Universalizing vs. Minoritizing discourses

The episode “Never Been Kissed” of “Glee” focuses on several discourses throughout the scenarios the students face. One issue that was addressed was the perception of Artie being just a cripple and his place amongst the other students. Another topic was the hegemonic gender norms in current popular culture. The episode also successfully universalized the issue of sexuality when it focused on Kurt and his personal issues. The episode uses discourses highlighting essential characteristics of high schools and teenagers, such as sexuality and persons with disabilities. The purpose was to address the following issues to universalize the ideas, however not all of the discourses could be deemed successful and as a result minoritized the topic.

In the very beginning of the episode, Noah calls Artie a “cripple” and Artie did not seem to react at all, as though it were perfectly acceptable and he was accustomed to such terminology. Noah told Artie he was going to use him for community service, and in response Artie asked excitedly if that resorted to them being friends, to which Noah replied with a distasteful “no”. This conversation alone minoritized people with disabilities into two categories: being taken advantage of by someone with ulterior motives or accepting charity case friendships that have no benefit to them. Minoritizing people with disabilities was very explicit in the manner in which Noah spoke to Artie and the terminology he chose because it did not undermine the negativity that lies in the truth behind befriending people with disabilities often times. It was also apparent when he ditched Artie at the restaurant, proving he was not befriending him for any reason at all except self-advancement. “Hegemony is the power or dominance that one social group holds over others” (Lull 61) and it was clearly evident in the dominant figure and the accepting role they played to others in this specific scenario. The episode did not effectively highlight the problem or absurdity of Artie settling to be the crippled charity case to simply hang out in a social setting with a popular student. Lull also stated that the effectiveness of hegemony depends on subordinated peoples acceptance of dominant ideology (Lull 63)

The episode also highlighted the role that gender norms play and it consistently placed heterosexuality in the center when dealing with relationships in high school and the sexuality issues teenagers face. The other main issue in this particular episode was how to deal with a girlfriend that does not “put out”; Finn was dealing with this issue and the vast majority of the plot revolved around this issue. This was centered as the norm in relationships. Because of the repetitiveness around the discussion of sexual heterosexual relations amongst the students, this alone supported the hegemonic norm of heterosexual relations throughout the episode. Although toward the second half, sexual tension between Kurt and opposing glee team member of the other school was illustrated, it was still demonstrated in a less dominant way. In Lull’s article, he states that people want gender norms and they are not forced on society, so the framework that people live by is chosen. Therefore, it can be presumed that these gender norms represented in the relationships between Sam and Quinn and Mike and Tina are minoritized because “non-normative identities are related to the periphery” like any relationship between Kurt and a significant other, which is never illustrated.

The discourse throughout the episode surrounding Kurt and his instability at his school dealing with his sexuality also assisted in universalizing homosexuality. The queering theory was very prevalent here because the students represented the fluidity of sexuality and how it is changing and complex. When Kurt observed the opposing school’s glee club and met the most vocal member, who also happened to be homosexual, it normalized homosexuality amongst high school students and gave a voice to those who would normally be considered marginalized. Although Lull describes hegemony as “not a direct stimulation of thought or action, but is a framing…” (Lull 62) Kurt and his experience went outside of that frame to give light and shattered the primacy of any ‘normal’ sexual orientation. However, compulsory heterosexuality was also demonstrated throughout the show when it is emphasized that Kurt is the only student in the entire school to have “come out”. Then later in the episode, when a football jock kisses Kurt, it emphasizes the discreet, shameful nature of guys in high school being homosexual because of how the jock reacted. This significant event and the discourse between Blaine and Kurt helped universalize similar situations and the sexuality issue in general. It put both sexualities throughout the episode on a level playing field with equal significance.

The only minoritizing lens relevant to sexuality throughout this episode is that of Will, the director of glee club, because he does not see the abuse Kurt undergoes nor does he acknowledge the presence of homophobia. He simply ignores it as it falls toward the periphery of the norm circle discussed in the powerpoint.

This particular episode emphasizes the minoritized discourses in order to show to audiences that the stereotypes of people with disabilities are inconsistent, insulting and hold no truth. The universalized discourses work to shatter the hegemonic norms that stem from the media, and even exposes the reality behind sexuality and homosexuality in popular culture as is pertains to real life.

Lull, James. “Hegemony.” In Gender, Race, and Class in Media: A Text-Reader. Eds. Gail Dines and Jean M. Humez. Sage Publications. 2003. 61-66.

Never Been Kissed