Just Out
Posted on August 16th, 2005 by Reformed Pope into the Favorites categoryI work for a flooring/countertop store called Surface and recently we decided that the homosexual male was by far the best kind of customer we could have. The typical gay guy has both money and style; 2 key ingredients in a good customer.
Because of this we started thinking about advertising in Just Out magazine which is a local gay paper. Some of the people here felt a little conflicted about advertising there because they don’t approve of the lifestyle, but still have no problem working with gay customers.
The question was “Does this ad support gays and if so is it wrong?”
I skipped right over that question and jumped to a better one “What could our tag line be in the ad?”
These are the blog-appropriate ones that I came up with: (F.Y.I. - Our current slogan is THE LAYER BETWEEN HOUSE AND HOME. I think theres a good chance that might get changed)
AD Ideas for Just Out Magazine:
We help solve husband-husband quarrels.
At Surface there’s no He said He said Bullsh*t
Surface: The layer between house and Oh my God!
We dream about designing Brad Pitt’s house too.
Surface: When you’re ready to decorate more than the closet
Surface: Our first showroom was a closet.
Surface: Sassy, Sexy, and SUPER
All gaydar points to Surface (not that there’s anything wrong with that)
Surface (Pronounced THURFATHE)
Will and Jack have nothing on David and Johnpaul
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August 16th, 2005 at 3:33 pm
How about,
Dont get stuck at home tossing your husbands salad! If you come decorate your home with our new flooring and countertops then in your neighborhood you will rise to the SURFACE!
August 16th, 2005 at 9:29 pm
Um…
This is a little ridiculous (although I’m sure that’s mostly the point)….maybe even ricockulous.
What constitutes a lifestyle? Is it one aspect of a person’s life or many aspects? I’d venture to say that none of us identifies primarily, let alone solely, as a “blogger” despite the fact that we blog. Why then should we assume that a person who is attracted to people of the same sex they are identifies solely as a “gay”? A dear friend of mine recently said that it mystifies him how so many heterosexual people meet someone who is openly gay and immediately jump to bedroom visualizations. Why? We generally don’t do that with the straight people we meet. To the straight, being straight isn’t a “lifestyle” — because we have the privelege of being considered the norm.
So, yes, as generalizations go, you’ve got some funny ones happening here. But, I do think we should be thoughtful about how we throw around the word “lifestyle”.
August 17th, 2005 at 2:31 am
LOL!
I’m a little surprised you weren’t able to come up with a riff on Queer Eye though. Keep working at it.
August 17th, 2005 at 5:33 am
I think one reason people jump to bedroom visualizations is because being gay isn’t who you are, it’s what you do. So, if I met someone and they told me that they play softball, I might envision them fielding a grounder or maybe even bunting, but if they told me they were hispanic, I wouldn’t visualize anything. I might run, but either way…no visualization.
August 17th, 2005 at 10:28 am
SURFACE: The Stain Resistant Home Specialists for all your flooring and countertop needs!
August 17th, 2005 at 10:41 am
Forlornandworn. The visualisation thing you got going is probably due to the fact that you don’t have any gay friends. You got to be around different people to understand that ALL of us have to work, eat, sleep, drive to work, be entertained, ect. I certainly don’t think of the bedroom when I think of gay people. I think of martinis at a nice bar after a long day. That’s my experience with this whole thing. We all have stereotypes but if you have the bedroom stereotype then you probably watch alot of gay movies.
August 17th, 2005 at 11:24 am
anonymous, I actually do have a few gay friends. As a matter of fact, one of my closest friends is gay. I think you misinterpretted my attempt at coyness.
August 17th, 2005 at 1:53 pm
I never realized drinking martini’s made you gay.
Damn, I’m gay.
Please don’t tell my wife.
August 17th, 2005 at 2:11 pm
Anonymous,
I really don’t get your logic. Let’s change things around a bit and see how it sounds.
Black Man: “Hi, I’m Black”
Anonymous: “Oh, is that because of the color of your skin?”
Black Man: “No, it’s because I like apple pie. I always am eating apple pie, that’s what makes me black”.
Anonymous: “No, I’m pretty sure apple pie has nothing to do with it. It’s because you were born with black skin.”
Black Man: “Black skin? That’s a stereotype. You must have watched Barbershop too many times.”
August 18th, 2005 at 10:46 am
Anonymous here,
Let’s just say that gay people are as varied as any other cultural group in the world and the fact that people look at them as having certain qualities is great.
I totally agree with everything everyone is saying about the issue. See I’m a white male and kinda dorky too so I tend to never stand up for myself or stand by my comments. Im thinking of running for President.
Oh and gay people are great. The best thing we could do for that culture of people is to include them in the normal culture that is the AMERICAN culture. Gay Pride parades are actually hurting most gay people and their social position is being undermined by ignorant people including ignorant gay people.
P.S. That Gay/Black tit/tat thing was so stupid and probably the most boring thing I’ve ever read.
August 18th, 2005 at 11:53 am
Most boring thing you’ve ever read?
Clearly you’ve never taken Mrs. Coleman’s english class.
At least it was short.
And I now see that your point was that gays don’t just sit around having gay sex all day…they also drink martini’s. (not that there’s anything wrong with that)
August 18th, 2005 at 1:21 pm
RP,
Don’t forget about the home decorating, use of facial moisturizer, and constant singing of show tunes. Oh, and talking about how great Barbra Streisand and Judy Garland are. We wouldn’t want any of the really good and universally true stereotypes left begging.
August 18th, 2005 at 10:31 pm
Well, JP at least you know that one of your closest friends is also gay if drinking martinis makes you gay. And that pretty much removes all doubt we had about Josh, too.
August 21st, 2005 at 2:46 pm
Really? Has it come to this? From lively spiritual conversation to gaydar and martinis? I think RP needs a vacation.
August 22nd, 2005 at 12:48 pm
RP definitely needs a vacation.
It’s hard work, people. I’m just trying to keep this thing entertaining. Sometimes that means clever conversation and sometimes that means: Surface (pronounced THURFATHE).