Battle1 Chris Battle ENG 111 Jessica Dambruch November 29, 2013 LGBT Representation in Media: Why Even

Stereotypes Are Important With T.V. shows like Glee, The New Normal, and RuPauls Drag Race, its hard to believe that LGBT people on television were rare to see two decades ago. The portrayal of LGBT people on television before the nineties was scarce and was seen as taboo in public. However, this all changed in the mid-nineties when the NBC network premiered Will and Grace. This was the first primetime series that featured openly gay characters. This opened the door to LGBT figures being accepted in mainstream media and gave young viewers hope to be out and proud. LGBT figures in media are good because they allow people to see positive images of LGBT people, provide role models for LGBT youth, and allows people to be proud and happy of who they are. Before the nineties, gays were rarely seen on television and were portrayed as negative to the public in some instances, such as comedians in drag and heavy stereotypes being shown. However in 1997, Ellen DeGeneres made television history by becoming the first lead character to be openly gay by coming out on her sitcom, Ellen (Lowry, 1997). This helped to put gay people in the mainstream, however, some say that this lead to the cancellation of her show a year later (Donna Bowman, 2013). In 1998, NBC debuted the show Will and Grace. The show featured the gay characters Will Truman, a lawyer, and Jack, a flamboyant, stereotypical gay man. Although the show was a success and aired for eight seasons, some critics thought that the

Battle2 show filled negative stereotypes (genderexhibitionists, March). Years later in 2003, the Bravo network premiered Queer Eye for the Straight Eye, which featured 5 gay men giving straight men makeovers and quickly, they and the show became a phenomenon, with the stars being featured on Oprah, The Tonight Show, and won an Emmy award in 2004. Producer Troy DeVolld says the show did for reality television what Will and Grace did for scripted television. (Arellano, October). Then in 2009, the ABC network debuted Modern Family and the show featured Mitchell and Cameron, a gay couple with a child. The show garnered critical praise with Eric Stonestreet, the actor that plays Mitchell, won an Emmy for his performance. The visibility of LGBT people on television has been helping the fight for marriage equality and has influenced others views on the LGBT community. A poll conducted by The Hollywood Reporter found that twenty seven percent of people said that gays on television made them pro-gay marriage. This poll also showed that in the past ten years, likely voters across the nation have become more pro-gay at thirty one percent (Appelo, 2012) According Hanna Reussner, Television shows and movies that openly portray gay characters may help some to finally come out. She also states that putting gay characters in movies and T.V. sparks the conversation between parents and students. (Reussner, 2013). Also, gay people on reality shows have helped bring gay issues to light, as Pedro Zamora did when he was featured on MTVs The Real World in 1994 with his battle AIDS (Opposing Viewpoints, 2006). Although exposure to LGBT characters has changed many peoples views on gay relationships and marriage, it has garnered some criticism. Some argue that the stereotypes portrayed on television can be misleading and mocks the LGBT community. Some also suggest that the perceived notion of gay can lead to harassment and discrimination in the workplace. Also, the stereotype of flamboyant gays can also lead to violence against gays as well (Opposing

Battle3 Viewpoints, 2005). Some also feel that there are too many gay characters on television and are promoting a propaganda, as Media Research Center President Brent Bozell suggested. (Brinker, 2013). I do believe that LGBT representation in media is good because it can help teens who are struggling with their identities accept themselves for who they are. When I was coming to terms with my sexuality, I had begun to look for people to look up to and I soon found Will and Grace from channel flipping and after a couple episodes, I was hooked and Will had become a model of how I wanted to be in terms of how I wanted to be. I also began to pay attention to late night talk show host Andy Cohen. He was doing what I wanted to do in my future and it inspired me to not let fears of who I was hold me back from success. I also believe that stereotypes are important as well because they help people realize that it is ok to act a certain or be a certain way. As I was watching Will and Grace, I noticed that Jack, one of Will and Graces friends, was a flamboyant, musical loving guy who happened to be gay. At first, I had detested the fact that he was portrayed in this because of the negative connotations that lived out through him. However, as I begun to notice how he resembled some mannerisms I had and that had been looked at as negative. I realized that the show was looking at both the flamboyant gay man and the straight acting gay man and in a sense, comparing the two figures. I realized that the show was conveying the message that both ways are acceptable and one is not worse than the other. Though some people argue that LGBT people are negatively affecting society, I believe that LGBT people on television, including stereotypes, are important because it builds acceptance, provides role models, and people can feel that they can be happy and proud of who they are.

Battle4 Works Cited Appelo, T. (2012, November 3). THR Poll: 'Glee' and 'Modern Family' Drive Voters to Favor Gay Marriage -- Even Many Romney Voters. Retrieved from The Hollywood Reporter: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/thr-poll-glee-modern-family-386225 Arellano, J. (October, 2013 20). 'Queer Eye' 10 years later: The Fab Five's 'Make-better' legacy. Retrieved from Entertainment Weekly: http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/10/20/queer-eye-10years-later-the-fab-fives-make-better-legacy/ Brinker, L. (2013, October 25). MRC's Brent Bozell: TV Has Too Many Gay Characters. Retrieved from Media Matters for America: http://mediamatters.org/blog/2013/10/25/mrcs-brent-bozell-tv-has-too-many-gaycharacter/196598 Donna Bowman, G. K.-N. (2013, August 14). The episode that liberatedthen destroyed Ellen. Retrieved from A.V. Club: http://www.avclub.com/article/the-episode-thatliberatedthen-destroyedielleni-101551 genderexhibitionists. (March, 30 2013). Fabulously Frustrating: Gay Stereotypes on TV. Retrieved from Wordpress: http://genderexhibitionists.wordpress.com/2013/03/30/fabulously-frustrating-gaystereotypes-on-tv/ Harris, I. (2013, November 29). Why you don't need to fit Stereotypes. (C. Battle, Interviewer) Lowry, B. (1997, March 3). Risks and Benefits Seen for an Out-of-the-Closet 'Ellen'. Retrieved from Los Angeles Times: http://articles.latimes.com/1997-03-03/entertainment/ca34276_1_ellen-morgan

Battle5 Opposing Viewpoints. (2005). Television Encourages Viewers to Reject Homosexuals. Retrieved from Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context: http://ic.galegroup.com.ezproxy.vccs.edu:2048/ic/ovic/ViewpointsDetailsPage/Viewpoint sDetailsWindow?failOverType=&query=&prodId=OVIC&windowstate=normal&conten tModules=&mode=view&displayGroupName=Viewpoints&limiter=&u=viva2_tcc&curr Page=&disableHighlightin Opposing Viewpoints. (2006). Reality TV Shows Help Debunk Stereotypes of Gays. Retrieved from Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context: http://ic.galegroup.com.ezproxy.vccs.edu:2048/ic/ovic/ViewpointsDetailsPage/Viewpoint sDetailsWindow?failOverType=&query=&prodId=OVIC&windowstate=normal&conten tModules=&mode=view&displayGroupName=Viewpoints&limiter=&u=viva2_tcc&curr Page=&disableHighlightin Reussner, H. (2013, April 18). Students Voice the Importance and Effect of Gay Television Characters. Retrieved from FS Free Press Online: http://www.fsfreepressonline.com/topstories/2013/04/18/students-voice-the-importance-and-effect-of-gay-televisioncharacters/

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