Slightly groundbreaking Dear Evan Hansen video?

[Harpz2006]

Video 

The official production released this video of the tour Evan and recent Broadway Evan, who happen to be a real-life couple, singing Only Us to each other. I think that is pretty cool! If a Broadway Elphaba and tour Elphaba happened to be a lesbian couple, I definitely dont see Wicked releasing an As Long as Youre Mine music video of them! Thoughts?

[\_(•_•)_/]

The LGBTQ community always pushes for wanting to be accepted and be normal in the publics eye, (say this as a member of the LGBTQ) yet whenever something gets released that represents LGBTQ, a huge deal is made out of it. I just see two people in love singing a song, don’t see why everything that feautures a same sex couple has to be groundbreaking.

[veronicamae]

_(•_&bull_/ said: "The LGBTQ community always pushes for wanting to be accepted and be normal in the publics eye, (say this as a member of the LGBTQ) yet whenever something gets released that represents LGBTQ, a huge deal is made out of it. I just see two people in love singing a song, don’t see why everything that feautures a same sex couple has to be groundbreaking."

Are you saying this as a member of the LGBTQ community?

[Mike Barrett]

_(•_&bull_/ said: "The LGBTQ community always pushes for wanting to be accepted and be normal in the publics eye, (say this as a member of the LGBTQ) yet whenever something gets released that represents LGBTQ, a huge deal is made out of it. I just see two people in love singing a song, don’t see why everything that feautures a same sex couple has to be groundbreaking. "

I am with you 100% on this, but unfortunately (especially with the current administration) we just aren't there yet as society so I think making light of these things is important too, just need to find the proper balance. They're a super super cute couple as well 

[\_(•_•)_/]

veronicamae said: "_(•_&bull_/ said: "The LGBTQ community always pushes for wanting to be accepted and be normal in the publics eye, (say this as a member of the LGBTQ) yet whenever something gets released that represents LGBTQ, a huge deal is made out of it. I just see two people in love singing a song, don’t see why everything that feautures a same sex couple has to be groundbreaking."

Are you saying this as a member of the LGBTQ community?"

Yes. Gay as you can get. 

Not trying to offend anyone, just gets old that we have to make everything a huge deal.

[Harpz2006]

I don’t think it’s necessarily a “huge deal,” but I do think it’s groundbreaking in a good way... almost ALL of the couples kids see today in entertainment is heterosexual ones, and for the actual production to represent a same-sex couple this song, could make a difference for a young member of the LGBT community who loves the show and has never seen himself represented before.

[Harpz2006]

_(•_&bullSlightly groundbreaking Dear Evan Hansen video? _/ said: "The LGBTQ community always pushes for wanting to be accepted and be normal in the publics eye, (say this as a member of the LGBTQ) yet whenever something gets released that represents LGBTQ, a huge deal is made out of it. I just see two people in love singing a song, don’t see why everything that feautures a same sex couple has to be groundbreaking. "

Point taken, but has a Broadway show ever, in an official capacity, released one of its songs before switching a hetero couple to a same-sex one? Until it’s the norm, I think it’s cool to celebrate...

[Mike Barrett]

That wasn't my point. Kids these days only see straight couples in movies, rom com's, Broadway, etc. Stuff like this and a movie like Love Simon may not seem like a huge deal to people outside the LGBTQ community but it is for me so I can see myself represented somewhere. I want it to be normal too so we don't need to celebrate everything but we are far from that currently. If I had these as a gay teen it'd make me feel at least a tiny bit better about who I was

[LizzieCurry]

If you're missing the point of people's joy over it, count your blessings.

It's a sweet video. I'm glad it exists.

[haterobics]

Harpz2006 said: "I don’t think it’s necessarilya “huge deal,” but I do think it’s groundbreaking in a good way... almost ALL of the couples kids see today in entertainment is heterosexual ones, and for the actual production to represent a same-sex couple this song, could make a difference for a young member of the LGBT community who loves the show and has never seen himself represented before."

Yes, but of all the entertainment mediums, theater is already the most LGBT friendly, so... not sure a lot of theater kids are going to be surprised to see representation. If anything, they probably already know these two are a couple and will just enjoy the song.

[Harpz2006]

Mike Barrett- well said. Ben Levi Ross, one of the performers in this video, posted on Instagram, “hopefully this video means something to the kids that are LGBTQ+ and don’t feel safe or comfortable to celebrate Valentine’s Day with their crush in public.” So seems like he sees it as a significant video too.

[LizzieCurry]

haterobics, the reaction on twitter is much more enthusiastic than you're characterizing the overall reaction as. Even if you cut out a significant percentage of hyperbole and drama that you get on social media, there's still a great deal of enthusiasm and gratitude there.

[Kea4]

I didn't know they were a couple - adorable! 

I don't know if "groundbreaking" is the right phrase. Is it important representation of a real life queer couple? Yes.

[Mike Barrett]

Especially for someone like me, who lives in a conservative state with conservative parents, it's hard to be yourself these days with the amount of hating coming from the right. These little things are very nice to have and they truly seem like a lovely couple

[haterobics]

LizzieCurry said: "Even if you cut out a significant percentage of hyperbole and drama that you get on social media, there's still a great deal of enthusiasm and gratitude there."

That's a pretty evasive formula to triangulate.

[\_(•_•)_/]

Mike Barrett said: "Especially for someone like me, who lives in a conservative state with conservative parents, it's hard to be yourself these days with the amount of hating coming from the right. These little things are very nice to have and they truly seem like a lovely couple "

Dude, I can relate so much. 

[Rainah]

It's cute and notable regardless of gender. Idina and Taye were cute and notable when they sang opposite each other in Wicked too. Any time it's a real couple, that gives it a little something extra I think.

 

But it's also got a deeper resonance to those of us who usually do not see ourselves in these stories. For all the stereotypes of queer people on broadway, the representation IN musicals is still... not great outside a couple of heavily touted examples. There's been enough threads on here of people trying to think up more than a handful of examples. Straight leads are still the norm, and there's a difference between knowing people will be chill if you mention a same sex partner in a rehearsal and actually seeing your stories on stage.

[JeaniusIsMe]

Harpz2006 said: "Point taken, but has a Broadway show ever, in an official capacity, released one of its songs before switching a hetero couple to a same-sex one? Until it’s the norm, I think it’s cool to celebrate..."

Wicked did this with As Long As Your Mine for the whole Out of Oz song release thing- they had Jennifer Nettles and Annaleigh Ashford sing it. Not a couple, as with this one, but still a major musical releasing a song with a same-sex duo replacing the normal hetero one.

 

[RWPrincess]

I also had no idea they were a couple. I get why so many Broadway couples always say that their dream is to be able to perform in the same city at the same time. Anyway, I loved this video! 

[IdinaBellFoster]

This brought such a smile to my face, and even a tear to my eye. Simple but beautiful. 

[Alex Kulak2]

Maybe it's because it's Valentine's Day and I'm single, but my lonely ass SOBBED at this video.

[GavestonPS]

Mike Barrett said: "That wasn't my point. Kids these days only see straight couples in movies, rom com's, Broadway, etc...."

Apparently you don't watch commercial television. I'm surprised by how many ads--from IKEA to Jarrod's jewelry--feature a gay male and/or a lesbian couple as just one more in a group of normal couples. The same is true with minority couples and racially mixed couples.

When I was young, corporations were timid and lagged behind government and political activists. Now things seem almost reversed: corporations are much more open about LGBTQ people than the federal government.

[Luminaire2]

To those questioning the need to point out the importance of this:

Representation matters.

[dramamama611]

The video is lovely. Their smiles say so much.

[SweetLips22]

Needs only one word---adorable.