Jo's "hetereosexuality"

[PartyOfOne]

People here will have to forgive me for not reading in depth to see if this has been covered before. I'm going to take a wild guess that it in fact has. For those who dislike this topic, either because they are homophobic/strongly tied to traditional Judaism or Christianity/think this TV show was too simple to get into sexual orientation/think this topic is idiotic/or some such similiar thought, please feel free to skip this thread. I think this is a valid topic of discussion here (yet again). Well, I haven't done much of it personally.
Honestly this show was not very good. It just isn't interesting. Not in the first 3 seasons anyway. And season 2 is supposed to be the best isn't it. Those YouTube videos are great though, because Lisa Whelchel, Nancy McKeon, and I would say especially Felice Schachter were very good looking, although the latter was seen in very few episodes (although originally she was a star). I believe that's called "eye candy."
If this character is supposed to be hetereosexual, well, that is a very sharp dig at Nancy McKeon's acting abilities, because she does not come off like this at all (from what I've seen). Jim Nabors was a more believable heterosexual. (Incidentally, Gomer Pyle is about 100 times better a program). I don't think they talked openly about this though, beyond some quick jabs in the season 2 opener (Natalies commenting that she nearly asked Jo out, for instance).
Despite what I wrote earlier, Jo as lesbian makes much more sense. Gays and lesbians were just starting to become visible at this time, and the first episode did get into homosexuality (even though it had a lame PC ending that made the whole episode a waste).
Also, remember that although in real life, many things are coincidences, this is much rarer in fiction. Now, the writers could have given Nancy McKeon nearly any name they wanted Heather, Rachel, Mary, even Nancy (although the last would not be in the best interest of the character's integrity). Why choose a name that sounds (to most Americans anyway) so inherently masculine as Jo, which when not knowing the spelling could be confused with Joseph? I would say the boyfriends were just beards.
Of course anyone is free to disagree with me, but it would be appreciated in advance if nobody criticizes me for bringing up the topic, accusing me of being gay/lesbian, etc. etc. etc.

[Meade]

Hi, Im a Christian. I really dont think Jo was a Lesbian. I dont like stereotypes. Jo is obviously short for "Jo Ann" . There are men who can be very effeminate but aren't gay. Same with girls who are masculine. She may have been bi, but I really think she was a straight girl who was raised in the tough area of the Bronx.

[old grouch]

Jo was street wise and rode a motorcycle. But I don't think she was gay.

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by old grouch

Jo was street wise and rode a motorcycle. But I don't think she was gay.

I don't either. She rode a motorcycle and was a tomboy, but that doesn't mean she was gay. Jo had that boyfriend Eddie that she loved very much and came close to marrying (before Blair and Mrs. G stopped them). She seemed very maternal to the abandoned baby a former Eastland student left behind. Then, at the end of the show, she married Scott Bryce's character (I don't remember the character's name). I never saw any hints that Jo had a thing for girls - but that's just my take.

[Retro4Life]

Originally Posted by PartyOfOne

People here will have to forgive me for not reading in depth to see if this has been covered before. I'm going to take a wild guess that it in fact has. For those who dislike this topic, either because they are homophobic/strongly tied to traditional Judaism or Christianity/think this TV show was too simple to get into sexual orientation/think this topic is idiotic/or some such similiar thought, please feel free to skip this thread. I think this is a valid topic of discussion here (yet again). Well, I haven't done much of it personally.
Honestly this show was not very good. It just isn't interesting. Not in the first 3 seasons anyway. And season 2 is supposed to be the best isn't it. Those YouTube videos are great though, because Lisa Whelchel, Nancy McKeon, and I would say especially Felice Schachter were very good looking, although the latter was seen in very few episodes (although originally she was a star). I believe that's called "eye candy."
If this character is supposed to be hetereosexual, well, that is a very sharp dig at Nancy McKeon's acting abilities, because she does not come off like this at all (from what I've seen). Jim Nabors was a more believable heterosexual. (Incidentally, Gomer Pyle is about 100 times better a program). I don't think they talked openly about this though, beyond some quick jabs in the season 2 opener (Natalies commenting that she nearly asked Jo out, for instance).
Despite what I wrote earlier, Jo as lesbian makes much more sense. Gays and lesbians were just starting to become visible at this time, and the first episode did get into homosexuality (even though it had a lame PC ending that made the whole episode a waste).
Also, remember that although in real life, many things are coincidences, this is much rarer in fiction. Now, the writers could have given Nancy McKeon nearly any name they wanted Heather, Rachel, Mary, even Nancy (although the last would not be in the best interest of the character's integrity). Why choose a name that sounds (to most Americans anyway) so inherently masculine as Jo, which when not knowing the spelling could be confused with Joseph? I would say the boyfriends were just beards.
Of course anyone is free to disagree with me, but it would be appreciated in advance if nobody criticizes me for bringing up the topic, accusing me of being gay/lesbian, etc. etc. etc.

I'd say there's almost no one on the planet who is totally feminine or totally masculine. Almost all men possess SOME feminine qualities and all women possess SOME masculine qualities.

Some of Jo's masculine qualities were more external than most; the love of cars, the attitude, the clothes (sometimes). But none of this means she was intended to be gay. I think the character was intentionally written as a "tomboy" (a term that seems to have disappeared from our cultural lexicon) and I've known tons of tomboys who were not gay in any way. I'm guessing you have, too.

[NatalieFan]

I have always wanted ti discuss this. I definitly think Jo was gay/ Yes there are many masculine women out there that are straight. However, Jo just acted gay. I mean even her excitment about going out with boys was not believable to me. But again, there are many very masculine straight women out there. And another thing we have to consider is that Jo was arround guys A LOT in her childhood, as well as other masculine women. My point is that maybe the way she acted was because of the way she grew up. Is she gay? I don't know, but it sure as hell seemed like it to me!

[Retro4Life]

Originally Posted by NatalieFan

I have always wanted ti discuss this. I definitly think Jo was gay/ Yes there are many masculine women out there that are straight. However, Jo just acted gay. I mean even her excitment about going out with boys was not believable to me. But again, there are many very masculine straight women out there. And another thing we have to consider is that Jo was arround guys A LOT in her childhood, as well as other masculine women. My point is that maybe the way she acted was because of the way she grew up. Is she gay? I don't know, but it sure as hell seemed like it to me!

But...does this mean you think the writers MEANT for the character to be gay or that somehow Nancy McKeon PLAYED her as gay? Honestly, I can't see either of those happening. There is no way the writers of a family friendly relatively conservatively themed sitcom in the 70s and 80s would have purposely made a major character gay without explicitly stating that they were, as with Jodie Dallas from Soap. And the fact that she had boyfriends and no girlfriends really seals it for me. If they'd have wanted her to be gay, they wouldn't have soft pedaled it.

And McKeon can't have purposely played her as gay against the wishes of the writers, that would be career suicide.

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by Retro4Life

But...does this mean you think the writers MEANT for the character to be gay or that somehow Nancy McKeon PLAYED her as gay? Honestly, I can't see either of those happening. There is no way the writers of a family friendly relatively conservatively themed sitcom in the 70s and 80s would have purposely made a major character gay without explicitly stating that they were, as with Jodie Dallas from Soap. And the fact that she had boyfriends and no girlfriends really seals it for me. If they'd have wanted her to be gay, they wouldn't have soft pedaled it.

And McKeon can't have purposely played her as gay against the wishes of the writers, that would be career suicide.

Exactly. The way they were always cranking out very special episodes - there's no way they would've soft-pedaled it.

Besides, I think they wanted Jo to be the complete antithesis of Blair. Blair was the debutante princess and Jo was the tomboy from the Bronx. I think they always really played up the differences (by dressing Blair way up and dressing Jo way down) to increase the conflict. And it worked.

[NatalieFan]

No I don't think Nancy just played her character in a homosexual way, I don't think it was intended. I also don't think the writters meant for her to be gay and kept it a secret. I think maybe it's just one of those mysteries a lot of shows have.

[OH Nuts!]

My take on Jo was that she was a tough straight gal - tough cause she came from a rough neighborhood.

I've seen plenty of woman who had a tough quality but were totally straight. And gay men who are extremely masculine and lesbians who were ultra-feminine. You really can't peg sexual orientation onto specific mannerisms - because there will be times you are totally wrong.

[robyrob]

i think that the original poster is just projecting their own feelings onto the Jo character (and implying that Nancy McKeon herself is gay); Jo was a tomboy, I knew many girls about that age during that time period that were similarly-acting tomboys that weren't gay and eventually grew out of the tomboy phase, although the Jo character's toughness was exaggerated on the show.

the fact that that the original poster basically comes here to take shots at the show, insults the actors and the fans of the show, then accuses anyone that disagrees with them of being homophobic or religious nutjobs, then invites them to "skip this thread" rather than try to disagree with them speaks volumes about the strength of their argument.

[NatalieFan]

Originally Posted by robyrob

i think that the original poster is just projecting their own feelings onto the Jo character (and implying that Nancy McKeon herself is gay); Jo was a tomboy, I knew many girls about that age during that time period that were similarly-acting tomboys that weren't gay and eventually grew out of the tomboy phase, although the Jo character's toughness was exaggerated on the show.

the fact that that the original poster basically comes here to take shots at the show, insults the actors and the fans of the show, then accuses anyone that disagrees with them of being homophobic or religious nutjobs, then invites them to "skip this thread" rather than try to disagree with them speaks volumes about the strength of their argument.

I think the thread starter was just voicing an opinion that some people who watched the show had; I don't think they thought Nancy was gay, it's just that there was something there that some viewers saw.

[Meade]

Originally Posted by NatalieFan

I have always wanted ti discuss this. I definitly think Jo was gay/ Yes there are many masculine women out there that are straight. However, Jo just acted gay. I mean even her excitment about going out with boys was not believable to me. But again, there are many very masculine straight women out there. And another thing we have to consider is that Jo was arround guys A LOT in her childhood, as well as other masculine women. My point is that maybe the way she acted was because of the way she grew up. Is she gay? I don't know, but it sure as hell seemed like it to me!

I disagree. I just think the agenda of the gay community is to take any character on TV that doesn't quite fit to identify with. Which, while thats not a bad thing, its not fair to point to a tv show or character and claim it as "gay". Heterosexual people dont go around doing this, why should it even be an issue? To me , Jo does act quite butch at times, but shes a tough girl who is from New York. New Yorkers are known for their lack of manners and being that way.

[PartyOfOne]

Originally Posted by robyrob

i think that the original poster is just projecting their own feelings onto the Jo character (and implying that Nancy McKeon herself is gay); Jo was a tomboy, I knew many girls about that age during that time period that were similarly-acting tomboys that weren't gay and eventually grew out of the tomboy phase, although the Jo character's toughness was exaggerated on the show.

the fact that that the original poster basically comes here to take shots at the show, insults the actors and the fans of the show, then accuses anyone that disagrees with them of being homophobic or religious nutjobs, then invites them to "skip this thread" rather than try to disagree with them speaks volumes about the strength of their argument.

You make some valid points. However you will have to forgive me I am a jump the shark fan for nearly a decade. It's amazing how much people know about programs they supposed hate LOL. But I don't care it's still a good read.
- I do not insult people for having different tastes in TV shows than I do.
- I do not think Nancy McKeon is a lesbian
- Lisa Whelchel, Nancy McKeon and especially Felice Schacter are very good looking (I probably wrote that already )
-the other actresses are much less so
-This was a children's show. This (like most sitcoms) probably wasn't meant to be taken at much more than face value (although it doesn't stop many of us from doing it anyway, now does it?)
- It has since occured to me that there is not all that much that is particular homosexual about Jo, it's just that many on YouTube are good at synching up videos with homoerotic music, which has nothing to do with a show, and making it look like the show was a lot "gayer" than it really was. Jo had boyfriends, no girlfriends. She was a fictional character; we saw nothing lesbian so she could not be.
-although this show was mediocre I find myself watching anyway. Go figure.Great theme song in any case.

[JoPol_wannabe]

I believe Jo wasn't gay. I mean come on just because Jo wasn't really girly and acted tough doesn't mean she is gay. She had boyfriends such as Eddie and she married Rick. Jo reminds me allot of myself and I am not gay I am happily married to a guy. I have a girlfriend who is tough and loves to ride motorcycles and is not girly at all and she isn't gay either. I mean this is like people thinking Bert and Ernie from Sesame Street were gay and that's not how the writers wrote those characters to be they were just two roommates that slept in the same room but had separate beds. I think if the writers wanted Jo to be gay they would have made her act gay and probably had something go on between her and Blair. To be honest I am glad they didn't make Jo's character gay I like Jo the way she is but I wish she would of married Eddie instead of Rick, Eddie is way hotter in my opinion.