Thursday, March 12, 2020

Throwback Thursday- The Ricki Lake Show circa 1994: 'I Hate That My Brother And Sister is Gay'



The Ricki Lake Show was credited as one of the talk show to bring LGBTQ issues into contemporary times in a way which featured us talking about ourselves instead of experts and the like talking about us. This episode is from 1994 and it's titled "I Hate That My Brother and Sister is Gay."

It's over 40 minutes so feel free to skim through. As you do, you will be astounded at how much ignorance and heterosexual privilege existed back then and how some of it hasn't changed. An extra highlight at 17:24 features former anti-LGBTQ talking head Andrea Sheldon debating with a now legendary figure in our community (and I'm proud to say a friend, idol, and mentor of mine) Michelangelo Signorile.  Needless to say the LGBTQ people in this episode hold their own and command respect. Signorile specifically was a firebrand who didn't take any sh!t back then.