According to the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, television is still under-representing homosexuals far out of balance to actual population ratios. This is for scripted and network broadcast shows only; otherwise the Bravo channel alone probably makes up the difference.
In its annual report, GLAAD estimated that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) characters represent less than 2 percent of all characters in the 2005-06 television season on the broadcast networks, and most of those are in "wacky" neighbor roles.
It has reason to be disappointed, I think. Homosexual and transgendered people do live among us and, amazingly enough, also have troubles and issues and challenges and triumphs. The complaint that LGBT characters are almost always unfair and insulting stereotypes is a completely valid one.
Or it would be if gay people were the only ones being stereotyped. Thing is, they're hardly alone. Pretty much everyone is stereotyped on television. Let's look at the new television season and try to find the following people:
Posted by Taalcon (Member # 839) on :
Well, one of the alleged reasons Showtime cancelled Dead Like Me was that it wasn't "gay enough" for the new demographic they were going for.
Although it is interesting to note that the individuals who may, in the end, have turned out to be the most succesful family unit in HBO's Six Feet Under was the gay family.
Posted by theCrowsWife (Member # 8302) on :
That was pretty funny, and reminded me why I don't watch tv.
quote:Pregnant women who give birth without sweating or messing up their hair: 2 percent
This one didn't seem to fit in with the list. Are you saying that 98% of the pregnant women you see on tv sweat and mess up their hair while giving birth? How is that a stereotype? I think you meant to reverse that...
--Mel
Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :
I caught that too and was gonna post it. Good thing I hit "refresh" before posting.
quote:However, they might try what I do. Whenever I watch TV. I imagine that one out of every five straight people depicted really is gay, they're just denying it to themselves and their loved ones. I don't know if GLAAD is considering the possibility of utterly closeted, self-fooling characters, but that might up the percentages a bit.
I agreed with your point that everyone is stereotyped from the beginning, but that part was really funny and made the whole article for me.
Posted by starLisa (Member # 8384) on :
quote:Originally posted by Taalcon: Well, one of the alleged reasons Showtime cancelled Dead Like Me was that it wasn't "gay enough" for the new demographic they were going for.
That's sad, considering that George's father was originally supposed to have been having an affair with a male grad student, and it was changed at the last minute. <sigh>
Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :
Good catch, and thanks. It has been changed to:
Pregnant women who actually sweat and may even, in extreme medical emergency circumstances, muss their hair during childbirth: 2 percent
Posted by theCrowsWife (Member # 8302) on :
Cool Posted by Speed (Member # 5162) on :
quote: People who are "into" computers but are inexplicably incapable of such a simple thing as hacking into the city's power grid: 1 percent
YES! Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :
That one may have been why I wrote the article. I'm fairly proficient with computers, but I couldn't hack into my son's City Of Heroes account. How come everyone else can access city records and military bases from their laptops without any trouble? Is there a program I'm missing? iHack?
Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :
quote:Originally posted by Taalcon: Well, one of the alleged reasons Showtime cancelled Dead Like Me was that it wasn't "gay enough" for the new demographic they were going for.
Although it is interesting to note that the individuals who may, in the end, have turned out to be the most succesful family unit in HBO's Six Feet Under was the gay family.
I didn't realize it was cancelled. I've only just discovered it on DVD. Speaking as a gay man, who the hell cares if the character is gay if it's good TV?
Posted by Brinestone (Member # 5755) on :
Is it just me or are gay guys overrepresented on TLC? Also Australians. I don't get it. My impression is often, "Yes, there are people who are homosexual. No, 25% of the population is not homosexual like you make it appear."
Posted by Crotalus (Member # 7339) on :
How about this: I think that gays are overrepresented in reality competition shows. On this season of Big Brother, for instance, you have two gays, one male and one female. Survivor always has at least one; first season winner, Richard, is gay. The Great Race. Heck, even Cowboy U on CMT had a gay guy that won during a past season.
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
Crotalus, yeah hasn't there been at least one gay on every season of the amazing race?
Wonder why the reality shows? Weird.
Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :
Because the reality shows want easily-described character archetypes that will guarantee viewership. So you get The Gay Guy, the Black Guy, The Feminist, The Jock, The Jerk, The Blonde, The Nice Guy, etc. Chuck Osterman wrote a great column once on the history of MTV's reality shows and how you could chart the archetypes season by season.
Posted by CStroman (Member # 6872) on :
I have to say I really don't cry for what the article wants.
How about Religious/Pious/Regular Church/Synagoge going folk being portrayed? Oh and NOT negatively as the wacko fanatics?
TV is about ratings is the excuse I hear when religion is at question. It's probably the same reason that homosexuality isn't more prominent.
And I'll ask a question that been asked before:
Is it the medias job to make sure homosexuality is represented in a way that GLAAD wants?
No. Same with religion.
Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :
How about Religious/Pious/Regular Church/Synagoge going folk being portrayed? Oh and NOT negatively as the wacko fanatics?
I mentioned them, as you'll note.
Posted by Taalcon (Member # 839) on :
quote:Originally posted by adam613: Unfortunately, Dead Like Me wasn't good TV.
I would like to forcefully disagree.
Posted by Hmm216 (Member # 8403) on :
I did not read the article, but from the title of this thread I can already say I disagree. What about Will and Grace, Queer Eye, Sex and The City, Queer as Folk, TLC's many makeover shows, Many many reality shows, not to mention all of the shows that had gay issues on many episodes.
It might not be the majority of Television, but why does it have to be?
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
Sarcasm and satire, this is Hmm216. I don't think you've met.
Posted by romanylass (Member # 6306) on :
Once again, a winner, Chris!
Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
quote:Pregnant women who actually sweat and may even, in extreme medical emergency circumstances, muss their hair during childbirth: 2 percent
Yes, but are *any* portrayed with blood-drained complexions and dark circles under their eyes? Posted by Hmm216 (Member # 8403) on :
Maybe I should have read the article first...but I was not saying I dissagree with the article. I was dissagreeing with GLAAD.
Posted by Taalcon (Member # 839) on :
quote:Originally posted by beverly:
quote:Pregnant women who actually sweat and may even, in extreme medical emergency circumstances, muss their hair during childbirth: 2 percent
Yes, but are *any* portrayed with blood-drained complexions and dark circles under their eyes?
You should've seen Brenda giving birth on Six Feet Under. Sweat, bolod-drained complexion, dark circles, looking generally puffy - the whole nine yards, and nothing glamerous about it.
[ August 31, 2005, 04:41 PM: Message edited by: Taalcon ]
Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
I recently heard that was a cool show. I know nothing about it. Would you recommend it?
Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :
There have been exceptions to (I think) every one of my examples at one time or another. And the shows with those exceptions tended to be the good ones.
Thinking of the delivery in the Heart of Gold episode of Firefly, when the delivering mother was told to be strong and she gave the person talking such a look of pained indignation and barely-buried outrage...
Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :
Also remembering scenes from The X-Files when Scully was in the hospital and looked terrible. Even at the time Teres and I remarked on the courage of the actress to play it the way it should be played.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
She delivered in a cabin, IIRC.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Unless you're talking about after Scully's abduction, when G.A. looked terrible because she was still recovering from her c-section ten days before?
Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :
Just about every time she was sick or injured, she went with the no-makeup, beat-to-heck look.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Actually, I could dispute that. But obviously you weren't as obsessed with that show as I was, so I'm going to let it drop. Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :
Fair enough . Let's say I noticed it more than I'm used to on TV shows, where even people on the edge of exhaustion or death look, at worst, kinda tired. But tan.
Posted by raventh1 (Member # 3750) on :
Salt isn't SALTY enough guys. Air isn't AIR enough.
TV is what it is. There isn't enough 'good' programming as it is.
Why don't they start a TV station? They can get an FCC permit. Then they can subject viewers to whatever they want to.
Posted by CStroman (Member # 6872) on :
I'll ask again if I may:
Is it the media's responsibility to:
A. advocate the opinions and lifestyles of GLAAD?
B. advocate the opinions and lifestyles of Religion?
C. aim for the highest ratings and gain the highest sponsorship of advertisers.
If GLAAD thinks that media needs to do anything, they can take a number and get in line behind the religious folks who have been whining about the media to deaf ears for much, much longer.
Posted by Enigmatic (Member # 7785) on :
D. Entertain me personally, regardless of what anyone else wants to watch!
TV needs more monkeys. And explosions. But not exploding monkeys, that would be wrong.
--Enigmatic
Posted by raventh1 (Member # 3750) on :
It's all about money and market share. You focus on where you'll make the most money, the Majority. Most people aren't gay / lesbian.
Posted by mothertree (Member # 4999) on :
Monkeys lighting off blue darts would be a great show.
And I recall a very in-earnest thread about the portrayal of Mormons on TV.
Was anyone on "Cooking under Fire" not gay? I think Matthew and Russell had families. I guess Ming is married. Well, my secret is out. I actually followed most of a reality show.
Posted by CStroman (Member # 6872) on :
quote:Why don't they start a TV station? They can get an FCC permit. Then they can subject views to whatever they want to.
TBN style would work. I thought there was already in the works a Gay and Lesbian Cable TV station? Unfortunately the only "GAY" show I've watched from time to time is "Will and Grace" which has stereotypes but an obvious positive portrayal of homosexual lifestyles.
Plus it's funny on a heterosexual and homosexual level.
Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
quote:exploding monkeys
Don't we have a Jatraquero named "exploding monkey"?
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
ha ha!!
My favorite:
"People who stop and clear up misunderstandings by talking instead of concocting zany schemes involving window-washers' scaffolding to discover the truth: 0 percent"
Posted by Taalcon (Member # 839) on :
Actually, there is a new GLBT network. It's called "Logo".
[ August 31, 2005, 07:12 PM: Message edited by: Taalcon ]
Posted by Puppy (Member # 6721) on :
Wow, that station's logo must be the Platonic ideal of a logo. The ultimate logo. In fact, so much concentrated "logo" in one place may, in fact, cause a pinch in the fabric of reality and suck the world into a gravitational vortex.
Posted by Shawshank (Member # 8453) on :
Haha. CStroman- you brought up TBN. The TBN broadcast center is in my town, used to be called Twitty City (that was before my time though- never figured it out)
I think that gays are fairly represented, especially because of reality shows and Bravo. Half of whatever Bravo produces is full of gays it seems like. (the new Kathy Griffin show- full of gays. The show about the hair stylist- full of gays, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy... need I say more about that one?)
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
and Puppy, here I thought Logo was a turtle shaped like an arrow...
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
quote: Half of whatever Bravo produces is full of gays it seems like. (the new Kathy Griffin show- full of gays. The show about the hair stylist- full of gays.
Okay, just to clarify, you're saying that gay culture is "fairly represented" on television because it seems like one cable station airs a lot of gay-themed programming?
Posted by Eisenoxyde (Member # 7289) on :
In my opinion, there aren't enough engineering shows/engineers on t.v. The only show I've seen that catered to this was Junkyard Wars, but I haven't seen a new episode of that in a very long time.
Engineers make up a good portion of the population, why don't WE get any recognition on t.v.?
Jesse
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
I've NEVER seen Mormons get their own sitcom. Posted by The Silverblue Sun (Member # 1630) on :
The only TV I watch is David Letterman.
He sure needs to gay it up a bit.
He needs more Richard Simmons and Tom Cruise apperances.
Posted by Telperion the Silver (Member # 6074) on :
I demand more gay mormons on TV! It's a conspiracy I tell you!
Posted by kacard (Member # 200) on :
So -- how about the religious community demand that TV characters adhere to the religious demographics of the country. That way we could have 24.5% of the characters be Catholic -- let's see, how many times have we seen anybody go to mass on TV this week? 16% would have to be Baptist, 6% Methodist, 4% Lutheran, 2% Pentecostal/Charismatic, 2% Presbyterian, 1% Mormon and 1% Jewish. It will be a cold day in hell when those demographics show up Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
Chris, another fun read!
As for demographics of the characters on TV, I think the entertainment value of that which already surrounds us is fairly limited. I mean, how many of us would go to the zoo to see cats, dogs and parakeets?
The familiar is not as entertaining as the rare.
Also, different is more entertaining than "same." So the differences are emphasized.
And I don't know if the dramatists among us would agree, but it seems to me that there are two types of works that we are willing to pay to see:
Drama = when things go badly even when the people do all the right things.
Comedy = when things go well even when the people do nothing right.
I think back on shows like All in the Family where there was more to the characters than just their stereotypes and wonder why we don't get more of that. But really, it could just be that we had a rare glimpse of great writing and great acting coming together for a brief shining moment. It's a rare author who can take off from the stereotypes and give us something entertaining and "real" at the same time.
Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :
CStroman wrote:
quote:Will and Grace" which has stereotypes but an obvious positive portrayal of homosexual lifestyles.
As a gay man, I beg to differ. I will agree that the show presents it's two main gay characters Will and Jack as "normal" in the sit-com universe sense, but I'd hardly consider them a "positive portrayal of homosexual lifestyles." (Disclaimer: I haven't watched any recent seasons of the show so if it has changed dramatically from what I describe please let me know.)
Will can't keep a boyfriend through more than a couple of episodes. Most of the time he meets someone and dumps him (or gets dumped) in the same episode and often for very shallow reasons. He's obsessed with his looks and his youth, and he's just as hard on everyone else who doesn't fit his mold as he is on himself.
Jack is completely self-centered. He is a mooch. He is shallow and easily distracted by shiny objects. Any time he shows the slightest degree of altruism it's an "awe, see he does have a heart" moment or the set up for a joke, which just underscores that for the most part he's just a selfish little boy.
Will's relationship with Grace is far from healthy. If they were sexually compatible we'd be forced to yell "Get Married Already or Break UP!" They do as much to prevent each other from finding happiness as they do to support each other. Sure it's funny on the sit-com level, but "positive" in any sense of reality??
Don't get me wrong. I don't think any less of "Will and Grace" than I do of "Friends". I've been known to laugh loudly while watching them both. But at the same time would you really like your daughter to grow up like Phoebe, Rachel, or Monica??
The truth is, most portrayals of Gays on TV are nothing but stereotypes. I still agree with the thrust of Chris's article, because most of TV itself depends on stereotypes. Shows that portray believable human beings are rare. I'd like to see that change, including more shows with believable homosexual characters.
Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
I enjoyed your article, Chris!
quote:Openly religious characters on a show without "God," "Heaven," or "Angel" in the title: 1 percent
A notable recent exception to this is the show "Wanted" on TNT; it's not a great show, but one of the main characters is openly religious and is neither a wacko nor obnoxious.
Joan of Arcadia also had (*sniff*) positive portrayals of religious (Catholic and Jewish!) characters, but I guess that's this far from being a show with God in the title, eh?
Posted by Will B (Member # 7931) on :
Fun topic!
It'll practically be a cold day in hell when someone goes to church on TV, except for in black sitcoms where it's just a milieu.
The Simpsons went to church.
I know this is pretty bad in terms of representation, but in a sense it's also understandable. Whenever Hollywood or TV tries to show people with a religion, they show that they don't get it at all, even when they're sympathetic. Some sort of mental block?
quote:I don't think any less of "Will and Grace" than I do of "Friends".
Me neither. And boy, is that ever not a compliment! Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
quote:It'll practically be a cold day in hell when someone goes to church on TV, except for in black sitcoms where it's just a milieu.
Hell must be freezing, then.
Seriously, even if the actual attendance of church services isn't shown, it's referenced in a number of dramas (if not sitcoms). Heck, they don't show a lot of people eating dinner, or going to the bathroom, or any number of other routine activities. IMHO, I think this is bringing out a lot of Christians' persecution complexes. You really aren't a minority. I promise.
Posted by Will B (Member # 7931) on :
Well, no, we're not a minority. We just play one on TV.
Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
Well, I think academics are underrepresented. We need more professors on TV! Posted by Yozhik (Member # 89) on :
quote:Openly religious characters on a show without "God," "Heaven," or "Angel" in the title: 1 percent
The new incarnation of Battlestar Galactica is fascinating in this regard. (I'm not speaking about the 1980s series, as I've never seen it.) One of the main characters, President Roslin (played by Mary McDonnell), is basically a prophet receiving revelations from the gods. (They're polytheistic, but their religion "feels" Christian rather than pagan, in terms of the values expressed, etc.) She is a likable character and the viewer is supposed to take her completely seriously. There was a huge conflict between Roslin/her supporters and the military leadership over the past few episodes. The commander [Adama, played by the awesome Edward James Olmos], believed that she was deluded, referred to her prophecies as "religious crap," and actually deposed the civilian government for a while. The commander is also a good guy, so I'm glad that last week [SPOILER removed].
Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :
I'd like to point out that Firefly had a preacher...
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
I'd like to point out that there has been way too much arguing about a tangential point and not nearly enough appreciation of Chris's funny.
Good column, as always!
Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
I know that I am greatly underrepresented on TV. Until they have a show featuring someone just like me, and pay me a fortune to use my image, I am going to protest and complain.
(Hey, if it works for the news, where people are demanding parrots of their own beliefs instead of factual news, it should work on fictional TV, if there is a difference between today's news and fictional TV)
Posted by The Silverblue Sun (Member # 1630) on :
America is filled with fat people, out of shape people, and over weight people.
I'd say about 40%
But the representation is about 2% on TV.
Television is garbage, why look to the garbage for anything other than garbage?
Posted by plaid (Member # 2393) on :
quote:we could have 24.5% of the characters be Catholic -- let's see, how many times have we seen anybody go to mass on TV this week? 16% would have to be Baptist, 6% Methodist, 4% Lutheran, 2% Pentecostal/Charismatic, 2% Presbyterian, 1% Mormon and 1% Jewish
Here's an unfair bit: Catholic priests get to do ALL the exorcisms. Are we ever gonna get to see a Presbyterian minister do an exorcism??
Posted by Yozhik (Member # 89) on :
quote:I'd like to point out that Firefly had a preacher...
"That ain't no Shepherd..."
Posted by Verily the Younger (Member # 6705) on :
I seem to remember an episode of "Home Improvement" where Tim got really angry because one of the sons decided not to go to church. I remember thinking how odd that was, considering their being religious had never come up before.
quote:The familiar is not as entertaining as the rare.
Also, different is more entertaining than "same."
Exactly why there should be more variety in television. If every sitcom is the same, why bother watching any of them?
Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
Home Improvement had several religious based episodes, including him doing work on a baptismal font for Al's church.
Posted by raventh1 (Member # 3750) on :
I'll even give them a title they can use free of charge: The gays of our lives.
Posted by Will B (Member # 7931) on :
I believe that the percentages of professors and Christians are somewhat different.
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
quote:America is filled with fat people, out of shape people, and over weight people.
I'd say about 40%
But the representation is about 2% on TV.
Television is garbage, why look to the garbage for anything other than garbage?
There's much wisdom in that post.
quote:Here's an unfair bit: Catholic priests get to do ALL the exorcisms. Are we ever gonna get to see a Presbyterian minister do an exorcism??
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