No. that obviously isn't what I'm saying. That's the most uncharitable interpretation of that paragraph that you could possibly have taken.
I understand that there are people who have to hide their sexualities because of their situations.
What I was saying was that overrepresentation of demographics in the media gives people a skewed view of what the world is really like, and then, when the world isn't how they've been led to believe, these people immediately assume that these people are oppressed and hidden away. In reality, you probably just aren't as surrounded by them as you thought you would be.
Even the very upper estimates only put gay people at 7% of the population in most Western nations. The most accepted estimates, though, put it at just 3%-5%. Even in New York, since you specifically point it out, LGBT people of all stripes only collectively amount to 4% of the population. The chances
I'm not saying gay people don't exist. I'm not saying that there aren't closeted gay people. I'm saying that just because there might not be some in a specific area or field, that doesn't mean there's some kind of grand injustice.
It's the same way with the oversaturation of transgender people in the media right now. I have no issue with transgender people being on tv, in comics, whatever... but they're still around 0.3% of the population, at the higher credible estimates. The mainstream media would have you believe that everyone and their uncle is transgender.
This overrepresentation provides people with a skewed view of reality which causes problems when people then apply that to the real world.
Are you honestly trying to tell me that there isn't a diversity push, right now? One that extends past the actual demographics of these minority groups?
I don't care that it exists. But I do think we should be aware that it isn't representative of reality.
That was all my point was: we should only call things 'reality' if they are representative of reality, not if it represents the reality we want.
people are forcefully closeted by their communities all the goddamn time. That is a fact of life. It is something we all should be making sure people are aware of. Saying that it's unhealthy to tell people that essential truth is pretty fucked up.
Where on Earth did I even mention closeted people? Where on Earth did I even say that people shouldn't be aware the closeted people and oppressed minority groups exist?
I never said that oppression doesn't exist. I just said that there's far more diversity in fiction than there is in real life. Not every board room has 13% black people, and it has nothing to do with racism. Not every friend group has a comedy gay friend, and it has nothing to do with homophobia. The same goes for gender parity, and parity among other ethnic groups.
I don't have an issue with Marvel ignoring the complexities of racial and sexual politics, in favour of promoting a homogenous totally-mixed society, but to say that it's reflective of real life is insane,