2x18: Born This Way

Thanks to the X-Factor, Glee is on hiatus until Nov. 1, so for the next few weeks, I’ll be delving back into some season 2 goodness. First up is my favorite episode of season 2, “Born This Way.” If you haven’t seen the episode, check out this quick Glee-wind!

This episode is all about accepting yourself for who you are. Our favorite Gleeks grapple with the things they don’t like about themselves, but by the end of the episode, they learn to embrace who they are because they were born that way.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

When Finn accidentally breaks Rachel’s nose during a dance practice, the opportunity arises for Rachel to get a nose job. She's concerned that she has a stereotypical, large Jewish nose, and she considers getting a more demure nose like Quinn.

I find it really sad that some girls feel like the only way to feel better about themselves is to undergo surgery. Quinn and Rachel address this by singing a lovely duet, “I Feel Pretty / Unpretty” that beautifully expresses the pain of girls who struggle with their self-image.

It takes a wakeup call from her idol, Barbra Streisand, to snap Rachel out of her self-image crisis. Kurt stages a “Barbra-vention” to remind Rachel that like Barbra, who is also famous for having a large nose, she is one in a million, and her nose makes her special. 

I love this message. All teenage girls struggle with their body image at some point. They want a smaller nose, they want blue eyes, they want full lips, they want to be thinner, they want to be prettier. But this storyline really shows that you don’t have to change your appearance to be beautiful.

Baby you were born this way

At the end of the episode, the gleeks perform the anthem for this episode—Lady Gaga’s hit song, “Born This Way.”Each kid wears a shirt with a word or phrase that shows something that they were embarrassed about or wished they could change, but that they now accept because they were born that way.

Examples include “nose” (Rachel), “can’t dance” (Finn), and “likes boys” (Kurt). I love everything about this scene. The shirts are a great way to accept and make light of a flaw, the dance is fun and upbeat, and the message of the song is inspiring.

Here’s a little tid-bit of the lyrics:

“I’m beautiful in my way

Cause God makes no mistakes

I’m on the right track baby

I was born this way.

Don’t hide yourself in regret

Just love yourself and you’re set

I’m on the right track baby

I was born this way.”

This song really motivates people to accept and embrace differences. It says that no matter what your appearance, race, or sexuality, you should be proud of who you are. Gotta love Glee and its penchant for inspirational messages!


And to throw in some shameless self-promotion, I also recommend that you check out a rendition of “Born This Way” that some friends and I put together. We even made our own shirts. You may recognize the dance. :)

3x03: Asian F

Don’t let the title of this episode fool you. This week, Glee brought its A-game. This episode packs an emotional punch, showcases some amazing musical performances, and reminds me of why I love this show. If you haven’t seen the episode, check out TVline.com's Glee Recap and then meet back here for the drama dissection.

This weeks topic is: pushy parents and the pressure for perfection. How's that for alliteration?

Option 1: Doctor, Option 2: Lawyer

Mike Chang’s dad is worried because he got an A-, aka an Asian F, on his chemistry test. He thinks Mike Jr. is getting distracted by glee club.  “Performing is a waste of time,” says Mike Sr., and it won’t help his son get into Harvard. Of course, in Mike Sr.’s eyes, Harvard is the ultimate achievement that will lead his son to a successful career as a doctor or a lawyer.  He believes that “Dancing is something you do at a wedding. It’s a hobby, not a career. There’s no future in it.”

As a student at a top university, I know a lot of perfectionists. Confession: I am sometimes one of them. People are willing to go a long way for the best grades. Because the best grades ensure a successful career as a doctor, a lawyer or an engineer, right?

Well, grades aren’t everything. I mean, yes they are important. But I think that you shouldn’t study just to advance your career. You should study because you want to learn something. You should choose your extracurricular activities based on what you love to do, not on what will get you into Harvard.

Do What You Love

Mike doesn’t want to disappoint his dad, but his true passion is dancing and performing. So he goes behind his dad’s back and auditions for the musical. He delivers a fantastically talented and passionate performance of “Cool.” He says “It’s what I love to do. It’s never going to be a waste of my time.”

But of course, lying to your parents never works. Mike’s mom finds out that he auditioned for the musical, and she is surprisingly supportive. Turns out she had dreams of being a dancer too, but she was too afraid to stand up to her parents. She doesn’t want her son to have to give up his dreams too. And, in what has got to be the cutest and most heart-warming scene of the episode, Mike tells his mom that it’s never too late to achieve a dream, and he gives her a dance lesson.

I loved this storyline, and I loved this scene. What a great message from a mom: “My job is to encourage your dream. Not mine, not your dad’s.” So many teenagers pursue things because they think it’s what their parents want. But a parent should encourage their child to pursue what the child is passionate about. Each kid should get the chance to do what they want and love to do.

Mike Chang went after his dream, and it paid off. He gets the part of Riff in West Side Story!

3x02: I Am Unicorn (part 2)

Gay pride and gay, but slightly straighter, pride

Kurt’s running for class president, and everyone’s favorite dopey cheerleader Brittany wants to be his campaign manager! In her eyes, Kurt’s the biggest unicorn. What does that mean? According to Brittany, “A unicorn is somebody who knows they’re magical and isn’t afraid to show it.” How does Britt plan to highlight Kurt’s unicorn status? Make him the leader of the gay pride parade!

But Kurt wants to expand his image to something other than being gay.

At the same time, he’s trying out for the lead in the school musical—Tony in West Side Story—and the gay isn’t working in his favor. He’s undoubtedly talented enough for a leading role, but he may not have enough masculinity to play a leading man. Indicator number one: His song choice- “I Am the Greatest Star,” a song sung by Barbra Streisand in Funny Girl.

Kurt, we love you, but singing a song by a girl isn’t the best way to show off your masculinity. And the directors aren’t buying him as leading guy. Coach Bieste says she doesn’t believe that Kurt could be an alpha gang member like Tony. Putting it bluntly, she says, “Hummel’s too much of a lady.”

Embracing originality: Unicorns are unique!

Kurt, distraught about being boxed into a gay corner, turns to his ever-knowledgeable father for advice. Kurt explains that he sees his chances of playing all the leading male roles dwindling because of his inability to pass as a straight guy. And Burt, one of my personal favorite characters, tells it straight like usual.  

“You’re gay. And you’re not like Rock Hudson gay, you’re really gay. You sing like Diana Ross, and you dress like you own a magic chocolate factory. What is wrong with any of that? It’s who you are.”

Burt reminds Kurt of what Brittany has been saying all along. Kurt’s unique because he’s gay. And uniqueness makes you special. A unicorn without a horn is just a horse. So Kurt may not be cut out for the typical swoon-worthy leading male. But that doesn’t mean he can’t be the lead. He just has to come up with a new type of lead. As Burt says, “Change the rules. Write your own history.”

Problems solved?

Hooray! Kurt’s going to accept himself for the unicorn that he is! Everything’s happy in Glee-land! Nope. Of course not. With all her encouragement for Kurt, Britt ended up inspiring herself. She’s found her inner-unicorn and is running against Kurt for class president! And to top it all off, Kurt’s cutie BF, Blaine is also auditioning for the musical. And Blaine has the swoon-worthy straight-act down. This could (and definitely will) lead to trouble in paradise. As Blaine’s audition song from West Side Story aptly predicts, “Something's Coming.”