party and drugging everyone, all of Liberty Avenue celebrating Stockwell's defeat at the end of S3)- those are all 10000x better with the music originally intended.
For pride events, my view has much changed over the years. When I was young, they were so much about me, even if I was background security or event prep staff. I felt so alive, so wired in, so connected and excited to be celebrating what I'd though was once forbidden and unspeakable. But here I am, decades later, and now I see pride as 'not just for me', and not even for any of us who attend...but as a huge signal for those who couldn't, or can't yet attend...for every nervous, frightened soul that hungers in silence to be heard, to be truthful, to be NOT alone in the world. Our spectacle and noise is so that they know a world of others like them is waiting close by, and that they are not, and never have been truly alone. Once, many years ago, I was the silent, the frightened, the lonely...now, decades later, I am the message I hope they hear, the foghorn and lighthouse that say a safe harbor is near even in all the fog of life. QaF may have missed its mark here and there, but I loved it dearly at the time. Hell, I was happy just that a show existed that made the people and issues I lived with daily seem to come to life on screen. Whatever its flaws, it had the brutal honesty to admit that we ARE ALL flawed, complex, variables in an equation that hasn't ever been truly 'solved', but endures just the same...and thats more than most shows would ever dare.
I am such a huge fan of Queer as Folk and this episode of the show hit me hard
they're right, you never forget your first Pride
This is interesting, I was vaguely aware that there was a US version of QaF but I didn't actually know anything about it
If you want to talk about a different side of the LGBT community in your next episode one that includes trans people and people of color than I recommend you talk about the 1990 documentary about the New York Ball Scene, Paris is Burning. It’s historic.
At 7:08 I wonder why not mention that the actor who played Michael is Native American.
@@aryebognar6663 Because Hal Sparks isn't Native American? At least I can't find anything else from/about him that says as much.
I've never seen the show but I'm glad to see this discussion about it. As a gay trans man, and a bit of a bear, I never really felt at home at the parades. Hopefully one day I will.
Such a great review and critique around the erasure of trans and POC people. I live in the Toronto neighbourhood and remember when this episode was being shot. People were thrilled to be able to show the community!
Emmett was the best character on this show.
THIS
@@inventedcool1076 Emmett was and always will be a king
Was hoping this would be on the original UK show.
Thanks for including the new flag with the trans and POC stripes!
I'm looking forward to seeing that flag in more places as time goes on!
I'm not trying to be disrespectful, but what is the point of adding black and brown. Isn't the rainbow flag supposed to symbolize inclusivity already?
@@Arella17 your 100% right it should. But for many people of color at some gay events they don't always feel welcomed. I remember when I first started to go to the gay clubs I would be the only Hispanic person surrounded by white people. And I always felt invisible but as years went on things change an now it's different. Sadly It still takes time for some gay communities to include LGBT of color feel welcomed.
Queer as Folk truly helped me find my queer identity when I was young (perhaps to young for some scenes) I remember watching it alone in my room at night flinching if i heard anyone outside my door fearing they would catch me and it may sound cheesy but it helped give me the courage to come out and now I got my own Debbie who is more excited for pride month then I am. Now that im older and educated I know it has faults but it holds a special place in my gay identity.
I am not LBGTQ+ but I go to pride every year, it's really a nice party. but this video shows it's more then that.
Also, Sylvia Rivera had nothing to do with the Stonewall riots. On the night of the riots, she was in an apartment uptown, passed out on heroin. Years later, she asked LGBT historians to create a role for her in the riots, which is pretty cynical.
@Rocco Z
Source?
You could start with Wiki: "After her older friend, Marsha P. Johnson, was being praised for being involved in the Stonewall Riots, Rivera would later claim that she was also present there.
However, Stonewall historian David Carter questioned Rivera's claims to have ever been at the riots that night, based on contradictory statements she made as well as testimony relayed to him by early gay rights activists, including Marsha P. Johnson, who denied Rivera was present at the riots."
@@roccoz2231 Thank you!
"What should I be proud of? The fact that I got bashed?"
" Yes. Yes, you should, because you survived."
I'm not crying, you're crying.
Hit a little close to home there, and I completely agree. Be proud that despite everyone else that is trying to sweep you under the table, bash you within an inch of your life, or keep you from basic, human rights....be proud that we survived. That which does not kill us makes us stronger.
Pride events here in Chicago are massive. The parade itself has turned into a way to see politicians pretend to be supportive of the community. They become an ally for the day. I was at the pride parade last week with 160 floats, over 10 percent were politicians running for office this week. Yes the city's mayor is a lesbian and she was there on a float with her wife. But there were politicians out there who will not support the community the second that they stepped away from the event. I saw a majority of Chicago sport teams out there as well. One of the mascots was twerking on top of a bus. You don't see that every day. Maybe this parade has gotten away from the meaning of what it is supposed to be. I don't know yet. Has it lost its message? I don't know. There might have been more straight people there in the crowd? There was tons of free stuff given away and I ended up with a shopping bag full of beads, stickers, and other stuff. I gave some stuff away to those who didn't get much. For me as a straight woman, Pride is a year long thing. I support LGBTQ+ stores(got some cute jewelry from a Black LGBTQ+ owned this year), put money back into the neighborhood, donated to a medical center that helps community members get free health care, and other things. It is all about support and friendship. If that is wrong, then that is something that I will have to live with.
It’s really cool to see so many older gays in the comments. :) usually when you see LGBT content it’s to a fanbase of millenials or gen z. So it’s nice that you draw the attention of an older crowd, too.
Thank you for making these videos. It really means a lot to see how queer people have been represented in the media in times past and also learn about the effects of that media on people's attitudes towards us.
12:17 "Remember the past. Enjoy the present. Demand a better future."
The fact that this line didn’t go viral and end all "what is Pride for?" discourse is a shame. Regardless, I would totally buy it on merch!
+Matt Baume Hey love this series on gay cinema you're doing. But pleaseeeeeeeee do The Boys In The Band. It is my favourite gay film and it has such a weird context, like how the play was written when we were still in the closet as a community and there was so much self hatred but when the film came out we were fighting to rebuild our self esteem and tons of gay people hated it... like I'm 100% sure you've seen it but I just wanna hear your take. Pleaseeee?
Visibility alone is enough reason for Pride.
Samuel R. Delaney, a gay scifi writer, has an anecdote about sneaking to a truck stop to meet other gay men. The cops arrived and he saw scores of men fleeing from between the trucks. That was the first time he realized how many other gay men there actually were, before then, he had no idea.
notablegoat a black gay sci-fi writer too
@Matt Baume PLEASE do a video about Danger and Eggs and about how just like Queer as Folk they put on a full episode about pride. in a kids show!
The beer story is actually a true story. The Original UK series was sponsored by a beer company. They got cold feet and pulled sponsorship. They regretted it as the show was a hit but what happened next was far worse for them. Gay bars across the country stoped stocking the beer and us gays boycotted buying it.
If you were to ask anyone who their favorite character on QaF is, a lot will say Debbie, Brian, Michael, Emmett, Ted or Justin....my favorite character was Uncle Vic. He came out way before Justin was even THOUGHT of...he was a great voice for the show and I hated when they killed him off. He lived through the AIDS epidemic, the riots and the worst stigmata against the LGBT community.
I like how this show is as old as I am, and yet we still haven't figured out the answers to the questions posed by the show.
"Mourn the dead and fight like hell for the living"
I really want to watch the uk show.
It's good, but US version is better in my humble opinion. I found connection between Brain and Justin more captivating than between Stuart and Nathan, the supporting characters are stronger and their had longer run, so the story is better developed. But still, original was fun to watch, it's sad that they didn't get more seasons.
2:05 Wow. I've never seen that photo before. It really is heartwarming to know that, even in some of the worst of times, not everyone was so closed-off. It may have been a small percentage, but it was there.
1:57 I love Debbie's t-shirts. Every episode she wore a different, pro-gay shirt. Such a fun easter egg!
Wonderful video! From the perspective of the franchise though, it might be a little bit harsh as it is literally an episode of those specific character’s growth.
Very well done! Definitely QAF always was focused on CIS male gays.
Robert Weis dont forget white :)
Right!
Different times. I am Hispanic and we can not deny the significance of this amazing show.
God damn Matt. You out did yourself. This is great. I grew up as a young teen aged watching QaF thinking that it was the be all end all of the gay community but as a person of color i don’t see myself in the show except in weird ways with Justin and his almost illegal romance. But the way extrapolated a message of your own from this episode is fantastic. Keep up the amazing work!
Thank you for these videos, they make me cry and strive to do more!
If possible (and I know this might not fit in closely to the largely American culture you're examining) I'd love to see your opinion on Graham Chapman (who came out publically in 1972, just 5 years after Britain decriminalised homosexuality), Monty Python's treatment of queer people, and its significance at the time.
Loved the video! This series gives me life
I've only seen the original UK version, have you seen that?
Yeah. It was brilliant!
If you haven't watched the American version, don't do it! The British series was brilliantly written and acted - the remake is cringe worthy.
I mean everyone has their own opinion, you should just go ahead and watch it, and decide for yourself, I mean if you haven't already🙂
@@miriyumyum3590 Exactly, opinions are like assholes, everyone's got one. Only a few of them are ones you actually want to fuck with. LOLZ
@@darreylhenderson8979 😂 Omg, so true, I love the comment section under Qaf related videos😏
Lots of times, I wish there was a better way for longer-form discussion on TH-cam, with some moderation. -- I guess I'ma little odd, or maybe not. I'm quiet in person and more outspoken online, but I'm out. And for some, maybe I'm too gay and for others, not gay enough. I don't get that; I'm gay; why can't that be enough? -- I'm not particularly in the local "gay community" or the online gay community, I guess. But look, I grew up in a time and place, like most of my generation, when being gay was not exactly the most popular and got you bullied (or worse) and was also not legal until recently. But we have Pride parades, and, well, I don't know how I fit in. I don't quite fit the characters in Queer As Folk, either, maybe, or maybe that's just my impression. What am I saying? I guess I'm saying, there must be lots of gay guys and girls like me out there too. We're just as gay, damn it. We belong or we want to. And we need to be proud too, because for so long, even now, people like us, old or young, still get discriminated against, just for wanting to love someone, and others so often fail to see beyond the sexual aspect to the love, to the other things about us. Well, damn it, I grew up wanting that love too and being conflicted about it and often getting bullied or beaten up or hassled, just because I was different in this way and others didn't like it. So what? Well, I don't know, except -- I want something better for all of us. There's still so much homophobia out there, people who don't understand or don't want to, and there's too much internalized shame and confusion, like what I went through. I want that world where any gay person can be just as open about asking someone they like as any straight person, and where if the person they like doesn't like them, it's no problem, just like for straight folks, so you can go ask someone else, and no one is bothered by that, and so you can find that someone to love and be loved. Pride? I'm not sure how much that parade is for me, and yet it is, because there are lots of us who don't quite fit the loud and proud, and yet we're here too; we want love too, and we want to be proud and not bothered for who we are deep down. That, simple acceptance of who we are, deep down. Not some choice or lifestyle; I didn't just wake up one day and say, ooh, I think I'll be gay today, but maybe not tomorrow. No, I was gay before I knew what that was, and oh, the other kids knew it too, even if it was an open secret. So... I think I want something more than just a parade one night or a month of pride. I think I want acceptance, belonging, inclusion, and love. I want it to be OK that I am different in this way, among other ways, and among other apple who are different too. I just... I hate to see things going backward, with people getting more intolerant and homophobic again. I want progress for us, including those folks who are a little more "out there" than me. Because they've been through it too, and maybe they are better adjusted in some ways than I am. So... I don't know, I just wish it would get better and stay better, not just a slogan or a parade. -- And I hope that's understandable to others out there. And I am glad there is Pride. I'm still here; there are folks who are no longer here; and there are lots of younger gay folks growing up, just starting this journey. So I want it for all of us. -- I hope that is understandable to someone, that's all.
I rarely read comments, but I'm so happy I read yours! You've said everything I wanted, but didn't have the right words to describe how I feel. It's such a relief to know I'm not the only one. Thank you so much!
I understood every sentence you made. You are not alone.
I was watching the news shortly after the pride parade in New York and one of the reporters said something along the lines of, "It felt more like a protest this year," and all I could think was, "That's kind of the point?" Don't get me wrong, I love a good vibes environment, but it's important to remember that the point of pride - or at least the original point - was to protest, was to be a kind of middle finger to the oppressors and as a passive-aggressive reminder that we are real people, too.
When these episodes aired, I was still a relatively newly out gay man living in Salt Lake City. Gay Pride there was equal parts celebration and protest since the conservative state government, and monolithic religious control of the Mormons created a very oppressive environment for us. Now living in San Francisco, I often look at the celebration here and wonder "what's the point?" and "who is this for?"
Corporations get top billing in the parade, ahead of groups formed by GLBT individuals to address issues that effect our community, and if you're not catering to that main stream club going, white, muscular, cismale audience, you're booted even further back. The fesitval is relatively unwelcoming (as it the gay community at large) of gay men who aren't in good shape, who might be hairier, or taller/shorter, who might be more fem, or who might be more into leather or kink, and they try to hide that whole part of the parade by pushing them to the back, and giving organizations representing those groups very poor booth locations within the festival grounds itself.
Pride here isn't for the majority of gay people, and instead if very specifically catered to one subculture, and their corporate sponsors. This is why I haven't attended an event for almost 10 years now. They don't want me there, and so I don't want to be there.
I went to the Australian Midsoma Pride March at the start of this year as part of a group from my workplace and for the first time in my life, I felt inconspicuous and at home among strangers. I got super sunburned, went to the beech, met drag queens, ate grate food and fir the first time in my whole life, felt ok just being me. Also, please PLEASE do a review or video on the Russle T Davis version of this show!!!
Aweh I miss QAF.
I'm home sick and sort of pathetic and my partner is in another city. This was really nice to watch, thank you.
The best episodes of sense8 were the pride episodes. And then netflix, the bourgeois bastards, canceled it. I wonder if that played a part in the cancellation
It would have played a part only if there were a noticeable drop in viewership or number of ad revenue as a clear cause-and-effect result. Sense8 was very, very costly to produce and each episode took longer to film than those of most shows. The people who watched it loved it, but there were not enough of them. Had the show achieved the viewership and success of Stranger Things or Game of Thrones, cost would not matter and they could have pulled their pants down and danced naked for an hour and still the show would likely have survived. Shows have been cancelled over content in the past, but it is highly unlikely that this was one of them.
there is an amazing independent British film called pride which you guys should check out, its got a great cast including like bill nighy and andrew scott.
I really wish QAF would do a real reboot set now with the same characters/actors.
I was going to make a joke about how disgusted I was that this wasn't an exploration of the *clearly superior* British version, but your examination if the episode and issues it raised was just too good.
You've given me a fair bit to think about. Again.
I've always wondered if people get why it was called "Queer as Folk". Because the original British show was set in Manchester in the UK (my hometown) and the term "queer as folk" comes from the local idiom "there's nowt as queer as folk" basically meaning "people can be strange".
People have been treating Pride like a gay(er) version of Mardi Gras for decades. Nobody should be surprised that it's turned into something that's forgotten about the day after, like literally every other holiday.
This entire pride month so far I’ve been reading headlines/twitter and thinking, didn’t QaF do that episode? This pretty much sums it all up, lol
Hey Matt, I love your videos and explanations! Do you have a video, or would you please make a video, on how to be a good ally? It’s one thing to be well-meaning, but I’d like to make sure I’m not just well-intentioned but helping people with everyday actions.
I explained pride as follows to someone once:
It's not about being proud of something you did nothing to achieve, it's about being proud as in not ashamed of who you are. And for the record, for some of us, being here is a fucking accomplishment. However dirty and messy it was the fact we survived to reach our current selves is an accomplishment deserving of pride. How many of us over the age of thirty have lost friends, relatives or lovers to HIV, violence, suicide, drugs and alcohol? Yeah, if you lived through all that and still held on to yourself you have a right to be proud.
My first pride parade was just me (a 22 bisexual) taking care and being followed by my sister and a bunch of her friends, I was just the supervisor of high school gays
My husband and I watched some of the episodes of this show several years ago (I had seen them when they were 1st aired, he hadn’t) and it quickly became evident that they had aged BADLY! Part of this was due to the progress we had made in the past 20 years (including the outlawing in 2020, at long last, of gay and trans employment discrimination in the Southern states that previously had no protections for LGBT people - by a conservative Supreme Court, no less) and of course, marriage equality. But part of it was due to the fact that Queer As Folk often portrayed heteros as either strong LGBT allies or raving homophobes (like Michael’s co-workers in the clips shown in this vid) when in reality, most were somewhere in between. I’m not sure where Matt grew up, but I grew up and came out in the South in the late 1980s and I never experienced, in that often backwards region, overt homophobia in the workplace like “Queer as Folk” portrays! So these overly exaggerated representations don’t ring true for me. I would now have to classify this dawn of the Millennium show “Queer As Folk” as a “period piece” or a curio, not relevant for the present day. Thank God for progress!!!
I live in a mid sized city in Pennsylvania. I've gone to the pride picnic many times, and its quite fun. I've never really gone to the actual pride fest for years. So, I went two years ago an this is how it opened: A local politician came up with his kid, and spoke at length about acceptance, rights, family, adoption rights. He spoke about breaking the stereotypes that most think about us, which resulted in a wave of applause. Then he left the stage and the drag show began.....yeah, we totally smashed those stereotypes that day.
nbkcq28 straight look and acting? Not what I'm saying at all. I have bears, twinks, drag queens and transexual peeps among my friends. My boyfriend is trans. My problem is the community I live in, and the gay community here in general. We get picketteed every year by christofascists etc. There is a big community here, all kinds of talk. I've pushed for more variety and visibility myself, both in the parade and in the event. Nothing. 15 people show up for the parade, and all there is is a drag show. Every year. That is my problem, not drag queens.
High Zenburgh if you enjoyed that pride festival try attending the pride festival in Allentown. Lots of good performers, other activities like volleyball, and very family friendly. Of course you won’t see much by way of protest. Aug 19, 2018 www.bradburysullivancenter.org/pride
John Early many thanks for your invite! Sounds like a great event!
High Zenburgh
Drag is an important part of pride because of its historical value. It was the trans and drag community that kicked off stonewall not gay men.
Alex Noa no shit, I'm 50 and lived in NYC. Do you read my previous comment? Drag isn't the issue, I've dated 4 drag queens. It's like he says in the video: A mix of fun, and substance. There's little stone wall here, and plenty of studio 54. Our new mayor is doing a great job. He's a devout Christian, and yet he had the fountain lights changed to pride colors, had a huge pride flag painted on a crosswalk downtown and is flying the pride flag under the U.S. and Pennsylvania flags. So things are looking up.
A bunch of families at a barbeque that are gay creates a space for straight people to see us as we really are. People. It's easy to not care about us, to think we are strange, to fear us if we are different. Pride as a block party shows them that we are their neighbours, coworkers, friends and family. The people they know and like and relate to.
I hate the over sexualization of pride. It's like, being gay is just about the act of sex, and not the heartfelt love.
My issue with pride parade the last 10 years is it’s all on advertising party never felt like it’s actually changing anything. It’s just for people to party and spend their money
Shortly after the mass shooting in Orlando there was talk of showing the world that the gay community would not be silenced. That's the first year I joined my daughters at pride. Several coworkers abd other acquaintances were also in attendance. I've gone every year since, usually wearing a dress.
"Can corporations be trusted at pride?" N O lol, that's not even a question!
7:30 I totally agree with you. I LOVED qaf and watched it three times but it was off putting that there were barely any EXTRAS of color let characters of color.
It really stands out. Like, POC exist, why not cast them even in crowd scenes?
I dont think you have any idea how groundbreaking it was for its time ............... its was a HUGE thing
Request for future Culture Cruise episodes:
* Omar, Snoop, Kima, and the other LGB characters in "The Wire."
* LGBT characters in Bioware games, particularly the "Mass Effect" and "Dragon Age" series.
* Lamar in "Revenge of the Nerds."
Oh man I should definitely do one about Bioware! Can't get enough of The Iron Bull.
Matt Baume - LOL! Iron Bull: I should've guessed. It's interesting to see how the romance options in their games have changed over the years, going all the way back to their Black Isle days and Baldur's Gate 2. Could argue over the characters with other fans for--well, for longer than I'd care to admit.
I know Pride is a protest - or it started as one.
But i know Pride As Party, and I've hooked up with dudes and gals there.
Three years ago, my employer at a landscaping company wanted everyone to work an extra day on Sunday, and I was scared to tell him I already had plans to attend the pride parade. It helped that I also needed to check out a new apartment. He didn't have any problem, got kinda quiet but didn't press the issue, though I can't help think if it were ten years earlier it wouldn't have gone as favorably
I really hope every gay watches your shows. Learns important history and gets entertained .
Hats off to you!
It is impossible to make everyone feel welcome in One Unifying Event. If it's impossible to have multiple events, draw up a rota similar to that of the British Open and let the various factions take turns at being the host and setting the norms.
Didn't Brian get the drink maker to give a hefty donation to the Marriage Initiative? While he was given to twisting everyone's tails, he was usually able to put a bit of sting into it.
Best Coincidence of the episode: Emmett's dancing partner at the end was portrayed by Alexander Chapman, who had a brilliant turn in a much heftier drag role, the convict who doubled as Lydie-Anne in the Canadian film Lilies.
And, as so often happens, Ted gets overlooked. His story line may be the best one of the episode, representing all the "under average" gays who don't feel they belong. Ted begins the episode a bit depressed that his, "Happy Pride; how's it going?" schtick is going over like a lead balloon with the hotties, But, just when he's about to give up, he draws the attention of hunky Troy (a former pickup of Brian's the previous season). After Ted overcomes his suspicion, Troy gives him a good topping but is non-committal about meeting up at Pride. When they do run into each other, Troy explains that, each year, he finds some average gay and gives him Something to Remember. "I give him me!" It's Troy's way of Giving Back to the Community. Brian later confirms that Ted was this year's pity f***, but gives Ted a pickup line that should get him some action. Only (and this is the best part, as it pops the bubble of Brian as Supergay), while Ted is repeating the pickup line to himself and nerving himself to use it, he's approached by someone similar to himself who addresses him, "Happy Pride; how's it going?"
Hi Matt, QUEER AS FOLK was a great series and I've seen all five seasons of it. There should be a retrospective show showing what happened to the characters. We need a modern version of it for the younger generations. I also met the two women who played the lesbian lovers and the actor who played Michael's second lover , the college professor when they made a personal appearance at a bar. I only wish Pittsburgh was as liberated as it showed in the series. I'm sure a lot of people came here and were disappointed when they saw that Liberty Avenue was not as liberated as its Toronto counterpart. Those things have improved ,Pittsburgh still has a long way to go. A lot of gay people still have families that live in the area who don't want to come out to their parents or employers. There is still a lot of homophobia around and occasional gay bashing, Some fundamentalists stand on the sidewalk and heckle marchers to cause incidents to make the media. I did march in the Pride Parade for 15 years until my legs gave out and worked art a booth of an organization I was a member of. As I said, we've come a long way but we still have a long way to go so we cam be open about our sexual orientation in the smaller cities like Pittsburgh as they are in New York, San Francisco, Chicago and more open cities that people move to which are more open and understanding. and not worry about what their families will think.
Great observations. Well done Matt.
I'm surprised you didn't mention cops at pride. I know this video is 2 years old but it was still a conversation back then. The show didnt even mention it.
I'm glad you talked about the lack of people of color and non cis people though