Pete Wentz is a fighter, not a lover

Pete Wentz comes in peace. Photo: Getty Images.

You know, there are denials -- the polite and perfunctory kind -- and then there are denials, loud and litigious. And then, I guess, there are "denials," but we'll leave those mealy-mouthed obvious untruths out of this.

Occasionally there's this other way people say they're not gay, where they actually seem to get it, to get why it matters both that they're clear about who they do and don't sleep with and how screwed up the world remains that someone will think differently or better of them for being straight.

This NPR interview with Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz about the evolution of masculinity in rock'n'roll has a great example of that last kind, I think:

The frontman acknowledges his debts to David Bowie, Marilyn Manson and Kurt Cobain, his heroes in playful gender subversion.

"My whole point is I think there's something in art where you should be making people feel uncomfortable."

For Wentz, part of that means calling out homophobia, still pernicious in rock and in high schools — places where Fall Out Boy is something of a cult to millions of fans.

"I would never come out and say I'm gay because I'm not gay," Wentz says. "There's part of me that kind of wishes I was gay and I think that comes from anybody constantly wishing they were in the minority and constantly wants to be fighting everybody off."

In the meantime he seems content to continue messing the with the heads of more easily shocked haters and generally amusing his more readily entertained fans. He also points out that the guys who are singing along with his lyrics now were, quite possibly, the ones calling him a faggot back in high school.

Oh, and you can also hear some commentary from me in this piece. If you've read Popnography at all this year, you already know I'm totally a fan of the band and Pete's gay antics -- even if it's also good marketing for his band and those on his record label. (This blog was actually an inspiration for the piece, NPR tells me.)

Until kids are no longer getting their asses kicked (at best) for the slightest deviation from very stereotypical expectations of how gender and sexuality are expressed, I'm going to enthusiastically welcome anyone who shakes that up, who provides a little cover in the form of pop culture, and who tells homophobes not so politely just where they can stick it.

You can listen to the extended interview here, and I'd love to know what you think.

(My quotes are in the originally aired segment, which you can stream by clicking on the LISTEN NOW icon at the top of that page.)

Previously > Was it only a kiss? > The past & present of gay music

Comments

[Meowzer]

"I would never come out and say I'm gay because I'm not gay," Wentz says. "There's part of me that kind of wishes I was gay and I think that comes from anybody constantly wishing they were in the minority and constantly wants to be fighting everybody off."

Pete wishes he was gay so he could be in the minority? Spoken like a true, delusional straight wanna be. While I'm not ashamed of being gay, and quite happy with my life, I'd never "wish" for this. Who wants to wish for a life of being beaten up as a kid, discrimination by local governments and being treated like a second class citizen everywhere else in America. Pete has no idea what it's like to be gay. He may want to wear the outfit, but walk a mile in our shoes.