PRIDE WATCH: TV is so gay

New television shows seem to break the mold of "traditional" representations of gays and lesbians in popular television by rejecting rather than exacerbating hypersexual and gender-specific stereotypes of homosexuality.

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PRIDE WATCH: TV is so gay

POSTED: Friday, June 10, 2011, 12:00 PM

Filed Under: LGBTQ

Representation of LGBTQ individuals in popular media has rapidly increased over the past decade. When Queer as Folk (QAF), one of television’s first mainstream LGBTQ-interest shows, premiered in 1999, the concept of a show entirely (or, at least, primarily) about the gays was new and groundbreaking. By 2011, however, such shows are old hat. But unlike QAF and other LGBT productions, many of these new shows break the mold of “traditional” representations of gays and lesbians in popular television by rejecting rather than exacerbating hypersexual and gender-specific stereotypes of homosexuality. Let's take a glance at some of the heavy hitters:

As much as Glee, the wildly-popular musical comedy on Fox, has jumped shark this season, its writers have used new characters and plotlines to expose the complexities of gay life in high school. The show’s central gay character Kurt (Chris Colfer), often referring to himself as an “honorary girl”, represents an effeminized vision of homosexuality and fits comfortably into many people’s image of what gay men should be. Luckily, gay representation in Glee doesn’t stop there. Blaine, a newly-introduced character played by Darren Criss, challenges stereotypical conceptions by playing a masculine, non-marginalized gay man that's free, for the most part, of angst. The second significant gay storyline in Glee follows the pseudo-romance of characters Santana and Britanny. Santana gives voice to those already comfortable with alternative sexualities but unable or unwilling to come out, an archetype not often represented in popular media; Brittany’s sexuality, constantly in question (even by Brittany herself), is a breath of fresh air in an industry where it seems necessary that all characters have comfortable (but form-fitting) labels.

The nuances of coming out and gay life in college are portrayed with complexity and grace in Greek, ABC Family’s dramedy about fraternity life. The main gay personality, Calvin (Paul James), rejects the stereotype that two integral college roles — frat brother and openly gay man — are incompatible. The series does not ignore the struggles of LGBT individuals in Greek life; rather, it underscores the possibility that one can include aspects of both into one’s identity. Having won three GLAAD awards for its representations of gay college life, Greek attacks stereotypes by providing a role model for gay men who choose to assume roles outside of societal standards. The show exposes many aspects of being a gay man aside from sexuality itself.

Modern Family, the hit second-season ABC family comedy, addresses the challenges faced by gay adults (at least, gay male adults) in new and interesting ways. Instead of singling out Mitchell and Cam, two men in a domestic partnership, the writers integrate the two characters into the everyday lives of their extended family. Their homosexuality is just one aspect of their multi-faceted personalities, not the center of attention. This normalization of gay men comfortably destigmatizes homosexuality for viewers — especially younger viewers — and warms them up to the idea of a gay union that’s just as stable and chaotic as the straight families we see. Another advantage of Modern Family is that it refuses to take itself too serious. When the show discusses problems experienced by gay adults (such as societally-imposed femininity), it does so without using the tone of stuffiness so often attached to issues surrounding sexual identity.

These shows simultaneously highlight society's growing acceptance of alternative lifestyles and defy the mainstream perception of what LGBTQ people should — and shouldn't — be. Move over, “queer” shows, a new era of gay representation in television is dawning. And it seems poised to change the way we think about "the gays."

See Also:

Queer Bait: William Way Homecoming 2011

PRIDE WATCH: Q&A with Pretty Poison's Jade Starling

PRIDE WATCH: PGMC performs Mmm Bop! Best of the Boy Bands

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