Here's The Thing

[grav_ity]

(This is totally random, but I've been thinking about it all week. Forestry Archaeology, ladies and gents: great for thinking, bad for timely lj posting.)

I've now seen quite a few of those "It gets better" shorts. And most of them made me cry. In the case of Tim Gunn's, I had to STOP WATCHING IT halfway through, because I was so upset that people have to go through crap like that. (Obviously, I knew people go through crap like that all the time, but it was TIM FREAKING GUNN and I was UNPREPARED.)

But there's this little voice in the back of my head that just doesn't buy it. And the other day I figured out why.

I hate Sue Sylvester. This is not a secret. For some reason I cannot comprehend, Sue Sylvester is the most popular character on Glee. She might even be the most popular character on TV right now (possible exception for Eric Northman, but probably not, since not enough people watch the show). Sue Sylvester is mean. She's mean to her colleagues, she's mean to her boss, and she's mean to children.

Sue Sylvester is a bully. And she is one of the most popular women on television. Where is Jane Lynch's "It gets better"? Why has she not chimed in to say "Sue Sylvester is a terrible woman. You should all spend every day of your lives trying not to be her, and praying you never meet anyone like her."? How, in this time when we are supposed to be so tolerant and encouraging and kind, can this character be held in such regard?

It drives me crazy. I can only hope it gets better.


(I am leaving this post public for now, in case it's worth linking, but at the first sign of idiocy, I'm shutting it down.)

Comments

[allisnow.livejournal.com]

I've pondered Sue's popularity as well. It's interesting. Obviously she's a gigantic bully and a nasty bitch, and everything she does is OTT, and I think some people are envious of the way her character is allowed to act. She says and does things that make people gasp and chortle and shake their heads. But the writers have also done things to humanize her - she loves her sister, she added Becky to the Cheerios, she's been spurned in love, she voted for New Directions - that keep her from being a complete cardboard villain. I think people tune in to see what crazy thing she's going to do or say next, but I also think that long-term they tune in to see if she's going to redeem herself.

And she is in those do-gooding 'Don't be a Sue' commercials ;)

[grav-ity.livejournal.com]

Most people I know like her "tell it like it is" attitude, which makes me see red, because "telling it like it is" /=/ "being really mean to everyone". And for some reason, the things that humanize her just make me MORE angry, because all of a sudden she's a role model, even though she sets a terrible example 90% of the time.

Yeah, it's conflicty. ;)

And she is in those do-gooding 'Don't be a Sue' commercials ;)

That's cool! We don't get those commercials up here, but seeing it makes me feel a bit better.

[allisnow.livejournal.com]

Personally I wouldn't go so far as to call her a role model -- I think she's about 40% 'tell it like it is' and 60% nasty bitch, and one doesn't excuse the others. But I agree that she is an interesting, memorable character. (I don't know that any of the characters are particularly role-model worthy, to be honest. Even the most sympathetic have had pretty revealing moments of selfishness and small-mindedness and stupidness... but again, from a storytelling standpoint, that kind of mixed bag is what makes for interesting characters.)

[abyssinia4077.livejournal.com]

I have never seen Glee, but this doesn't surprise me. Certainly far from the first time a bully character has been popular.

[snowflakie06]

Trust me, you are not alone in the hate. I have hated her from the very beginning. The only exceptions being when she's with her sister and when she let Becky join the Cheerios. Every other time she's on, practically, I'm ready to yell at my computer 'GET OFF THE SCREEN!!!!'

I just do not get it when in this day of seeing what bullying and ridiculing can do to the person on the receiving end how people can be so okay with it and/or say 'ZOMG SHE'S MY FAVORITE CHARACTER EVER!1!!!1!'

The only thing that I think slightly redeems the writers (aka barely) for making Sue such a bully is that they don't let her target one specific person or group so while she may make some of the characters cry (and some viewers like us hate her), the characters and the viewers know it's not really personal unlike the ones who bully Kurt for being openly gay or the members of New Directions for simply being in glee club.

Still doesn't make me stop hating her though.

[colej55.livejournal.com]

Maybe people like her because she says and does what civility keeps most of us from saying and doing.

Having taught school, sometimes it's hard to suppress the frustration. However, I'd have been fired the first time I opened my mouth like she does. I spent a lot of time in prayer before entering the classroom and ultimately changed careers because I was going to uncork at some point.

I love the actress, but hate the character. Her utter lack of restraint is totally unacceptable - especially involving children.

[allisnow.livejournal.com]

Having taught school, sometimes it's hard to suppress the frustration. However, I'd have been fired the first time I opened my mouth like she does.

I don't think anyone can accuse Glee of being an accurate representation of high school except for the bullying aspect. Every time they make up their own rules regarding funding for programs or have people quitting and then un-quitting at the drop of the hat, or really anything regarding student discipline, I LOL.