According to CNN Entertainment, the recent uproar over the line "Electric cars are gay", in Ron Howard’s latest film, ‘Dilemma’ will not result in Howard editing the joke out of the movie. Howard said, "I believe in sensitivity but not censorship." He added, "if storytellers, comedians, actors and artists are strong-armed into making creative changes, it will endanger comedy as both entertainment and a provoker of thought."
Both GLAAD and CNN’s Anderson Cooper have protested the line in the film, declaring the joke hurtful and insensitive. Anger over the line has been escalated by the recent string of LGBT suicides due to bullying.
But is censorship something we should be promoting? There’s a strange motivation in this nation to throw Hollywood under the bus during trying times, blaming it for influencing society in a negative way. Part of living in a free society is putting up with things that may offend you. The real culprit behind the suffering of LGBT Americans, particularly LGBT teens is the simple fact that we are still not equal citizens in this country. The fact that we’ve lost so many battles over the last few years has only intensified and revved up the attacks against us, both verbal and physical. Others feel they have a right to bully or attack us because of our own government’s refusal to grant us equality.
That is what we should be yelling about, not Hollywood films.
