Gaycation, Season 1

This compassionate and very honest short documentary series resonates because its hosts are gay and lesbian and identify so much with the people they encounter. They're also self-reflexive and humble enough that they acknowledge the limited perspectives they possess by being white, privileged Americans. I would venture to say that they could be even more introspective and critical about how their own notions of what "LGBTQ" means in global contexts, but with their deeply moving Orlando Pulse episode, where they confront racism against Latinos as well as homophobia, I felt the show reached a new level. Unfortunately I can't say the same thing about their first episode from Season 1, which took place in Japan--where I have spent most of my life. I enjoyed this episode and thought they did a great job for the most part, but that Japanese LGBT people were portrayed more as exotic, oppressed, and strange rather than their fellow sexual minorities elsewhere. There are so many Japanese people they could have interviewed who would have been more cosmopolitan (like the people they chose to interview in Brazil), and younger Japanese who are perfectly comfortable with their sexualities and out to their families. There are other examples too that could have been explored about how Western influence is largely at fault for causing Japanese society to shy away from its earlier widespread embrace and even idealization of homosexual love between men. This is a topic that few Japanese people today are even educated about, and yet the backbone of Japanese male privilege and society is a largely homosocial, and often arguably homoerotic, history. The "coming out" narrative that Ellen and Ian impose on Japan, thus, predisposes them to seek out people who struggle with that, or people who are unable to assume LGBT as an identity position, when in fact being gay or lesbian, or even transgender, as an identity is a very recent idea in Japan. Assuming such an identity and then needing to come out is a very Western paradigm (if not quite American approach) that may not really fit a Japanese way of also accepting and embracing same-sex love/intimacy or any identity based on that. And as for two men being able to hold hands in public-- showing affection in public even between opposite sexes is socially inappropriate. So, all of the evidence that episode amasses doesn't mean that Japanese are as reluctant to accept LGBT issues as Ellen and Ian claim; it just means they have different histories and ways of approaching or framing these phenomena, that's all. I hope their way of addressing other cultural contexts continues to get more sophisticated as they go on. But all in all it's a brilliant show.

I felt like I just kept hearing the same thing over and over again. It seems like they are trying too hard to make an impact by repeating the same statistic 10 times. It also jumps around too much. I would've rather they stayed with a few people allowing us to learn more about their stories than going around asking people the same questions. Stacey Dooley does similar documentaries for BBC which I think are much better.

this show is pandering crap. If this is what vice land is offering as revolutionary television then they are off the mark.

I love this show! Such a refreshing approach to tv. Finally a channel which (so far) seems progressive and smart, and aimed at positive change. Keep up the great work!

Can't tell you how obsessed I am.

Do not play a drinking game where you do a shot every time Ellen says the word sad or lonely because there isn't a liver in the world that can handle that kind of tequila. I almost never write reviews let alone 5 star ones because a production has to be entertaining, show me something amazing I'd never considered, and challenge my way of thinking about all of humanity to reach that level. This weird lil docu-romp did it.

I'm so glad I picked this up. This show is beautiful and I'm happy that Ellen and Ian are exploring different parts of the world so we can all see and understand the importance of LGBT issues all around the world.

As an openly gay man who still struggles with his own sexuality, I found so much comfort in Ellen and Ian’s journey. They are shedding light on what so many cultures still keep in the shadows, and their openness and humble attitude towards those they meet makes for such compelling journalism and entertainment. “Japan” was incredible; “Brazil” raised the bar. I can’t wait to see this show get the attention and positive reviews it deserves.