Up to the Fans
And it’s amusing to see how willingly some scifi fans just accept all of this at face value. Take a look at the reader comments on SciFi Wire. One bends over backwards to avoid the gay issue completely:
Truthfully, it looks like he could not handle the pressure of being in such an iconic role. The fanbase for Doctor Who was immense, and after the absence from the screen for those years, he had a lot riding on his shoulders. Seems like it was that pressure that was the ‘environment’ he speaks of, and sorry he did not realize the depth of what he was undertaking when he took on the role, but that is life.
Not every one falls for the narrative, though. One commenter rightfully points out:
Why does the article say “we finally know the real reason”? No we don’t. All we know is that he didn’t like “the environment and the culture.” That doesn’t mean anything. Was he out in the rain too much? Was there too much singing between takes? Were there too many [Irish, gays, blacks, women, albinos] on set? All we really know is that he wasn’t enjoying himself. Big news.
Another commenter, OldManInOhio, finally just says it out loud, thank God:
You guys are all dancing around the issue. I’ll say it my way, and I’m sure the homosexual lobby will pounce on me for it:
Under Davies, Doctor Who — a children’s show — and the “more adult” Torchwood were both crammed full of homosexual “statements.” We all know Davies is famous for his groundbreaking homosexual program [Queer as Folk]. Too bad he seemed to feel the need to keep pounding away at the same issue with Doctor Who and Torchwood.
That, my friends, I believe is what is meant by “I didn’t enjoy the environment and the culture that we, the cast and crew, had to work in…” It’s one thing to have certain sexual inclinations but to wear them on your sleeve, even if it may not be your own personal way, is wrong. I don’t go around shouting at the top of my lungs in everyone’s face that “I’m straight and PROUD of it.” Sure, I’m heterosexual by nature but it doesn’t take center stage in my life. Homosexuality took center stage in both Doctor Who and Torchwood under Davies. That’s what the man is about. He’s on a crusade to force that way of life into every living room he can reach.
As a musician … I have lived and worked with many wonderful people who are homosexual. I have nothing against my friends because they are not in my face about it. I would be just as annoyed by someone who is heterosexual pushing his or her sexuality in my face.
Naturally, I find such thinking pretty homophobic — especially the some of my best friends are fags tone of it — but that’s not really the point. I’m glad this guy just says it. Even if we disagree — in fact, because we disagree — these things need to brought out into the light of day. We should be talking, arguing, working to resolve these issues, not sweeping it under the rug of a heterosexist media that satisfies itself with raising vague concerns but leaving it to readers’ comments to actually tackle the real issue. For shame.
Even though I find Eccleston’s apparent homophobia disturbing, at least he’s not lying about it, just saying enough about it to titillate the media while simultaneously shocking it enough to keep them from pursuing the matter further.
Let’s pursue the matter further, shall we?
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