ALLISON KILKENNY
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Runway Is Homophobic
Show whitewashed gay romance in favor of straight 'flirt-fest'
By Nick McMaster
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Posted Oct 27, 09 6:56 PM CDT
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(Newser)
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The sixth season of Project Runway has given a lot of airtime to a developing romance between two telegenic and heterosexual blondes, Logan Neitzel and Carol Hannah. In lavishing attention on their dull flirt-fest, the show is showing an ugly homophobic streak: Last season, the producers completely whitewashed a deeply touching romance between two male contestants, writes Allison Kilkenny at True/Slant.
In Daniel Feld and Wesley Nault’s relationship, the pair bucked the reality-show competition construct, with Feld essentially offering to “take a bullet” for his eliminated partner to keep him on the show. “Seriously, you couldn’t write this kind of ratings gold,” writes Kilkenny—if the lovers were straight. One of the most enduring stereotypes about gays is that they are “incapable of serious, meaningful relationships.” Runway is “for millions of people” their “only regular exposure to gays,” and the show missed an opportunity to disprove that falsehood.