MAPACA

Mid-Atlantic Popular &
American Culture Association

The recent commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising has prompted consideration of progress it has attained, notable figures in its recent history, significant social milestones achieved, as well as progress still to be made.

Another element of LGBTQ progress that bears examination is the tremendous influence queer people have had on mainstream culture in the West, and particularly in North America. While a comprehensive listing of all of those influences is beyond the scope of any single conference presentation, journal article, or book chapter, I would argue that a more manageable list is worthy of particular attention if only because of numbers of people reached and the significant and lasting impact they have had.

The list includes two television series: MTV’s The Real World, whose consistent inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and, eventually, transgender housemates normalized queerness for an entire generation of viewers, and VH1’s RuPaul’s Drag Race which, even more than Jenny Livingston’s groundbreaking Paris is Burning, publicized the underclass roots of drag; two films, Carol and Brokeback Mountain, major Hollywood releases cast with known actors playing characters in intimate same-sex relationships complicated by period mores; Susan Sontag’s essay “Notes on Camp,” which acknowledged the queer influence (if not complete creative ownership nor political motivation) of the fast-growing cultural form; and one ubiquitous icon, Ellen DeGeneres, whose Ellen brought U.S. audiences the first lead character in a television series to “come out,” and whose subsequent success as the host of the much-delayed 2001 Emmy Awards and her own talk-variety series, and as spokesmodel for Cover Girl and other mass-market products and services have established her as the first arguably post-queer celebrity.

While this list is admittedly and inevitably subjective, in this paper, I justify the singling-out of these artefacts for particular recognition as queer cultural influences.