Lady Emily

[Josi]

I admit I like and laugh at "Little Britain".
BUT

Do you think that the portrayal of Lady Emily ... the "Laydees" .. serves to feed the stereotype and is therefore the subliminal message is harmful to the CD image therfore putting back acceptance?

The following is from the BBC web site
Emily Howard
"People in Britain do all manner of things for kicks - some lick stamps, others sit on chairs. This fellow, who calls himself Emily Howard, likes to dress up as a lady. Takes all sorts."
Emily Howard is an unconvincing transvestite who runs a little guest house in the picturesque seaside town of Old Haven. Emily welcomes all his guests warmly, but remember to treat Emily like a lady or 'she' will get very upset. You can find Emily doing all manner of ladylike things, but some say the 'lady' doth protest too much!

[Breanne]

I admit I like and laugh at "Little Britain".
BUT

Do you think that the portrayal of Lady Emily ... the "Laydees" .. serves to feed the stereotype and is therefore the subliminal message is harmful to the CD image therfore putting back acceptance?

[/I]
It depends on the portrayal in the series, is Emily just a caricature, a laughing stock, or is she really trying to be a lady. I'd love to see this as it is one of my old fantasies, to run a resort/motel en-femme.

[Marla S]

Well, it's a tough one.

On the one side I think hiding CDing behind "Britains tend to do silly things";) might give those a chance to have more positive view on CDing that are narrow minded.
On the other side it makes Cding a silly thing, and therefore strengthens prejudices.

[Josi]

Emily is a caricature - a laughing stock ... a badly made up and well spoken "geezer in a dress" ... and dressed in old fashioned (another era even) clothes.

[Breanne]

Emily is a caricature - a laughing stock ... a badly made up and well spoken "geezer in a dress" ... and dressed in old fashioned (another era even) clothes.
Thanks for the reply, Josi.
If it's that ridiculous no harm will be done as very few if any will take it seriosuly. Of course it won't do any good either, so maybe it's neutral (or neuter, LOL).

[MaylinJane]

I love Little Britain, I'm an anglo-phile at heart and adore almost all things that come from that lovely little island. BBC america is perhaps my favorite (should I be saying favourite:cheeky:) channel. I think Emily is a sweetheart and doen't mean any harm, I find her very funny and no different than Daffyd (excuse me if I spelled his name wrong) the only gay in the village. I think they are just funny characters who can help people laugh at something they might find uncomfortable by taking things to the extreme. I find Emily no more offensive than when John Cleese or Graham Chapman was in drag. Of course something is only truly funny when there is a tiny bit of truth to it.

0.02

May