mama, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys

don't let them pick guitars and drive in old trucks//make 'em be doctors and lawyers and such//mamas don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys//they'll never stay home and they're always alone//even with someone they love -willie nelson

i was in a movie theatre the other day and a preview for brokeback mountain came on. it started subtly then there was a shot of heath and jake cuddling and almost everyone in the audience started giggling. i laughed too, i suppose it was the peer pressure.

why are man on man relationships still so funny to everyone? i suppose it makes people a little uncomfortable when they're "forced" to see two men involved in public displays of affection. i mean, i would expect reactions like that from an alabama movie theatre or something, but i was in downtown boston where us homos are getting married left and right. why can't the general public find legitimacy in gay male relationships?

are we (gay men) the modern day black minstrel? our exposure in the mainstream media consists of: queer eye/will & grace/any sitcom with a gay character who is never in a remotely serious relationship let alone holding *gasp* another man's hand on-screen. don't get me wrong, i think it's great that ang lee produced this film and that it's getting such wide distribution, but it bothers me that a room full of (presumed) young liberals'/boston college students' gut reaction would be one of laughter. perhaps the audience would've taken it more seriously had it been cast with actual gay actors.

whatever. i'm still going to see it, if only to see heath and jake make out on the big screen. if anyone laughs at me when i marry my boyfriend, i'm going to kick their ass.