Homophobes and Jussie Smollett’s Gay Sex Scene on Empire

May 5, 2016
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Why Do Gay Scenes on Empire Illicit More Homophobic Responses than Other Network Shows, Like HTGAWM?

Last night's episode of the FOX series Empire brought a steamy gay scene between Jamal Lyon (Jussie Smollett) and D-Major (Tobias Truvillion). Jussie and his on-screen character have a lot in common, including being super sexy, intelligent, and gay! In true Empire fashion, the scene in punctuated by a jam sesh, this time with Jamal's nightmare brother who always manages to steal my look. Check it out here:

In case you aren't familiar, Jussie is a walking ball of sex with an amazing body, and these gemstone eyes that will prickle the hairs on the back of your nuts. He even has a picture of them as his header on Twitter. His eyes, not, your nuts.

After the latest episode of Empire aired this past Wednesday, haters took to twitter to express their disgust at Jussie and Tobias stripping off each other's clothes while swapping MAJOR spit in the recording studio. There was nothing MINOR about the intense kissing and dude on dude touching. I... played clarinet in marching band. Here are some examples of the homophobic comments:

#Empire So sick of the Gay scenes we don't have to constantly reminded Lucious son is gay
— Mz_Duval (@IamPoeticSent) May 5, 2016

Ok empire don't have to show us this gay shit must be for birdman or something #empire
— QUEEN (@QueenJaslyn) May 5, 2016

Time for #empire 2 get canceled super gay
— Wilt the Stilt (@_almighty_o) May 5, 2016

That gay scene is too much #Empire
— Onika's Baby (@Mikedopee) May 5, 2016

If people think that gay characters are lacking on network television, then black gay characters are the rarest Pokémon of them all. This is why it's so refreshing that Empire, about the rap music industry, features Jussie so prominently. Even more so, gay actors playing gay characters are rare, so a black gay actor playing a gay character is pretty much a Mewtwo in Pokémon terms. I... played clarinet in marching band.

When you think about Jack Falahee on How to Get Away with Murder or the dozen gay horny cowboys on Nashville (including openly gay Kyle Dean Massey), they don't really glean a lot of negative publicity for their gay ways. Jussie's character on Empire, however, gets almost as much backlash in real life as he does from papa Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard) on the show (a parallel cleverly implemented by gay African American co-creator, Lee Daniels). The homophobic comments below differ greatly from the crazies (aka me) professing their undying love for Jack Falahee after every episode of HTGAWM.

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How to Get Away With Murder gay sex scene

Both series are two of the highest rated shows on Network television, so the hating isn't about disproportionate viewership. In addition, when you look at the demographic breakdown, both shows are targeting and relying on black viewers. Shonda Rhimes, the creator of How to Get Away With Murder, is known for crafting compelling roles for African American actresses, including the show's lead, Annalise Keating (Viola Davis). So, the discrepancy in audience reaction between the shows most likely isn't due to homophobia that can occur in minority communities.

While Empire received well-publicized backlash from homophobes when it premiered last year, viewers are still returning, and STILL complaining! Why is Wednesday's scene in Empire, which is way tamer than Falahee saying "On your stomach and i'll get the lube" to boyfriend Oliver (Conrad Ricamora) on HTGAWM, receiving so many bigoted comments? Is it FOX's built-in audience versus ABC's built-in audience? Or is it simply that a black gay character receives more hostility than a white gay character, and if so, in which communities is it happening, since both series have a similar viewership ethnic breakdown? The fact that a second season of anything would still be attracting a demographic with opposing views is a testament to the quality of the show. Hopefully with these repeat bigoted viewers we may even get some converts. If anybody can do it, Jussie can. Here's his response to all this nonsense: