What happened to the MTV I grew up with? The station that brought us The Real World (it still brings us The Real World, but the show is really awful now), and introduced us to gay people like Pedro Zamora, the brooding activist who died of AIDS shortly after his season wrapped. Remember when he and his partner, Sean Sasser, had a committment cerimony? Remember how the TRW showed us Sean taking care of Pedro as he got sick?
What depictions of gay people does MTV now offer the world? How about Tila Tequila, 
the bi-sexual sex-kitten who had an inexplicably popular dating show in prime time on the network. Sarah Warn has an excellent article about MTV selling out the gays for ratings over at AfterEllen.com. An excerpt:
Fast forward to 2008, and gays and lesbians are in another major battle for basic civil rights, after millions of Americans voted to take away our right to marry and raise children on Nov. 4.
Gay men and lesbians around the country are using every tool possible — marching in the streets, filing lawsuits, blogging, writing, pleading and cajoling — to convince Americans that our relationships are important and deserving of the same respect as heterosexual relationships. That the right to marry someone of the same gender does not logically lead to wanting to marry siblings, or goats.
And in the midst of this epic battle, what does MTV do? They announce the launch of a reality dating show starring two bisexual, incestuous twins.
And what’s up with all the shows about kids getting married? A blogger over at Lime Life makes the follow point:
MTV’s recent obsession with nuptials is alarming. Really, what business does a network intended for 15-18 year olds have airing anything to do with tying the knot?
At first, we were totally on the MTV marriage bandwagon. When it seemed their intention was to illustrate the dysfunction and disastrous nature of juvenile marriage - see Engaged and Underage - we we’re there, and laughing all the way. But recently, due to specials like The Bridal Bowl (hosted by Heidi and Spencer), we can’t help but feel the station is promoting wedded bliss for kids.
Even more disconcerting about MTV’s sudden push for underage marriage: the network’s total non-mention of Prop 8 or gay marriage. Come on John Norris, what happened to interrupting our precious music video time in order to report on worldly matters? Is Paris Hilton’s quest to find a new BFF really more important than equal rights?
Hey MTV: quit spawning over-eager heterosexual “marry”-makers. Especially given the latest news about teen pregnancy rates in the U.S. This is not 1950. We never thought we’d say this but, we miss Spring Break!
Seriously MTV, WTF?
