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Breaking Down Glee

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Breaking Down Glee
Deconstruction or Reconstruction? Fox introduced a TV show called Glee in 2009 to showcase the typical high school experience with a little twist. Every week there is a new theme the show tries to tackle and focus that is a prominent social issue such as “self acceptance” or “sexuality”. It was intended for youth audiences but has grown to be loved by all ages. It is a show on television that we as Americans have never had or experienced before. It is in your face about social issues that need to be confronted immediately and doesn’t seem to shy away from anything. It conveys messages and helps shape peoples’ opinions on stereotypes and the characteristics that are associated with these stereotypes. By portraying reality through typical high school students lives, Glee tries to construct social realities in American life by focusing on gender, sexuality, and culture. In Season 3 Episode 5: The First Time, Glee focuses on sexuality and having sex for the first time. It follows a straight couple, Finn and Rachel, and a gay male couple, Kurt and Blaine, on their journey to lose their virginity. Most Americans are used to seeing intimate scenes between straight couples, but not gay high school age boys. The straight couple plans their special night at home, while the gay couple has to sneak off into their car for fear of getting caught and being scared of their parents because this is still not socially acceptable to them. In this situation, the straight couple experience is privileged while the gay male couple is excluded because of their sexual preferences. However, Glee shows more intimate time between the gay couple rather than the straight couple, because this is something the show likes to do to open up viewers eyes to a new reality. The audience assumes that the straight couple will be left alone while the gay couple will get caught because it is “wrong”, when in reality the gay couple ends up getting in a fight because one of the guys is scared and


References: Murphy, Ryan. "Mash Up." Glee. FOX. 29 Oct. 2009. Television. Murphy, Ryan. "The First Time." Glee. FOX. 08 Nov. 2011. Television. Murphy, Ryan. "The New Rachel." Glee. FOX. 13 Sept. 2012. Television.
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