Gay Bachelor On Reality TV Show Fired From Job
I never liked Reality TV much. Not my generation, I guess. However, when our son watched Jersey Shore, I would occasionally watch as I thought Snooki had a good sense of humor. I showed a passing interest in Heather Dubrow of The Real Housewives of Orange County. Not only did she have FOUR children, but hailed from Chappaqua, New York, where we raised a family for twenty-five years.
My favorite reality celebrity, whom I would actually sit an entire show for, was Big Ang who unfortunately died of cancer this year. The star of Mob Wives, Big Ang, with her enormous breasts, lips, and gravelly voice, was highly entertaining. I miss her!
Finding Prince Charming
Last week, LOGO launched a new reality show called Finding Prince Charming. I thought it would be entertaining and have “eye candy”, if nothing else. There was little else.
The premise of the show was that thirteen gay suitors would arrive at a mansion where they all would stay to meet Prince Charming. Think of it as the Gay Bachelor. An interior designer in Atlanta, Robert Sepulveda, Jr. is the Prince, but disguises himself so he can to know the thirteen contestants better.
They are all tested when they play Truth or Dare, are challenged to create a three-word hashtag to describe themselves. Sepulveda later reveals himself to the thirteen contestants. Later, sitting on the edge of the pool, Robert removed his shirt, exposing his six-pack abs as the aspirants anxiously awaited to lust after his semi-nude body. B-o-o-r-i-n-g!
High Drama AFTER Show
The show never washed over me. But the drama that ensued afterwards I found typical of the prejudice that still goes on against gays. Contestant Aaron S., aka Chad, whose hashtag is #flexible, was fired from his job at Michael Graves Team at the Douglas Elliman real estate firm because of his identification with Prince Charming.
Turns out that Prince Charming was a commoner and a former male escort. Although the show knew this fact beforehand, and vetted Sepulveda , Sepulveda thought it would never be brought up.
“Chad”, who is a real-estate agent in New York City, tweeted that he was “fired without notice because of liability of my TV venture.” He claims that his boss knew he was going to be on gay dating show.
Not many jobs would be able to fire you because of your association with a team member who had a nefarious past, but this does happen if you’re LGBT like Chad.
Discrimination
Truth is that you can still get fired from your job for being gay or transgender in twenty-eight states( March 2016). Religious exemption statues prevent total equality as the LGBT population is turned away from bakers and florists. Title VII non-discrimination protections apply only to employers of at least fifteen people. It’s complicated!
Reality TV may not seem like the real world sometimes, but what happens when you’re LGBT, is.
When Your Child Is Gay: What You Need To Know
For more detailed advice, see book, co-authored with a mother of a gay son and a psychiatrist, Jonathan L. Tobkes, M.D.
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