Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Mojo in the Morning-- Homophobic?
Yesterday, I drove to school as I always do around 9 am. I have four preset stations in my car that I manically flip through with the touch of various buttons on my radio. I know 9 am is late morning for a lot of people, but for me, I am rarely mentally ready to take on the public world. When I first wake up, I'm very shy and very comfortable in my solitude. It's as if my mind is still in its private, little shell, dwelling on my dreams. So, those four buttons and the ease with which I can push them is absolutely crucial to my morning ritual. I need things that can ease me into my day, and provide me with the appropriate energy for taking on my world. But yesterday, I heard something on the radio that really upset me and I feel the need to tell people that I am upset in the hopes that it will upset them too. I am boycotting Mojo in the Morning. On station 92.9 here in Tucson, there is a morning radio show in which a group of people, much like John Jay and Rich (only less funny), banter about random things-- TV shows, music, relationships and dating advice, etc. I don't know the names of the main speakers on Mojo, but yesterday, the two gentlemen were discussing their individual "Guys Weekend". One of the two had spent the weekend in Vegas, watching the Super Bowl with his closest bros; the other had spent his time drinking beers and playing poker. And of course, these two were arguing about whose weekend was the most "manly". They went on and on, and I began to notice that this argument was seemingly becoming more and more passive-aggressive when finally, to my disgust and dismay, one of the two says something like, "How was your weekend better? You spent your entire weekend in the gayest city in the country". I gasped. I could not believe that a radio personality would say something like this on live radio. I instantly switched the channel and won't be listening to their show any more. Though I am unsure of which city Mojo was referring to, I don't see any way that this comment can be taken positively. At least to me, this comment was very offensive and shocking, but anyways, if anyone has any thoughts on this, I would love to hear them. Sorry I'm posting late.
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I think you are right to boycott Mojo in the morning. The radio is no place for derogatory comments, especially among the anchors. I am studying journalism and am surprised that a radio station would allow this kind of one sided point of view. I am curious to know how the other man responded. Did he go along with it or stop him?
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ReplyDeleteI think you're right to do this as well. This also brings up a larger issue I have been wondering about for a while; the question of our cultural association of all things "manly" as incongruent with the likes and interests of gay men. When the guy says "you spent the weekend in the gayest city in the country" he is implying that gay men are, by nature, unable to enjoy "manly" things like football, poker and beer and that the association with these things somehow proves a man's heterosexuality. It's weird.
ReplyDeleteAll in all, a horrible thing and you are right to boycott it.
I have to listen to this radio station a lot in the morning because it plays in the dorm bathroom, and I find that some of the things they say or do can be problematic.
ReplyDeleteFor example, earlier today, they were talking about Channing Tatum, and how he's stopped going to the gym to take care of his kid. Tatum was also mentioned that he was being "fat happy," and their response was that, "at least there's more Tatum to go around." It bothers me for the fact that people tend to use fat when describing themselves as eating what they perceive is too much, or when they want to say they're being lazy by not going to the gym. Tatum is not fat, no one thinks he is, and he doesn't have to worry about the negative stigma of his privilege as someone who is not fat, while still using the word to describe himself.
I'm not really surprised they were displaying homophobic behaviors while talking on the radio. These sorts of things are micro-aggressions that add up to the issues we have in our society.