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Ahead of its time when it came to homosexuality


Sisters of the Bride was a joy to watch. When Clayton (Monte Markham), who had admitted to his sister he was gay, announces he's about to be married, he has to deal with his sister's disapproval. An engrossing episode. Rue McClanahan is superb, her difficulty in accepting her brother's homosexuality dominates the episode yet when Blanche gets it, thanks to Sophia's wisdom, she relents and embraces her brother and his fiance even if it becomes apparent it will take time to adjust which I appreciated because acceptance doesn't come quick.

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It is very realistic. Just because Blanche sometimes seems like a drag queen or a heroine out of a Tennessee Williams play, doesn't mean that she'd be accepting right off of a family member being gay, especially if that image had him in her mind as a ladies' man. She would certainly have gay friends being in the art world, and as dumb as she could be on occasion, she would certainly bond with them in a different way than with straight men or even Dorothy, Rose or Sophia. I like this episode because Monte Markham seems a very unlikely candidate to play that part, having seen him in movies and many other TV shows, and it lets the audience know that gay men come in many different colors, shapes and sizes, races, religions and creeds. Sort of like Philip Carey in the "All in the Family" episode where Archie thinks that Anthony Geary's non-macho character is gay but Carey's is. Carey, the manly man from many western's and "One Life to Live's" macho Texas J.R. like millionaire, is also the last person, like Monte Markham, whom anybody back in the day would think was gay. Today, you just never know, and it also points out that even a flamboyant somewhat effeminate man can be straight as well! (That scenario was covered on an episode of "Designing Women").

"Great theater makes you smile. Outstanding theater may make you weep."

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As far as sitcoms go, it was okay. But in real life, I felt Clayton was a bit unrealistic in his expectations from his sister. To suddenly bring his boyfriend with no announcement, and then proclaim they're getting married... he had to realize that would be a bit overwhelming for her all at once. Especially when he's staying in her house. He could have simply told her over the phone first that he was bringing his boyfriend and said that things were getting serious.

I'm gay and this whole "you'd better accept me or go fck yourself" attitude that Clayton kinda had is bothersome. You have to meet people in the middle and try to be respectful of their thresholds (true of all relationships), especially if you want them to ease into it. Bridge-building works both ways.

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Hope he wasn't after her blokes !

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Good points.

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I just watched the episode in season 6 where her brother married his partner. I was thinking the same thing!

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That's how they handled all the issues. They bulldozed right in and gave you a message without really exploring it.

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On a side note, I always wondered why they didn't keep Coco past the first episode. I think he would have been a likable character.

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