Heterosexism

In a world where the majority of shows on television completely ignore the issue of homosexuality, South Park is one program which has a history of addressing the issue through many episodes. In one such episode, “Probably”, we follow Satan, the homosexual emperor of Hell. Satan is a very physically masculine character, but is very sensitive emotionally. He struggles to choose between his boyfriend, Chris, and his lover, Saddam Hussein in the depths of hell.

Satan is torn; Chris is a great friend, but he is simply too nice for Satan. On the other hand, Saddam is the lover Satan has always wanted, but he is too mean and inconsiderate. Throughout the episode, Chris is portrayed as a very stereotypical gay man; he talks with a lisp, wears tight and flashy clothes, and is very feminine. Saddam Hussein gives no clues of his sexuality through his actions, besides from the constant dirty-talk with Satan.

By the end of the episode, Satan ultimately consults God for help, who tells the Prince of Darkness that he should not take either man since he is not completely happy with either.

Overall, Satan is portrayed as a very powerful man, and for the most part his homosexuality does not seem to hinder his ability to maintain power. Only at one point is his sexuality shown as a weakness; when delivering a fiery speech to newbies to Hell, he breaks down and is unable to finish the speech because of the relationship drama he is involved with.

I believe Matt Stone and Trey Parker do a superb job of bringing homosexuality into South Park. While some parts may be flat-out ridiculous, they succeed in showing a variety of possibilities of lives of homosexuals, which is much more realistic than showing one cookie-cutter homosexual lifestyle as many shows tend to have. The gay community may not be too fond of the choices, but making Satan and Saddam Hussein gay just serves as a comical way to bring the topic to light.