Urgh... your description made me cringe. I've never seen the show, but even if I was interested, this would be a surefire way to make me change channels. I feel similar whenever transphobic violence comes up as a plot point, or rape / sexual assault just so we know how evil the villain is, and a few other things... I know that they might be justified in some cases, in story context, but I still don't want to see it. Much less have it pop up unexpectedly in my escapist entertainment -- you know, the stuff that is supposed to let me unwind and have a good time. *sighs*
There's something else that bugs me about this -- besides the obvious stuff that you mentioned already, of course -- and I hope I can express it well enough (I'm currently on painkillers and feel a bit foggy)... It's the thought that privileged people would need to experience discrimination for themselves to learn and change, or to make a point about issue X. Sure, it can be a learning experience, but often it's being presented as if a human being couldn't / wouldn't empathize with another, marginalized or persecuted human being unless they're having this particular experience. I find that thought to be dangerous and lazy. (And in this case, they already knew about homophobic attackers, otherwise they wouldn't have assumed that painting the car in that way would make someone a target.)
Not only that -- how many people have you heard of in the news who got beaten up or murdered because they disliked Country & Western, or liked Hillary Clinton? Now compare that to the number of victims of homophobic violence that you hear about.
No matter how I try to see it, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
no subject
There's something else that bugs me about this -- besides the obvious stuff that you mentioned already, of course -- and I hope I can express it well enough (I'm currently on painkillers and feel a bit foggy)... It's the thought that privileged people would need to experience discrimination for themselves to learn and change, or to make a point about issue X. Sure, it can be a learning experience, but often it's being presented as if a human being couldn't / wouldn't empathize with another, marginalized or persecuted human being unless they're having this particular experience. I find that thought to be dangerous and lazy.
(And in this case, they already knew about homophobic attackers, otherwise they wouldn't have assumed that painting the car in that way would make someone a target.)
Not only that -- how many people have you heard of in the news who got beaten up or murdered because they disliked Country & Western, or liked Hillary Clinton? Now compare that to the number of victims of homophobic violence that you hear about.
No matter how I try to see it, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.