ABC Explores Homophobia in a Sports Bar in What Would You Do?
NOTE: This is an updated version of yesterday's post, with the full segment, AFTER THE JUMP...
Last night, ABC 20/20's occasional news special What Would You Do?, which places actors in real-life situations in a kind of 'Candid Camera' scenario to gauge how people will react, tackled homophobia at a sports bar. The show hired an actor to play a homophobic patron, and hired a real-life couple, Dusty St. Amand and Dominic Benevento, to play his target. The bar is in Linden, New Jersey.
The show has covered gay subject matter before. You may remember the episode in which a woman in Alabama called 911 after seeing two men kissing on a bench in a public park.
Btw, shame on John Quinones for using the term "gay lifestyle" — ABC News should know better.
Check it out, AFTER THE JUMP...
This makes me so proud of the people of my state. Linden is a small beach town in South Jersey, nowhere near NYC and on the other side of the state from Philly. My partner and I are looking to buy a farm and have been struggling between land in PA, DE or NJ. This segment makes me want to stay in Jersey, besides we'll probably have marriage rights here soon and I don't see that happening in PA for a while. Jersey is such a progressive state.
Posted by: Jersey | Mar 25, 2009 7:25:37 AM
Linden, NJ is up NORTH near Rahway and Newark! I live on the Jersey shore so I don't know where you're thinking of, JERSEY, but I do share you're pride in NJ though.
This is definitely NOT the same New Jersey I left 25 years ago when I went into the Air Force to get away from here. I live in a really blue-collar neighborhood and if I kiss my boyfriend on the front lawn when he gets home from work no one even bats an eye. People wave hello and we get tons of kids for Halloween people ask us questions when "gay-related" issues arise in conversation. I'm pretty confident that if put to a vote in NJ we'd pass gay marriage by a large majority.
Yes, indeed, NJ sure has changed for the better and, JERSEY, I hope you and your partner stay with us. I'm looking for a nice organic farm to buy from so keep me informed and good luck!
Posted by: JerzeeMike | Mar 25, 2009 8:06:48 AM
There’s something that a bigot –this kind at least- can not stand, and it is isolation. They need to feel that they’re haters like them supporting their puke. So, little by little, this kind of bigots gets angrier, but lonelier too. At the end of the day, you saw it, they are COWARDS. Well, not talking about the religious people that live in their own world, though.
Posted by: Lexxvs | Mar 25, 2009 9:07:57 AM
a couple of years ago i saw a young gay male couple making out during a long line for a ride at Six Flags in central jersey. i was afraid for them, but i didn't see or hear any problems.
would love to see abc do similar experiments in other parts of the country.
Congrats to the woman and the others who stood up to the bigots!
Posted by: rick in robbinsville, nj | Mar 25, 2009 9:08:10 AM
What a nice feel good piece. What I got out of this presentation is the knowledge that there are still a lot of really good people out there who will stand up for what is right. Hearing various patrons of the bar advocate for the gay couple is a generous and brave gesture that I think represents some progress for the LGBT community.
When I see progress through tolerance and acceptance of LGBT groups, I am reminded that I should be thankful to the pioneers and friends of the LGBT before me. As a member of the LGBT community here in Toronto, I am aware that more work needs to be done to raise awareness about and promote acceptance of the LGBT community here in Canada and around the world. The acceptance displayed by the subjects in this presentation did not happen overnight. So if I am to draw anything negative about this piece, it is that I am not being proactive enough to help further the LGBT cause. By watching this, I hope people will be motivated to act by carrying on with the courageous and positive message this piece is trying to inspire.
Posted by: KL | Mar 25, 2009 9:39:32 AM
I came across this last night while randomly flipping through channels and stopped to watch. It was absolutely cool the way the bar patrons reacted. In almost every case but one, they came to the defense of the gay guys...in a straight sports bar...in New Jersey. It gives me hope. Maybe things really are changing....
Posted by: Tyler | Mar 25, 2009 9:53:54 AM
I know Dusty and Dominic personally; they have not been a “real-life” couple for three years. I’m sadden that they choose to act out in a very stereotypical manner to represent a gay couple…they would never displayed their relationship aggressively or flaunted effeminate acting. Sad, that this is the way the media wanted to represent “Acting Gay” or a “Gay Couple”.
Over all this subject matter seems like a very, very touchy issue anyway you put it. For a violence driven society; it’s going to take a lot of hard word to deconstruct the fear and anxiety that burdens and weighs down the so called “Progressive Nation of the World.”
Posted by: Chris | Mar 25, 2009 9:56:58 AM
I know Dusty and Dominic personally; they have not been a “real-life” couple for three years. I’m sadden that they choose to act out in a very stereotypical manner to represent a gay couple…they would never displayed their relationship aggressively or flaunted effeminate acting. Sad, that this is the way the media wanted to represent “Acting Gay” or a “Gay Couple”.
Over all this subject matter seems like a very, very touchy issue anyway you put it. For a violence driven society; it’s going to take a lot of hard word to deconstruct the fear and anxiety that burdens and weighs down the so called “Progressive Nation of the World.”
Posted by: Chris | Mar 25, 2009 9:58:13 AM
I'm always a bit dismayed by the internalized homophobia within our own community. Stereotypes exist for reasons and are not in and of themselves bad things. Not everyone conforms to a stereotype, and that's wonderful, but our own community should not bash those who may have somewhat stereoptypical mannerisms.
The fact of the matter is that not everyone in our community is butch, masculine, or "str8 acting" (as so many of you love to say); nor should they (we) be. Yes, we could entertain an entire conversation about flamboyancy as a "performance" in order to protect oneself and feign confidence in a society that has placed us as second class citizens. However, some of us are more effete than others (which, by the way, is not the same as flamboyant), and we just simply are. And, for the record, they're in a bar, which means they'd be drinking; I've seen more than my fair share of you "str8 acting dudes" turn into over-the-top flaming martini-sipping Marys after a cocktail or two.
Why "act out" in a stereotypical manner to represent a gay couple? Because those of us who may be somewhat more stereotypical (since birth, by the way) are much more likely to be the subject of taunting, teasing, and gay-bashing. They were not being over the top. They weren't groping each other and making out on the bar table. They were doing exactly what many blinded-by-love couples (gay and straight alike) do, and they weren't excessive in their affection. However, the fact that they may have "acted gay" is exactly the point of this test. If they were two butch, macho guys who were just out, hanging out, and happened to be gay, the bigots would hardly notice them. The point of the test is to expose bigotry.
AND, some of the comments on this blog have exposed our community's own bigotry, hypocrisy, and self-hating homophobia.
Posted by: Jason | Mar 25, 2009 10:20:32 AM
Linden is a working class town with lots of very big employers that no-doubt have done plenty of diversity training for their workers. This has probably put the fear of God into them that any incidents will kill their careers. The hidden thing here also is that this bar was overwhelmingly white in a town that's 50% black. Also missing are the Polish immigrants that live in town.
Posted by: anon | Mar 25, 2009 10:43:19 AM
I'm pleasantly surprised and moved that so many of the heterosexuals were so cool. I agree the "gay lifestyle" from the reporter was a little insensitive, but I chalk that up to ignorance.
Great piece, great result.
Posted by: Bobby | Mar 25, 2009 10:54:23 AM
They were instructed to "act more affectionate" as part of the experiment AFTER they were told to downplay their relationship a bit too. Remember they only showed about 8 minutes of a full day at this bar. I think it was great to show that regardless of how they "acted" the majority of people treated them like anyone else. So they played out a wide range of behaviors to see what would happen.
Remember people, this was an experiment! Stop trying to find tons of homophobia where there might only be a little bit. There will always be a little bit. Again, if we look for hate, we will find it anywhere. If we look for love...
Posted by: BC | Mar 25, 2009 11:09:32 AM
Oops, sorry I got Linden and Linwood mixed up. My bad. Carry on.
Posted by: Jersey | Mar 25, 2009 11:36:14 AM
For the record, the "sports bar" is not in Linden, NJ, but in Garwood, about 5 or 6 miles west of Linden.
Posted by: The Contrarian | Mar 25, 2009 11:37:34 AM
Its actually a shame because now I'm not quite as impressed. It really would have been something had people in Linwood acted so supportive. Damn, guess I won't cross property in PA off my list yet.
Posted by: Jersey | Mar 25, 2009 11:47:34 AM
We can nitpick this to death (and I agree, the fact that the couple was "beautiful" -- I loved that a burly straight guy said that! -- may have had an impact on people's reactions), but let's not miss the point. The reactions were extremely encouraging. We are going to win the battle for tolerance state by state, neighborhood by neighorhood, and whether it's New Jersey or Alabama, it's heartening to see most of the attitudes portrayed here.
It doesn't mean we don't have a long way to go -- just like having an African-American president doesn't mean we've defeated racism. But sweet Jesus, let's put aside the cynicism for just a minute and allow ourselves a little bit of encouragement!
Posted by: Brian | Mar 25, 2009 11:52:52 AM
First off, I think we hit the nail on the head. This is Jersey, not middle of nowhere red state, depending where in Jersey this bar could literally be right across the GW Bridge within sights of NYC.
More importantly, I found it weird that they made such a big deal that they "planted" a hetero couple, but they weren't instructed to be affectionate. The dichotomy in the setup was supposed to be if homo-pda is not ok, while hetero-pda is. Instead they turned this into a homo-bashing experiment.
Posted by: RJ | Mar 25, 2009 11:58:10 AM
Grow up RJ
Posted by: BC | Mar 25, 2009 12:57:29 PM
Why do they keep going to New Jersey? Why not Utah or Idaho?
Posted by: db | Mar 25, 2009 1:36:14 PM
In order for a clip of someone to be shown on the program, don't people have to sign a release? I think they do. My point is that you could see people shooting the gay couple "dirty looks" but if they had to sign a release before their homophobic comments were shown and they declined, the program would give a false impression that everyone behaved positively. (Except the guy who later denied he had a problem with it after making negative comments.)
Posted by: greenman | Mar 25, 2009 2:58:59 PM
For anyone that watched the full episode and saw the segment on the racist store clerk, did anyone else notice when John Quinones approached the white customers each time he told them they were doing a "social experiment" but when he approached the black guy he said "we're doing an experiment on racism." Just thought that was of interest. Seemed to me like subconscious racism on John Quinones' part.
Posted by: RP | Mar 25, 2009 3:06:29 PM
i cant stand when the reporter mentions gay lifestyle....
Posted by: tofer david | Mar 25, 2009 5:26:22 PM
I'm troubled by this kind of experiment because there are so many influencing factors... would the crowd have reacted differently if they were two far less attractive gay guys (the boys were both young and cute, which is important in a culture that is obsessed by looks and youth)? Food for thought...
Posted by: Jaan | Mar 25, 2009 5:49:44 PM
Jesus Christ I am sick of the people overreacting- oh noooo so they didn't preview the fucking clip, so what!? That does not make internal homophobia at ABC, it makes you a paranoid loser.
or a conspiracy theorist...............
You're the type of gay that has rainbow flags everywhere, wash your hands with Gay soap, and your dog's name is Cinnamon.
You come across like a gay that just came out, wayyyyyyyy out surrounded by Lucky fucking Charms.
Every cut eye and bad incident in life that happens to you is not because you're gay...... It's because you're an idiot.
Stop looking at the world like it's out to get you because you're gay....
Posted by: Jesus Christ | Mar 25, 2009 10:25:06 PM
I kinda get the feeling that the reason they had the guy "stir up" anti-gay stuff is simply to get people's reactions a little more obvious, rather than because people might not react...
Posted by: Yuki | Mar 26, 2009 12:04:27 AM