As an outspoken advocate for what I call 'Inclusive Family Values', it is perhaps unsurprising that I do view almost everything through those lenses first and foremost. In fact, some of my friends think it's admirable, whilst others think that it's an outdated way of seeing things. I don't care, as I for one have never subscribed to the 'fashion of the day' personally, as evidenced by my music tastes, which are largely 90s styled.
Glee has been both praised and condemned by various self styled family values advocates. So what do I think of those comments? Well, firstly, those based on homophobic viewpoints will receive no attention from me, as what I support are 'Inclusive Family Values' not 'Fundamentalist Religious Family Values', and there's a big difference there.
Homophobic arguments against Glee aside, the Parents Television Council classifies Glee in the category of shows which "may include gratuitous sex, explicit dialogue, violent content, or obscene language, and is unsuitable for children," and further recommended that it is not suitable for people under 16. Their advisory further states that there is plenty of profanity in the show, where words like "bastard," "bitch," “hell,” and “damn” are used. These are clearly not just referring to the gay themes in the show. To this list, I would add the behaviour of the adults in their relationships in the show, some of which in my opinion borderline on cheating, something clearly not acceptable to be morally.
However, the way I see it is that Glee just reflects reality, and is set in a cultural background where family values simply isn't as strong. It really doesn't go out of its way to promote immoral behaviour, in my view, but simply reflects that it does exist in the big bad world out there. It is therefore my belief that parental guidance is required for younger people, but otherwise it's really not as bad as what the PTC says it is.
There is always two sides to one coin though, so after having looked at the negatives I think it's time to explore the positives. Glee sends a great message to LGBT young people and their families. Just by doing this it is doing our society a great service. Furthermore, it often showcases LGBT people and their relationships in the greater scheme of family relationships. Its storylines reflect an important process currently happening in our society, and I believe one of the most important processes in this history of humankind: traditional family values and LGBT inclusiveness embracing each other. The positives clearly outweigh the negatives in the case of Glee, from what I see.
In conclusion, I believe that Glee is a great thing for Inclusive Family Values overall, and should be embraced by us who share these values. If I were the director I would set the whole show in a more family friendly culture and remove some of the questionable behaviour of some of its characters, but that's just a small negative compared to the important social value it is giving our society.
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