Why We Liked 90s Gays (But Not TikTok Gays)

Movies, "Indoctrination," and Misunderstanding the Culture War

Collectively, the class of 1997 remembers the best teacher they ever had—Mr. Brackett. He was something of a cultural touchstone because of the way they all stood up as one at their graduation ceremony and saved him from being unjustly fired by a cowardly school administration.

They also remember, maybe with tears in their eyes, how the ENTIRE community stood up with them.

Mr. Brackett had stood up for them for many years, sacrificing his time and sometimes emotional health to help his students in any way he could. They would not allow his kindness and his excellence to be repaid with cruelty.

And America looked on, touched by the loyalty this man had engendered just by being himself.

It didn’t matter that Howard Brackett wasn’t real. He was a fictional character played by Kevin Klein in the movie In & Out. But he spoke to us on a deeper level and asked us, subtly and with good humor, to learn from him.

And we did. But maybe not the right lesson.