It was in mid-2009 that the show Glee hit television screens. I was 13 years old and I was introduced to the TV show after walking in the living room one evening and seeing my dad sitting on the couch watching an episode. I was more used to my dad watching old Western shows and movies that I was surprised to see him watching something that essentially appeared to be a TV show version of High School Musical. Eventually, I sat down and decided to watch the rest of the episode with him.
And I liked it. A lot.
Interested, I looked up the show and realized that I had seen posters advertising the show in the mall, as well as on the TV prior to the show's premier. From there, I backtracked and watched all of the episodes that had come out since then, and I never looked back.
Even though the show has ended after six great seasons, some people still see the show as a High School Musical wannabe, just like I did all those years ago. And yeah, OK, there are similarities in that every now and then there might be a spontaneous musical number. But there were also several differences. For one, the majority of the songs they sang were covers of popular music, ranging from top 40's to the classics.
Another big difference, one that I'd like to highlight in this article, is the diversity of the cast and the lessons taught throughout the show.
This show was my teenage years. I went through high school and graduated with these characters, and there are many things that I believe that, without the show, I wouldn't have been as open to as I am now.
**Warning: there are spoilers below!**
Teen pregnancy
I'm not an advocate for teen pregnancy. I think that a person, male or female, needs to be mature enough to understand the responsibility that comes with having a child before even thinking about conceiving. But that's my personal belief, and I also believe in not pushing my beliefs on others. If you truly believe yourself to be ready, or if it was just an accident, I will not look down on you. In the show, Quinn Fabray faced a lot of backlash after accidentally becoming pregnant. She was kicked off the cheerleading squad, alienated by most of the school and her parents, and only had the glee club for comfort.
This should never be the case. Pregnancy, regardless of your age, should not be treated as something to be ashamed of. Some radical "pro-life" advocates often claim that "abortion is immoral" and yet when the woman decides to keep the child, they're looked down upon for having a child out of wedlock. It's a lose-lose situation.
When I was younger, the thought of having a child at Quinn's age - which was around 16 years old - was unfathomable. But by now, I know it's very common and a very real situation that many girls find themselves in. Rather than be outcasted by society, give them support, if not for their decision than for the child. You do not rule other people's lives, they do.
Status quo
So High School Musical had a song about status quo. But did they have football players dancing to Single Ladies by Beyoncé? I don't think so.
Glee broke the age-old stigma that you don't have to be in just one group. You can be a football player and have a love for dance. You can be a cheerleader without the superiority complex shown on TV. You can be yourself, because at the end of the day, the people who stay are the people who love and care about you for who you are.
LGBT Relationships and Dynamics
Previous to Glee, I had some experience with LGBT dynamics, in that I've read about them and had known a few people who identify as LGBT. But, at 13 years old, I never really had an opinion on LGBT. After viewing Glee - and subsequently falling in love with the character Kurt and his future husband, Blaine, who made his first appearance in season 2 - I was able to understand what it was this group of people were fighting for, and why. Love is love; it's a beautiful, beautiful thing and to be denied or restrained of such love just because someone says "it goes against their beliefs" is just offensive.
It is not you who is in the relationship. As aforementioned, it is not your life, it's theirs.
To be bullied, discriminated or treated with disdain for something that you cannot control is completely unnecessary and it's high time that others realized that.
Bullying
I don't know if anywhere else in the world used slushies to the face as a way of bullying, but whether there is or if it's just venomous words and taunts, bullying is never OK. Gleemade it a point to not only highlight this fact, but to also highlight the fact that many of these bullies have a backstory, too. Finn, the school's quarterback, never actively bullied anyone in the school, but he never helped, either. He felt pressured by the expectations of his fellow classmates as one of the most popular kids in the school, which meant he couldn't, shouldn't, associate with the likes of those who were thrown in the dumpsters (yes, that happened, too.)
Another important arc surrounded the intensifying bullying of Kurt Hummel by Dave Karofsky, another member of the football team. As it turns out, Karofsky was struggling with his own sexuality, which was motivating him to act aggressively towards out-and-proud Kurt Hummel.
However, even if there's a "motivation" behind these acts, bullying is still never OK and not only does the victim need help, but the bully as well.
Facing rejection and failure
There were many times the characters faced rejection and failure. Kurt not getting into NYADA, Tina trying to woo a very gay (and very much still in love with Kurt) Blaine Anderson, Rachel Berry's TV show becoming a flop...these setbacks eventually ended in their benefit.
Kurt was able to get his feet wet in what it was like to be in New York, as well as become more comfortable being himself outside of his old high school. Tina stopped relying on other people to help define who she was and instead focused on herself and her future. And Rachel, after coming back home to mentor the broken glee club, renewed her passion for broadway, leading to her eventually achieving her dream of winning an Emmy for her performance.
True leadership
Throughout most of the show, William Schuester serves as the main teacher, guide and leader-like figure for the rest of the characters. But after a little while, Finn also steps up to the plate and becomes a leader to both his classmates and the future generations of the glee club before his untimely death. The beautiful thing about Finn's leadership was that he knew he wasn't perfect, and he emphasized that when he was guiding others. He knew there were things he wasn't particularly good at, take dancing for example, and yet he never let it keep him down.
Most importantly, he listened.
He listened to what his friends had to say and molded his teaching and guidance to fit their needs while still staying true to his own. And no matter what others threw at him, no matter what the circumstances, he let his friends know that he was there for them if they needed him. And that, in my opininon, is what makes a great leader.
Inner beauty
It's hard to see the beauty in oneself, especially when it seems like the entire world is against you and it feels like you have no one to support who you are or your dreams. But soon, you'll see it. It's not something that just suddenly happens. You don't wake up one day and realize "wow, I'm pretty now!" It's something that was always there to begin with; it just took the right push to get you to see it.
Sometimes that push is from someone telling you so, and that's not a bad thing. It's not a bad thing to need someone to remind you of how great you are. For instance, Rachel Berry knew from the beginning that she was talented, thanks to her ever-supportive fathers throughout her childhood. However, once in the glee club, and once they all expressed their admiration for not only her talent but who she was, she felt validated. And rather than let it inflate her ego, she stopped trying to convince herself that she deserved all of the attention and instead felt comfortable if others were in the spotlight because she knew that she was special in her own right.
What did Glee teach you?
