Anyone out there???

[ultaviolet730]

So, it's been ages since I've posted on my LJ. I've been stuck on Brokeback Mountain. Most of my f-list are not Brokebackers, so this diatribe will be meaningless to you. Feel free to ignore or tell me to get a life. But man, I need to get this out.

I've spent most of my online time over the past year and a half on the Dave Cullen forums, a place where BBM fans and Jake/Heath fans gather to gush and overanalyze the movie/short story and track Jake's every move through the scary amount of pap photos of him that are available. I kid - we didn't really track him. Ahem, moving on...

The main Jake-worshiping thread, called Eyelashes, was a place where speculation about Jake's sexuality was allowed, and where people posted pics to drool over. You were supposed to be able to talk about Jake and any object of his or your desire.

So now Jake is in a public relationship with, gasp, a woman*! And he gave a recent interview in which he is quoted as saying, essentially, that he's not gay and never has been.

The delicate flowers on the DC forum who don't like to think of Jake touching any icky girl parts have somehow conned the mods into actually creating a whole separate thread where pics of Reese and talk about Reese is confined. Now on Eyelashes, you can talk about and post pics of Jake and anyone else. Except Reese.

Funnily enough, on the new thread, you can also post pics of and talk about Jake and anyone else. So it's an ideal world for the fragile flowers - on Lashes, Reese is persona non posta. And on the new thread, you can drown out any talk about or pictures of Reese with talk about and pictures of all the other people you can also talk about and post pictures of on Lashes.

And if that isn't enough sustenance for your Reese-ripping soul, you can take a hop over to the photo-captioning thread, where a flood of hateful, misogynistic anti-Reese posts and bitter "Jake's a lying, bearding fool" posts will keep you busy.

After giving us a heart-breaking portrayal of a gay man in BBM, over the past two years, Jake has unfailingly praised the story and film, his fellow actors, the production team and BBM fans. He just recently described the phenomenon this way: "'It's been extraordinary,'' Gyllenhaal says of life post-Brokeback. ''It has taken me to a different place in my career. Nothing but wonderful, positive things have come out of that experience.''

Unlike Heath, Jake has not tried to distance himself from BBM. He received an HRC award, for which he taped a moving acceptance speech. He alone attended the MTV Awards and put up with all the smirking and sneering "jokes" in order to accept the "Best Kiss" trophy, which he characterized as a "big deal." He attended the GLAAD awards in LA to present an award to Jennifer Aniston.

Should he get extra credit for doing things that are right? I'm not saying that. It's not like he's devoted his life to the good deed of advancing the gay cause. But does Jake really deserve the scorn, the contempt, the derision, the suspicion, the condemnation that people are heaping upon him just because he decided to out himself as a hetero? I'm not talking about the idiots on the net who can't distinguish Jake from the character he played or who live to scream "GAY!" whenever his name is mentioned.

I'm talking about Jake's alleged fans. Was the message of BBM that tolerance goes only one way? Is misogyny suddenly cool? Is it okay to subject Jake to this pressure and this level of scrutiny because gay people have suffered the same for so long? If he really is gay, is it his obligation to come out and fulfill the requirements other people impose on him? He played a role in a film that affected a lot of people. But can't we let him move on?

I don't know why so many people are so invested in Jake's sexuality. All I know is that a place I used to love, my Jake home on the internet, is a cold, unwelcoming place now.

And despite all that, I miss it :(

So now that I have to leave that behind me, you'll see me here, posting Jake tidbits most of you won't care about. But I promise to try to remember how to discuss other topics!

*For the record, Reese Witherspoon is not anyone I pictured as Jake's paramour. I do believe that their relationship is real, and I like to see pics of Jake in love. But this is not my Jake-couple dream come true.

Comments

[badtyler.livejournal.com]

*Waves hello*

Good to see you back here... you've been missed.

Yes... tolerance does go both ways.

Feel free to discuss anything you like... now, where IS that Jake icon that I always spent inordinate amounts of time staring at?

*g*

BTW- I always found it interesting that Heath Ledger's 'Casanova' followed so closely on the heels of 'BBM'... am I being too Munch, or was there a connection?

;)

[ultraviolet730.livejournal.com]

Waves back! How are you?!

If you dared suggest that Heath did Casanova or knocked Michelle W up in order to prove his hetero-ness, you'd be drawn and quartered, BT!

Jake is the only one subject to innuendo and suspicion.

And is this the icon of which you drool, er speak?

[(Anonymous)]

I know you worship the ground Jake walks on, but please don't drag others into this mess.

[ultraviolet730.livejournal.com]

What a surprise! An anonymous comment.

And in case you're not familiar with how LJ works, you don't have to read posts. You dragged yourself here. And you can hopefully drag yourself right back out!

I'll stop staring at your mood pic and read the post any minute now. I will!

[visionofblue]

So that's where you've been. ;)

I saw the movie, and enjoyed it, but am not really a big online fan or anything. But of course you can, and should, rant away if something is bothering you! (You ranted in a thoughtful, understandable, and restrained manner, imo.)

Bleh. That all sounds awful. (And infuriating.) I'm sorry the fandom home you loved has turned into something you have to leave behind.

But does Jake really deserve the scorn, the contempt, the derision, the suspicion, the condemnation that people are heaping upon him just because he decided to out himself as a hetero?

Uh...NO. Even from an outsider's viewpoint, it's depressing to hear that people are turning on him like that.

Was the message of BBM that tolerance goes only one way? Is misogyny suddenly cool? Is it okay to subject Jake to this pressure and this level of scrutiny because gay people have suffered the same for so long? If he really is gay, is it his obligation to come out and fulfill the requirements other people impose on him? He played a role in a film that affected a lot of people. But can't we let him move on?

Word. And...ew. Too much slamming of the real-life partner of someone that way never sits well with me, even without the sexual identity element.

And despite all that, I miss it :(

*hugs* Understandable. It does indeed suck, I'd imagine.

So now that I have to leave that behind me, you'll see me here, posting Jake tidbits most of you won't care about. But I promise to try to remember how to discuss other topics!

Post away! *g* I'm happy to see you around, and I appreciate squee even for things I'm not directly involved with.

(Besides, I've been tormenting my poor flist with Gossip Girl squee. ;))

Oh, and I'm not sure if you received my reply to your beta email, so THANK-YOU profusely again for the beta. That ended up being the Spook Me fic I turned in. *g*

Oh no - I'm the worst beta ever.

[ultraviolet730.livejournal.com]

I did get your reply and thought, "Oh, I have until the 26th," which seemed so far away. Then I looked up and it was the 27th and I cursed myself. Do you have a link for the story? I want to go and render unto VoB the praise due :)

And thanks for the back-up, even though you only know my side of the story! Oh how I'd love to sic Ryan on these folks!

Except I don't think he'd use the proper terminology for the discussion. Man, I do miss the wonderful world of Oz at times. And not just the fiction. The fandom was, in my experience, remarkably tolerant. (I missed all the B/K wars and the big Oz fandom schism.)

Now I'm giggling, picturing Ryan meeting Ennis and Jack.

[trascendenza]

Nothing much to add other than I agree that the judgments of Jake are just... yeah. So missing the message of the film, in my opinion. And it's good to see you around LJ again! :)

[ultraviolet730.livejournal.com]

Hey! It's nice to know a sane BBMer sees some things the same way I do. I know I'm crazy, so it's good to get a sanity check :)

It's good to be back on LJ. I forgot how much fun it can be.

[mymzee.livejournal.com]

The interhighway is a fabulous place, right? People are crazy. Welcome back! I missed you!

[ultraviolet730.livejournal.com]

Ooh, nice icon. And I missed you, too! The internets are wacky, but the good part is seeing old friends again :)

[noir-moll.livejournal.com]

Hey! It's so nice to see your name pop up on my flist again.

Wow, I don't frequent any "Jake places" on the net but, somehow, I knew certain people wouldn't be cool with Jake hooking up with Reese due to the speculation-fest that surrounds him. And that sucks, because he seems like such a genuinely nice, well-adjusted, no bullshit type of guy. Seriously, how can "fans" hate on him?

By the way, out of nowhere, I had the most awesomely dirty BBM dream a couple weeks ago. I think I'm way overdue on buying the DVD.

Oh, and how 'bout those Sox? :)

[ultraviolet730.livejournal.com]

Damn - details, please on the BBM dream! I never have BBM or Jake dreams. Though I did dream the other night that a boxers-and t-shirt-clad Tom Brady caught me breaking into his hotel room, whereupon we proceeded to have a calm, rational chat about why I was there. And he never called the cops - he was completely unfazed!

Needless to say, ITA on your Jake assessment. I'm not sure why people have such attachment issues with him. One of the things I give him credit for is that he is, seemingly, cool with it.

As for the Red Sox? We are just completely spoiled now. I love it!

[sooozie1982.livejournal.com]

add me to the list of the jake g. fans. Personally, I think the reason why a lot of Jake fans think he's gay is because they have this fantasy that Heath and he had an off-screen romance, which I don't think is true. Plus, they want to believe all these ridiculous hacks that write "blind items".

Now..the Reese relationship..I can see why they think it's staged, but that just doesn't seem like something he'd do.

Anyway, I'm just here to say hi, and that I agree :)

[ultraviolet730.livejournal.com]

Yay - another Jake fan! Hi :)

I feel guilty, because Jake/Heath slash popped my RPS cherry. It's really the only pairing I read, and even though I'm theoretically opposed to RPS, I can't help myself! But I can separate the facts from my fantasy, which a lot of people seemingly have trouble doing. So yeah, it's a toxic combination of blind items, RPS fantasy and Jake's attitude about the whole thing.

He didn't run out and get a girlfriend as soon as BBM premiered. And, you know, he didn't knock anyone up, either.

People think I'm naive, but I don't believe Jake would stage a relationship, either. Especially now, especially with a woman who has kids. And Reese has zero reason to do it - she doesn't need Jake for her career.

I have an embarrassing amount of info that shows this relationship has been going on for along time. Some people on DC mocked the idea, and now that it's confirmed, they can't deal with the reality. It's sad.

[suespur.livejournal.com]

Hey, nice to see your name again! I too ventured into the BBM fandom after I saw the movie, and all I can say is TOO. MUCH. DRAMA. Sweet chocolate-covered Christ on a graham cracker, if it's not one thing, it's another. I'm still a member of the main communities, but there are maybe only five or six WIP fics that I even keep up with anymore (I don't read RPS and I don't speak German, so my f'list gets clogged up pretty damned fast with stuff I'm not even remotely interested in).

Did you see that I brought the C5 fics back from the dead? Go cleanse your palate with some angst!

Wow!

[ultraviolet730.livejournal.com]

I can't believe you saved all those fics!!!!!! I just went there a while ago and got all sad because none of the links worked. I'm so glad - and grateful - that you managed to save it all.

And also, word to your assessment of the state of BBM fandom. Oversensitive, prickly, overprotective. It's like one big ball of Ennis. And what's the deal with all the German? It's great for the Germans, but it sort of came out of nowhere and hasn't stopped.

Also, this?

Sweet chocolate-covered Christ on a graham cracker

Is going to make me giggle all day.

Off to check out your C5 treasure trove...

[sravenk.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I don't know what that's all about. I mean sure, we all hope he can be on our team, because dude, really, who wouldn't want to be in the locker room with Jakey? However, I always get a bit confused as to this thing where we homos want everyone we like to be homos, too. I think it's like religion or something. Either you're the worship and let worship (or be worshipped, in Jake's case--yum!) or you want yours to be the only one and anyone who isn't with you is against you. It's a fundamentalist gay thing. I don't really get it. If the guy had been all like, "Oh, ewwww, don't call me gay! I'm not like that. *shudder*," I may have been a little more disappointed in him, but it isn't like that at all. He's never shied away from being a gay icon and I think he recognizes the importance of working together with different communities and I have always liked that about him. I don't really care who he fucks, because outside of some of my wilder dreams, it won't be me anyway. Right?

And I don't see what's so wrong with Reese Witherspoon anyway. Well except that she could probably stand a sandwich or two, but who in Hollywood couldn't?

[sravenk.livejournal.com]

I meant "the worship and let worship type. Missed a word there. It's because of the iritis. *ahem*

[mantaraggio.livejournal.com]

Whatever dude, I heard Reese is actually a man anyway.

But really, I agree with you. Why must people sully the fun of ogling such gorgeous man candy with their petty prejudices? Also, why must jackasses always ruin the best forums?

PS Please use my favorite animated Jakey icon so that I can stare at it all day while working

[ultraviolet730.livejournal.com]

Ha! Thanks for that. Now my entire office is wondering what I'm reading.

And yes, why do the crazies ruin it for everyone else? Though I guess I have my answer - most people on DC are happy to live with this idiotic separation. And they continue to snark away. So I guess it really isn't the place for me :(

And you know you never have to ask to see Jake in motion - but here you go!

[theholyinnocent.livejournal.com]

There you are! It's good to see you popping into LJ again, Ultra.

Sorry to hear your internet home on the range is going up in flames of stupidity. I will confess it's load of fun to speculate on the sexuality of celebs (hello, Mariska!) but...people who are so invested into perceiving Jake as gay seem to have a tenuous grip on not only reality, but the very concept of tolerance & acceptance. If he were indeed a closet case, I don't think he would have invited all this scrutiny into his personal life by accepting a role like Jack Twist--he doesn't seem that naive or otherwise clueless.

But this is not my Jake-couple dream come true.

His restraining order against you is still in effect, I gather. :)

Finally: Congratulations to the Sox!

[ultraviolet730.livejournal.com]

Hellooooo there! How classy of you to congratulate the Red Sox. I'm not sure I'd be so magnanimous in reverse :)

And yes, it's fun to speculate. The very thread I was discussing allowed speculation. Although anytime anything came too close to heterosexuality, the tension would thicken alarmingly. But now they've segregated the discussion, so they don't have to think about it.

It's just absurd. This is the message they got from BBM? And how does one discuss/gush over Jake while ignoring what's actually going on with him. It's like sticking your head in the sand.

His restraining order against you is still in effect, I gather

I'm sure I have no idea what you mean. All those pictures of Jake and me are real, I swear! He likes me. He really likes me!

[rhye.livejournal.com]

I agree with you in every respect. I said I thought Jake was gay before because I thought he was gay before. I was wrong. Big deal. I'm warming up to Reese. I even think she's really cute now. I think I didn't really know her at all before when I thought she was pretty cold and conservative.

But honestly, I can't believe people actually care so much. That is frightening to me.

[ultraviolet730.livejournal.com]

Jess! I miss you. But at least now you know my LJ does actually exist. I think is the first post I've made in our "friends" era.

You know more than anyone how disturbing BBM fandom and fans can be. And I agree - the level of interest and concern is scary. And the separate threads decision is just pathetic. The whole message of BBM is for inclusion, isn't it?

As for Reese, I had the same reaction you did. I thought, "Ick - she's a conservative Republican!" As soon as I found out she was a Hillary supporter, my opinion improved :)

Anyway, thanks for commenting. I'm glad we see things in the same way.

[lostingeekdom.livejournal.com]

I'm not a BBMer, so haven't really cared much about Jake. Except when you post THAT icon. Anyone with a pulse would take notice of him then.

I blame that idiot Ted Casabalnca on E! for whipping up the Toothy Tile and Jake is gay frenzy. He must have been channelling his own fantasies as rumours. Also, I don't want to generalize, but from what I've seen in places like Datalounge, some of the gay men come across as viciously misogynistic. They try to pass it off as witty humour, but frankly, Ithink it shows the true underlying feelings. [/semi-ranty observations]

Hey .. it's Drinky Tuesday again. You planning to hang around LJ long enough today? I was thinking of putting up my post earlier, in time for Bones and her Wonder Woman costume.

[ultraviolet730.livejournal.com]

Hee! Everyone loves The Icon.

And god, how I hate Ted C. I don't know why he has it in for Jake or when he'll give up. I hope it's soon, though.

And there is a real undercurrent of misogyny on DC right now, though people are in denial about it.

Not sure if I'll make it to Drinky tonight - I'll ty. I have work to do, damn it!

Thanks for the rant!

[icarus-abides.livejournal.com]

Well, I didn't really follow most of your post... but it's so good to see you back!! :)

[ultraviolet730.livejournal.com]

Ha! Best reply ever. Thanks for the welcome back :)

[luci-2.livejournal.com]

Welcome back !
How can those people say they are BBM fans and completely
disrespect the film's message of inclusion and tolerance ?
I can't stand fundamentalists of any form or shape.

Have a look at Suespur's gigantic work. She recovered C5,
identified all fics at TS. TSXF and OZFic and saved connections to the Lyric Wheel fics ( Mav closed the Group last month ). Sue is my hero.

[ultraviolet730.livejournal.com]

Yeah, sadly, that whole tolerance thing seems to go only one way. It's a shame.

And I can't wait to check out Sue's work. I'm so grateful there are people like Sue in fandom.

Thanks for the welcome back!

[ultraviolet730.livejournal.com]

Man, I hope it was a happy thought. I feel bad that I never helped you finish your story. Are you writing it still? And how are you?

*waves*

[bbm-citygirl.livejournal.com]

Hey UV!

Well I stuck a toe into the Discussion about Photocaps or whatever it is called, basically threw in my 2 cents in support of Ellen and the others who were trying to explain that the "all in fun" about Reese's stupidity at being J's beard or her unattractiveness, or whatnot was starting to really get to them. Not that it did a bit of good but I got a couple of nice PMs from folks saying thanks.

Anyhoo, after getting called "sulky" for refraining from posting in the SD a couple of us came back and pretty much said, well what did you expect? We did what you asked by going to PMs and oh now that it is a ghost town you say it is "okay" to be boring? That is until the next person complains about how we drone on. Well, sorry, if I'm reluctant to jump on in under those conditions.

Anyway, I miss you tons. (((((UV)))))

HELLLLLOOOOOOOOOO!

[dontwanttosaygb.livejournal.com]

Hi Sarah,

Am trying to reach you so will also try this route. I sent you a message via liverjournal, so not sure if you will get it or not but need to talk to you about Boston.

I like your rant, and trust me I am also fed up with the delicate flowers on DC. The need to get a life and also a back-bone!

If he really is gay, is it his obligation to come out and fulfill the requirements other people impose on him? this I thought was very interesting because, the answer is a resounding NO! He has no obligation to anyone but himself when it comes to his sexuality, whatever that may be and ultimately he should be happy wherever he is in his life and "fuck" the rest.

Cheers, Ted

Msg. from Trinket/akaDi AND LoveBBM

[dontwanttosaygb.livejournal.com]

UV!
I just read your long postand found out you are no longer on DCF. Though I do still have my account active, I rarely rarely post on Eyelashes anymore. I saw your name on the list for coming to Boston Bash weekend. I wash hoping to get to meet you. Lashes is NOT what it use to be, FOR SURE!
I just wanted to say "hi" and let you know I was disappointed I didn't get to meet you!
xoxooxox Trink aka/Di

Hi UV!!
I miss you from DC Forum. I also resigned my membership on DC Forum when some people got high and mighty about stating what we should and shouldn't 'feel' about Jake. But I signed back up as Jasmine just so I could lurk! I really appreciated all your public comments on the Jake threads and all the great info. you supplied us with. You seemed to have a good perspective. I am sorry I didn't get to meet you this weekend. Perhaps our paths will cross in the Boston area sometime. Best of luck! OX Lovebbm

Passive Aggressive behavior sucks!:)

[sassym.livejournal.com]

Hi Sarah, It's too bad I wasn't friended with you when you wrote this...I miss the old lashers thread so much---fun, irreverent and full of Jake pics-- and I kept hoping until last week that it would get back to where it was before Jake and Reese showed the world that they were in love, but it never will.

Last week took the cake with Lovely's lead off statement, "Maggie is the most beautiful woman in Jake's life right now."
I'm afraid I'm going to have to leave, and I'd left all ready over some idiot's criticism of Jake's acting a few months ago; the idiot comparing Jake in a negative way, to his idea of the greatest actor in the world, Heath Ledger. Duh???
I feel as if DCF has betrayed BBM and all the movie stood for, and that makes me sad. Love is a force of nature...Jake is in love, accept it as you want the world to accept same sex love...but those maroons don't see the comparsion...all they see is the loss of this man as a whatever their fantasy lives had molded him into for their own needs. When one of my favorite male members said that he would never go on the Jake/Reese thread, well you know the rest;I knew it was over.
My Jake-fest place is now infested with God's knows what, but whatever it is, it's malevolent.

HO was the only poster there last night preaching against the paps. That is an argument used by Jake/Reese haters to deny Jake and Reese...as they are part of the tabloid press trumped up to be a romance but is really only a showmance. The thread is dead. Lola is trying to hold it together and I applaud her efforts but the joy for me has gone out of that thread and there is nothing anyone can do to make it return.
I tried to happily post pics but it feels weird.

I also apologized for my last rant there, not for them; some poeple don't know that apologies are also for the self cleansing, and I needed to do that in my final days as a posting non lurking member of that thread.

DCFLashers has gone the way of most shipper fan group wars and I will let go and let be.. If I do leave and return I will lurk because I do miss the place. I miss other threads though, not lashers.
Lasher and Slasher threads are for the most part dead compared with one year ago or even 6 months ago. I don't know why Slasher threads are dead but I do know what happened to the lasher thread.
Reese started dating Jake openly and all hell broke loose everywhere.