This was in the early 90's when I was going to high school. This was time when not a lot people had access to the internet. I did not have the internet either. I heard a rumor that theater class was just choked full of other gay youths. So, I joined up for theater class hoping to meet other gay youths. To my great disappointment I was the only gay person in my class of over 30. :bang: Did anyone else here heard that rumor that lots of gay youth like to take theater? I also heard that gay men make GREAT ACTORS because they spend so much time in the closet trying to act straight. I don't know if this rumor is true or not either.
I don't know about theater, but art or languages in my school seem to have quite a few LGBT people. I'm in languages. In our class, it's almost all girls. We're only like ten guys, but there's two I know are in a relationship with a girl, two are confirmed as gay (me included), the others are single with an unknown status. A lot of the girls wouldn't mind dating a girl in our groups. For arts in general, I heard a there was a lot of ''non-straight'' people from those who did the program. There seems to be some stereotype of artists being gay, at least. That counts theater actors, painters, sculptors and musicians. A part of me wishes it's true, actually.
It's true at the public high school here. My friend is in theater and she knows three lesbians in the class and at least a couple gay guys. So that makes for almost 1/4 people there LGBT lol. It's totally a stereotype though so obviously there are going to be places where this isn't true at all.
Well, historically at least, the arts have been a place that's been generally more accepting of various differences than society at large. 30, 40, 50 years ago, even if you were not out completely to the entire world, you could be much more out of you were involved in the arts. Although, I do still think it's funny that there's only one gay guy in Center Stage
It's not a rumor. BUT... if you're talking high school, particularly high school in the 90s, most of them would have been in the closet. A group of friends and I occasionally go to community or high school theater productions, and one of the "games" we play is "find the hidden fairy." It's actually kind of amusing to see the guys with rainbows coming out of their asses doing everything possible to convince people they're straight. Once you get to college, community theater, and professional theater... the ratio of poofs to straight guys is probably at least 3 or 4 to 1. Interestingly, at least in my experience, the same is not true of lesbians, unless you're talking about tech theater. Poofs are likely to be found as lighting designers or scenic designers, but usually less so in other tech theater roles; lesbians are likely to be found as chief carpenters, occasionally sound technicians or stage managers. I love Nathan Lane's quote on this subject: "Look: I'm 40, I'm single and work in the musical theatre - you do the math. What do you need, flashcards?"
My husband has his MFA in technical theater and has over 20yrs experience in the field. He does lighting, sound, set design, builds sets (carpentry), welding, electrical, plumbing, paint, props, and I guess costuming if the need arises. Much of his career has been spent teaching theater at the college level, although he's also done some HS (performing arts HS) teaching as well. While some of his students have been openly gay, and some ended up being gay, most were not. However, none of the straight ones really cared if their fellow students were gay from what he described and what I saw. The same goes for the professional theater and TV/Film stuff he's worked in as well. While there are a lot of LGBT people working in the industry, I'm not sure it would be as high as 3 or 4 to 1. Todd
Totally anecdotal, but in my high school drama class there were 3 gay guys I know of out of probably 10 total (class of maybe 25 people?). In drama at my University there were quite a few gay guys I knew of as well. I don't know if the "trying to act straight" bit is really part of it, but there probably is some truth to that. Theater involves getting to be someone you're not, and I think that aspect certain plays a part of it. Plus, you get to dress up There's an interesting documentary called Brainwash from Norway which does look to address why gay men go into more traditionally feminine jobs like theater, teaching, nursing, etc. I don't really feel like recapping the entire episode, but if you are interested in that topic, give it a watch. It's on Youtube.
Haha. I was in theater when I was little. I swear there was at least one other non-hetero guy in there.
I was very active in theater and the arts in general. Still am. I was in high school in the late '90s, and growing up in a sheltered town my drama club was the ONLY place I felt free to be myself. So... I add to that stereotype. It probably sounds crazy, but when I was performing on stage, I felt like people were listening to me --- I actually had a voice. Between shows I could dress/express myself the way I wanted to and my coach had no problem with me the times I took on traditionally "male roles" (during practice). Were there a lot of LGBT+ among my group? Probably, but we certainly weren't out. No one in my high school came out until college; said individuals were sure to move to a more liberal area, first. And for some reason this topic reminds me of Geography Club, even though that book has nothing to do with theater.
One other mildly amusing anecdote: There was a community theater production of "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" in my hometown, and my housemate was the tech director for it. He said that the actors portraying six of the seven brothers were totally gay (the seventh claimed to be straight but was thought to be closeted.) The show was known by the tech crew as "Seven Brides for Six Queens"
It's generally true. I've worked in tech theatre for the last 4 years, although my aspirations are performing. We've had shows at my theatre where 9 of the 12 male cast members were gay. Most shows, the gays outnumbered the straights.
Rumors, stereotypes, and false accusations all the way around. When you hear something like this "Theater is nothing but gays", it's a broad spectrum analysis, not meant to describe or point out any one specific school, city, or country. This got started because of what I call the "neanderthal man". It has little or nothing to do with actual gay people in the theater industry. Neanderthal men are these men who think you ARE NOT a man unless you are gross, disgusting, get drunk, beat your spouse, have unwanted kids, curse, work with your hands all day at your job and get dirty. They also believe "real men" dont cry or side with women..........you know, all that neanderthal crap. Anyway, theater people have always been stereotyped as effeminate, fey, or too weird to be considered a real man. So over the many years and even centuries of plays, productions, and all sorts of other theater, the neanderthals gradually moved the relation of men in theater to "pansy", "queer", or "gay". Simply because they HAVE to express themselves in order to make a good living at being an actor, singer, etc..... The neanderthals created this stereotype of the theater industry. Which is not true in the least. There are just as many "gays" in theater as there are "straights". And because you are "gay", does not mean you are a good actor. Like all arts and crafts, its something you are good at, or not.
