It just wouldn’t be Christmas without a good old gripe about something so here is mine for 2016…
The BBC Christmas message this year (you can’t say advert because the BBC don’t advertise they just promote their own programmes)
Whilst I applaud the BBC vision, I did flinch at the climax which I feel was out of context and disrespectful to it’s viewers. Each scene is one of love and affection between people as you might expect for a Christmas theme – family, friends, romance, and long-lasting relationships but whilst every aspect shows these bonds beautifully, the focus point where the music slows is of an intimate gay kiss.
I first saw this early on Saturday evening as I was watching with my family. My 10 year old didn’t bat an eyelid and that’s exactly how it should be. Love in all it’s forms should be celebrated and he is lucky enough to be of a generation that is accepting of all adult relationships regardless of gender.
Love should be celebrated
But what about the older generations? The BBC is much more of an institution for them. A direct link to the hierarchy of society and a trusted source that is relied upon. Now, how many elderly people would be offended and upset by this up close and personal gay kiss as they are settling down to watch Strictly Come Dancing? I’m not saying offence is the right response, but it was all too recently that gay relationships were deemed unnatural and lest we forget, illegal. How many of these folk are actually gay but have spent their entire adult lives burying their feelings, pretending to be something that they are not and conforming to society, perhaps even living in fear or hating themselves only to now be forced to watch (yes, forced -there was no, ‘this message contains adult themes’ notification beforehand) a graphic gay kiss?
As I said in the beginning, I applaud the vision of this message – love. There is an underlying message of romance of course but the gay kiss is the only sexual scene in the entire short. Why? I can only assume the BBC is trying to big-up itself as being whole-heartedly embracing of love as part of modern society but surely there are better ways than to totally disregard a large part of it’s audience in the process?
I’m of the generation that has respect for it’s elders, particularly as so many of them actually fought for our freedoms and sacrificed so much so that we can enjoy life liberty but you can’t just wipe the slate clean as society evolves. We have to own our mistakes, learn from them and accept that change takes time. This requires education, understanding and support as well as love and that is my Christmas message and I am just 1 mum.