tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7729524103539504778.post6437492418170853247..comments2017-08-10T02:44:24.784+01:00Comments on Out on Holy Ground: Thomas Tallis: Was he gay?Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13249621725873414924noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7729524103539504778.post-72192898915241947692017-08-10T02:44:24.784+01:002017-08-10T02:44:24.784+01:00seriously? who cares- men have always found their ...seriously? who cares- men have always found their way to each other- gay is a label- and labels are for foolsvermontkidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07457174904150151172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7729524103539504778.post-75409515171250841832010-11-26T22:23:40.087+00:002010-11-26T22:23:40.087+00:00Tallis' character is a disappointment and yes,...Tallis' character is a disappointment and yes, to me it makes a difference whether he is str8 or gay or both. It doesn't change his genius or our perception of him but as one of two queer characters on this whole damn show (both fated to obscurity and heteronormative marital 'bliss') he has to bear the burden of representation for alternate sexualities in medieval European history. I left my own preconceptions about historical accuracy at the door upon seeing the person they contracted to play Henry VIII so I wasn't expecting a dutiful account of Tallis' life. What is interesting is that his and William's subplot are relegated to maybe 15 minutes in the entire 10 episodes of the first season, marginalizing all other forms of sexual expression beyond the heterosexual in a film obsessed with sexual intrigue and one which, unashamedly, markets homoeroticism. For all the emphasis on creativity over historical accuracy, depictions of sexuality are predictable and reflect a serious non-commitment to imagining other ways of being in the English court at this time. I'm just so tired of these great homoerotic heteronormative histories these days that treat possibly or factually gay characters as unimportant or just don't bother treating them at all. Even when we have the freedom to reinterpret much of what we know and craft richer histories the result is still the story of the great white straight man.homonoirehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02808445907133622719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7729524103539504778.post-40949004563050111762010-04-03T11:38:56.704+01:002010-04-03T11:38:56.704+01:00I think the simple question is: does it matter whe...I think the simple question is: does it matter whether Tallis was or wasn't gay??Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13249621725873414924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7729524103539504778.post-22804900989142048992009-11-25T12:23:13.562+00:002009-11-25T12:23:13.562+00:00Peter Pears, the close companion of confirmed bach...Peter Pears, the close companion of confirmed bachelor Benjamin Britten, stated on television that the word "gay" is not appropriate to describe the experience of being a homosexual in a hetersexual society, which he evidently felt to be uncomfortable even after the enlightened reforms of the mid-1960s. <br /><br />The real problem I have with the Tallis character in The Tudors is that there is so little in it about his music and Tallis comes over as someone who is not exactly larger than life (to judge from his musical output, the real one was).Ken Davieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03789978578410245444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7729524103539504778.post-22427285238700242342009-07-11T15:09:50.761+01:002009-07-11T15:09:50.761+01:00It seems to me that since there is no proof that T...It seems to me that since there is no proof that Tallis was gay or bi but there is substantial proof that he was straight (i.e. he was married http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Tallis )then one ought to treat the Tudors treatment of him as inaccurate and meant to gain more critical attention/accolades for having an openly gay/bi character. Diversity etc. not withstanding, the decision to make this revision to Tallis' character should be judged on whether this sacrifice of accuracy adds anything to the work itself. And my instinct is that no, it doesn't.Yeomanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10523797776522275671noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7729524103539504778.post-22999023090843278592007-12-29T08:13:00.000+00:002007-12-29T08:13:00.000+00:00AMEN!AMEN!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09858050692234909136noreply@blogger.com