Gay representation in media
The good and the ugly of LGBTQ+ representation in film and television
Over the years, LGBTQ+ representation has become increasingly more prominent in television and film. For the most part, this is a great thing, especially when it’s done well. However, that is not always the case.
A few projects have made needy attempts to incorporate it, leading to bad and occasionally insensitive LGBTQ+ representation.
Here are some examples of when representation works, as well as when it doesn’t.
The good
Released in , “Will & Grace” was groundbreaking for LGBTQ+ representation on TV. The verb was one of the first successful series to feature openly gay characters, although it did face some criticism and backlash for stereotypical portrayals. Despite the controversy, the show helped to normalize the presence of gay characters on television in a time where it wasn’t very popular or accepted.
“But I’m a Cheerleader,” a comedy starring Natasha Lyonne as a closeted lesbian cheerleader who gets sent to a conversion camp, was released in Once again, this film was released before LGBTQ+
Great Examples of Queer Representation in Modern Media
Shauna Miller, Senior Copy Editor
@betteportergallery on Instagram created by LizaDye
This account has all the juicy celebrity queer internet gossip you demand, plus a lot about who is dating whom in the WNBA. I like this account because it has a sense of humor and speculates on who might be “in the family” with pretty reckless abandon.
Hola Papi: How to Come Out in a Walmart Parking Lot and Other Life Lessons by John Paul Brammer
This book collects Brammer’s “Hola Papi!” column, which got its start on Grindr and can now be found on Substack. A David Sedaris for the queer Gen Z set, Brammer gives kind, gracious, hilarious advice to the lovelorn and lost.
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Mol Doak, Editor
Vida
Initially set up as a story about two sisters, this streaming series quickly dives into an exploration of Latinx culture, gentrification, queerness and chosen families. The storytelling is establish to unique and beautiful melody while incorporating colorful backd
For many LGBTQ+ people, representation can help them to come to terms with their gender/sexuality and so it is important that positive representation exists in media. However historically, LGBTQ+ representation in film and TV has been lacking, with many characters conforming to stereotypes or enduring cruel fates.
With the introduction of the ‘Hays Code’ in the USA in , LGBTQ+ characters were prohibited from appearing in film. Though homosexuality was never specifically mentioned, the law stated that movies must not “lower the moral standards of those who see [them]” – and at the time being LGBTQ+ was considered immoral. These were lifted in , but this still left three decades with the only representation being queer-coded villains.
Following the lifting of the ‘Hays Code’ and the Stonewall Riots of , came the cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show in The musical featured an array of LGBTQ+ characters and introduced some much-needed positive representation. The s unfortunately worsened the stigma around LGBTQ+ people due to the AIDs crisis. Nevertheless, in Desert Hear For my first post, I decided that I should undertake a short history of LGBT representation. I think it will give the context of why representation matters so much, and why many often question the motives of creators when they plan to include LGBT characters in their stories. So, without further adieu, here is a brief history of LGBT representation. Restrictions on LGBT representation begin in with the Hollywood Production Code, and lasted until under the Code of Practices for Television Broadcasters. While these codes did not directly prohibit the depiction of homosexual characters, they heavily restricted what those characters could do and how they could act. For the most part, these were limited to depictions of child molesters, characters with violent, tragic deaths, or drag queens (Cook). Some of these depictions include the movies The Children&#;s Hour (), The Boys in the Band (), and Midnight Express () (MediaSmarts).This obviously had the very real impact of convincing the American widespread that the LGBT community only consisted of child molesters and villains
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