First I apologize for the deep dive I’ve written. I’m an actor/writer/artist, so I can’t help expressing my feelings and this show gave me feelings!
I love genera+ion. The show, Although a fictional and “Hollywood-ish” version of our communities younger generation, it reminds me of the wonder and the joy that filled my heart when I was 13, in 1989 and I was out in a tough area of Boston. I was in Catholic school and I was literally asked not to attend my senior prom, by the school principal. Meanwhile he was later a part of the Catholic school scandal of abusing kids.
I know my story was about sheer survival and different than what I see in this show, I think I love it because no matter who you are, the earliest years of being a person of lgbtq experience is filled with wonder and possibilities. I was similar to Chester but not at all met with open arms. When the guidance counselor told him “I wanted to be you when I was in high school”, it gave me so much to think about, especially as a known artist and entertainer who was losing inspiration.
I’m generation X, older than Sam the counselor and way older than Chester. I still lived out loud and have the broken nose and scars to show for it but I found community young. The climate was such that it was dangerous to be out but we still had crushes, still dealt with gender issues and identity and a whole bunch of stuff that is everyone’s story to one degree or another.
I felt elderly when Chester tells Sam that he’s “such a millennial” meaning older and out of touch.
I resented millennial queer people because in my opinion we’d paved the way and suffered and it appeared that younger people didn’t want to look up to us as we did our elders, they wanted to school the Gen Xers on language and activism and they did so in a militant way, taking away from the freedom we once felt in the community but they opened up new doors and they set the stage for Generation Z, the generation depicted in this show. The youngest of us are paving a new road and it’s amazing!
They almost don’t understand what all the fuss is about regarding identity, sexuality, gender, race, and all the other ways society tries to divide us. I think that was the hope! We fought so that someday none of that stuff would matter; so that none of us were better than anyone or worse than anyone, we’re all just people navigating through this life with different circumstances but the desire to be loved, to love, and to be happy.
I know we’re not there yet but this show and the younger post millennial generation is the hopeful beginning of a world where it only matters if one is kind or cruel, the rest is inconsequential. I wish I could have been Chester in high school and I was, I just paid a higher price. It makes me happy to see characters like these and hope that we’re heading towards better times.
I miss being younger and experiencing total naive idealism! I miss dating. I miss everyone coming together to celebrate and help each other. The hope that every day holds possibilities. That “tonight I’m gonna meet the love of my life“ , no matter how many times I went out and it didn’t happen. I was getting tired and feeling discarded and it may seem naive for a middle aged gender nonconforming queer person who has been jaded into the recesses of the community, to watch a show and feel a spark of hope, but I do.
I thank the cast and the people involved in this show. I also hope to feel like I belong to a community that loves each other. For awhile it was gone. I hope it’s back to stay! I would love to have anyone from the cast or crew on our podcast, The Eileen Dover and Gail Thacker show. I’d love to learn how to feel that sense of wonder I gave up on for a bit. Genera+ion came along at just the right time!
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!! Especially if you’re feeling cynical or rusty or out of touch or anything at all!! I recommend it for its entertainment value as well but it’s insight is what makes me feel entertained. Love it!
Thanks so much!
Eileen Dover NYC
