Insane ‘American Horror Story’ Takes on Racism, Gender Questioning Rodents

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https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/cu...m-and-gendered

By Amelia Hamilton | September 19, 2017 11:59 PM EDT
The September 19th episode of American Horror Story: Cult took on such weighty issues as gun rights, racism, and cisnormative guinea pigs. The episode "Neighbors From Hell" picks up right where the last episode left off, with Ally (Sarah Paulson) having just accidentally shot and killed her wife's employee Pedro when he dropped by the house unexpectedly. In the aftermath, these weighty issues are debated in the town and in the household.

Having just killed an innocent man on her front porch when she thinks she is being attacked, Ally believes she's going to be in big trouble with the law. She is quickly reminded, however, that they live in a state (Michigan) which has Stand Your Ground laws, which are portrayed as a license to shoot whomever she likes.

The locals don't agree, however, and begin to protest, calling her the "lesbian George Zimmerman." Not only did she kill an innocent man, but he's Hispanic. So was George Zimmerman, of course, but the media called him a “white hispanic” (whatever that means) to make it seem as though a white man killed the black Trayvon Martin.

Similarly, Ally is also painted as a racist, much to her chagrin. Her gay neighbor Harrison (Billy Eichner) says that her son Ozzy "needs a man in his life, and some diversity. He's drowning in white privilege and estrogen over there." There are several instances in this episode of Ally being indignant that she might be considered a racist for killing an innocent Latino man and, in this scene, she decides just to go tell the mob that she's on the right side politically, thinking that they will forgive her once they know. On her way, she calls her psychiatrist, Dr. Vincent (Cheyenne Jackson).