‘Glee’ Started a ‘Wokeness Epidemic’ According to Conservatives

"Where did cancel culture and wokeness come from?"

That's the question conservative publication Human Events asks, and the answer might surprise you! Apparently, it's the fault of Tumblr and FOX's hit show Glee. 

In a 6500-word think piece that we didn't bother reading in its entirety, writer Bill Hurrell dives into the show's antics and blames it and its fandom for birthing the word "problematic," popularizing viewers relating their identities to TV characters, and this generation's annoying affinity for "wokeness." 

"The 'representation' on Glee was apparently so significant and so accurately done that it reawakened ancient tribal hatreds among the teenagers watching the show because they could no longer tell the difference between the show and themselves," the article reads. "This is the reality of wokeness: It is not a utopian philosophy. It isn’t even really a Leftist one, though it uses Leftist language to mask its true intentions. No, what it is, is a sad, pathetic teenage wish fulfillment fantasy: a reactionary ideology determined not to move forward, but to restore the power dynamics of high school, the only place where the woke have ever had any power, or where petty, cruel, emotional infants like them can ever have any power."

This theory has been confirmed, apparently, because one popular Tumblr user in the fandom who spoke about the online forums went on to be a television consultant. 

The redundant and drawn-out article is rather nonsensical in our opinion, as anyone who watches the show can tell you that while Glee was groundbreaking for LGBTQ+ representation and good for a few laughs, it contained many insensitive, shocking, racist, sexist, homophobic, and outright offensive moments.

Looking back, it's truly a marvel at what the series was able to get away with. Over its six seasons, there are countless blatantly racist comments, scenarios making light of statutory rape, and many more uncomfortable jokes and situations. Who can forget when Mr. Schue planted drugs on Finn to blackmail him into joining the Glee Club? Or when Rachel Berry sent Sunshine to an active crackhouse? Or when Finn outed Santana, then gaslighted her into thinking he did her a favor? Or when Sue Sylvester constantly made fun of Kurt's flamboyance with nicknames like Porcelain and Blouse? Or when Marley's eating disorder led to her getting sick during competition and Finn, uncaring about her bulimia, made her apologize to her peers? Or... you know what, we're going to stop it there. You can go watch for yourself.

Not exactly the epitome of "wokeness" there.  

Regardless, some commenters unironically agreed with the article. "It happened between Glee (2009) and when Steve Carell left The Office (2011)... 2010 is the birthyear of wokism & everything shitty...."

The fuss has garnered attention on Twitter, especially from fans of the show, who are dismissing the theory entirely. 

"You have never seen Glee if you think that show promotes wokeness," wrote one commenter. "Ryan Murphy is a wicked and evil man." Another one wrote, "Think they watched a whole different show cause…"

TV has operated within stereotypes for so long that finally, in 2022, people want to see characters that exist outside of them. There are ways to joke about identities without their identity being the butt of the joke. Viewers, along with the rest of the world, are opening their eyes to that and becoming kinder, and that's what they want to see on TV. If that's committing the cardinal sin of "wokeness", so be it.