outright blows me away. Recently on Fox News’ O’Reilly Factor,
Bill O’Reilly had a few choice words to say about the Waukegan
High School (Illinois) yearbook superlative “Cutest Couple”
that was awarded to two lesbian students. He said that he didn’t
think private behavior belonged in public settings, like a high
school yearbook. Let’s chew on this for a minute…..
**What, exactly, is the behavior he’s referring to? It’s a
picture. It’s inanimate. It’s intangible. Does their sexual
orientation imply certain qualities or characteristics? Or are we
knee-deep in stereotypes? Educate yourself Bill O’Reilly, educate
yourself.
Guest Dr. Laura Berman, an assistant clinical professor of
psychiatry and obstetrics/gynecology at Northwestern University,
then asked O’Reilly if he thought it’d be more appropriate to
nominate a heterosexual couple. He retorted with an empty yes
because it was a ‘norm of society.’ Again. Ignorance prevails.
A norm of society isn’t equated with righteousness/any level of
morality/being right or wrong. Having had a sociology background in
college, I can comfortably say that a norm is simply formed in
society because of human patterns over time. A norm isn’t some
magical, golden, oh-so-perfect way of being. A norm can be
ignorant. A norm can be against the majority’s morals. A norm isn’t
always good.
O’Reilly is quoted as saying:
“[t]his is a lesbian couple that was voted in there … because
they’re a lesbian couple,” further saying, “Look, Doctor, there’s
no reason why [the couple] Brandy [Johnson] and Lupe [Silva] had to
declare themselves anything other than friends. They didn’t have to
do that. They chose to do that.”
We all remember the superlatives in our high school where “Cutest
Couple” was voted on. I personally didn’t like it because it
was a popularity contest….but I think I like this particular
“Cutest Couple” superlative BECAUSE it is obviously a
popularity contest. And the hetero-normative behaviors of many
schools (that O’Reilly wholeheartedly represents) come in second.
The lesbian couple won the popularity contest. Why aren’t we
celebrating?