Homer's Phobia should be considered a groundbreaking and influential episode of Simpsons tackling homophobia back when it was still considered a bit of a taboo to be gay supportive. And for that, the episode deserves a lot of respect and appreciation. Especially since censors at the time almost stopped the episode from ever happening.
However, that being said? The episode heavily implies that you need to be flamboyant and effeminate and acting like a stereotypical gay man in order to be gay. Don't get me wrong, John is still depicted in a fairly subdued fashion... but, he's also obsessed with fashion and talking and acting like a stereotypical fashion-obsessed gay guy.
In fact, Marge never even got to know John WAS gay before telling Homer he's gay. Marge thought he ACTED gay and made an assumption, and then just so happened to be right about that assumption.
Now, there's nothing wrong with being a feminine gay guy. Heck, I myself am a feminine gay guy. But I think it's important to show people that gay guys can look and act in all sort of ways, not just the stereotypical ways. They don't even try to break the stereotype that supposedly only heterosexual men go deer hunting, which is... odd.
All that being said, this is still one of the most important and influential and groundbreaking episodes of the Simpsons show. It's just that by today's standards, some of it's aspects can come across a bit distasteful by implying you need to act in certain ways in order to be gay.
However, that being said? The episode heavily implies that you need to be flamboyant and effeminate and acting like a stereotypical gay man in order to be gay. Don't get me wrong, John is still depicted in a fairly subdued fashion... but, he's also obsessed with fashion and talking and acting like a stereotypical fashion-obsessed gay guy.
In fact, Marge never even got to know John WAS gay before telling Homer he's gay. Marge thought he ACTED gay and made an assumption, and then just so happened to be right about that assumption.
Now, there's nothing wrong with being a feminine gay guy. Heck, I myself am a feminine gay guy. But I think it's important to show people that gay guys can look and act in all sort of ways, not just the stereotypical ways. They don't even try to break the stereotype that supposedly only heterosexual men go deer hunting, which is... odd.
All that being said, this is still one of the most important and influential and groundbreaking episodes of the Simpsons show. It's just that by today's standards, some of it's aspects can come across a bit distasteful by implying you need to act in certain ways in order to be gay.