GLBT representations in media

[AshleyAshes]

I'm keen on being a creator of film and television and including GLBT aspects is something I really want to do along with it. So I'm curious what people feel is done right about GLBT stuff in media, done wrong and most importantly; Not done but should be.

One thing that annoys me is 'Queer Cinema', because most of the lots come down to being 'Yet another queer coming of age story that's designed to make straight people feel bad about them selves, not that any straight people will want to watch it'. I find it's masturbatory and if you can't make something that people want to watch, they won't watch it. On the other hand I feel that Glee's representations, while cheesy (But the whole SHOW is cheesy, that's part of the reason it's fun), has done more for gay rights than any individual ever has. It is an entertaining program that ALSO includes GLBT aspects and that's what makes it so effective.

Myself, I'd like to do something similar, I like the idea of 'normalizing' GBLT aspects by including them in plots that aren't specifically GLBT. That is, you just have 'the plot' and if one relationship is two guys or two girls or whatever, that's just the way it is. It's not a 'Gay show', but rather 'A show, that has some gays in it'. I'm trying to work on doing more for my Canadian Cop show for Youtube idea and including a bi male cop involved with a gay male paramedic is something I very much want to include. I'd live to hear what things other people feel are missing in regard to GLBT content in television since I'm always looking for ideas.

 

[Taralack]

I really like Rent, I think it was one of the first things I watched/listened to that had GLBT aspects without being overt about it.

 

[Nikolinni]

Hey, this calls for something I haven't mentioned in a while!

Spectral Shadows actually has some GLBT characters in it, including same gender, bi, and even a female-to-male trans character. Though, Perri does it because she feels it fits with her story (That is, she isn't doing it just because "everyone's doing it!" or it's some kinda social norm or whatever. It just sorta came with the flow).

But I like that idea. Including GLBT characters without making some kind of GLBT plot. Though my recent concuction, Cosmic Love (A Spiritual Comedy) ends up making a deal about Niko and his apparent closet bisexuality, but it's mainly just him coming to terms and accepting it, sort of going through the same things I went through with it (Mainly just between me and some personal beliefs and such).

Though I do have another GLBT character, Snowy, who's a bit of a femmy feline-type creature, and is bi as well. And...I never really came up with any serious plots where this was addressed. He was always just the femmy kid in Niam's group, and no one really made a fuss over it. In fact, come to think of it, doing a plot where Snowy's bi/fem nature creates problems (Bullies, religious folk, etc) would seem kinda forced to me.

I'd like some ideas too. Cause really, I'd like to try writing with more GLBT characters. I only have Snowy and Niko as of now. There is Aurora, but he's....ehhh...he's more of a hedonist. The "I do what I want and feel like" Type. Though yes, that does count as GLBT since he will sleep with males, I guess again, it's just something I've never really thought about making a big deal of. Hm....

 

[Lobar]

I like it when I see a character that has a same-sex partner and it's not used as a plot point, for character development, or for any reason other than it's normal for some people to be gay and this guy just happens to be so.

It's not film or television, but Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal is really good with minority representation this way.

 

[Schwimmwagen]

Yeah, what is it with gay films being nothing but dramas about being persecuted

I want a gay action movie

Die Hard: With a Cock In Your Throat

 

[Tailmon1]

One finds that GLBT representations to be bad in the media. Most of the GLBT people
are just normal people that have normal lives. However there are some that have some
rather colored lives with situations that make for some interesting story's and I know
that part all too well. Still most don't run around flaunting there sexuality on purpose
or forcing others to accept it. Believe me when the people that don't understand or
accept GLBT people will never accept them. It takes time and experience to desensitize
people toward them.

 

[Willow]

I like how Night Vale is doing queer representation. Because (for those who listen to it) Cecil's sexuality isn't the focal point of the show like so often it becomes whenever the possibility arises.

It's actually the most mundane thing going on in the show and isn't constantly brought up just to remind you.

One thing I dislike though is when people try to make role models for themselves. Which only amounts to making every character gay or trans because apparently that's the only way they can relate to a character :I

 

[Lobar]

Yeah, what is it with gay films being nothing but dramas about being persecuted

I want a gay action movie

Die Hard: With a Cock In Your Throat

The Wire was an awesome show for a lot of reasons, not the least of which was possibly the most badass gay character of all time.

 

[ScaredToBreathe]

In one way or another pretty much everything/everyone is poorly represented/represented badly in the media.
Women, miniorities, religious people, non-religious people, teenagers, the working class, the wealthy etc., etc.

 

[CannonFodder]

I'm keen on being a creator of film and television and including GLBT aspects is something I really want to do along with it. So I'm curious what people feel is done right about GLBT stuff in media, done wrong and most importantly; Not done but should be.

One thing that annoys me is 'Queer Cinema', because most of the lots come down to being 'Yet another queer coming of age story that's designed to make straight people feel bad about them selves, not that any straight people will want to watch it'. I find it's masturbatory and if you can't make something that people want to watch, they won't watch it. On the other hand I feel that Glee's representations, while cheesy (But the whole SHOW is cheesy, that's part of the reason it's fun), has done more for gay rights than any individual ever has. It is an entertaining program that ALSO includes GLBT aspects and that's what makes it so effective.

Myself, I'd like to do something similar, I like the idea of 'normalizing' GBLT aspects by including them in plots that aren't specifically GLBT. That is, you just have 'the plot' and if one relationship is two guys or two girls or whatever, that's just the way it is. It's not a 'Gay show', but rather 'A show, that has some gays in it'. I'm trying to work on doing more for my Canadian Cop show for Youtube idea and including a bi male cop involved with a gay male paramedic is something I very much want to include. I'd live to hear what things other people feel are missing in regard to GLBT content in television since I'm always looking for ideas.

Paranorman did a excellent way of representing gay people in the movie. The entire time he was built up as a regular person who liked football and that who was clueless that the girl liked him.
[YT]Nel883o_6SA[/YT]
The problem with the representation of glbt in the media is that they create mary sues that their sole personality trait is their sexual orientation of gender identity.

Don't make a token glbt character.

 

[RedSavage]

It would be nice to see more of these roles played in a "Straight" manner (no pun intended). Details to the plot, instead of plot devices.

That said, some more proper emphasis can be placed on the roles of Bisexuals and Transgenders. The only Bi character I can remember was a character from House, and half the time it was a joke anyways about how she swung both ways. And I can't honestly think of a single major Trans character, though that may just be because I don't watch enough television.

So I mean, yeah it's a start, what we've got going on. The trend is headed in the right direction. Just waiting for it to become even more apparent in ALL of the groups.

 

[CannonFodder]

And I can't honestly think of a single major Trans character, though that may just be because I don't watch enough television.

Degrassi

 

[RedSavage]

Degrassi

Okay, good one. That's one. And a damn good one too.

And I just found a whole wiki list of the stuff here. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_transgender_characters_in_film_and_television

More than I thought, but also less than you'd expect...

 

[Kosdu]

I never watched the original torchwood, but it was praised for the bisexual character of Captain Jack.

In the new Torchwood: Miracle Day it had an episode recently consisting of recounting an old part of Jack's life, along with that of his male partner. It was portrayed perfectly natural and realistic, I was glad.

We need more natural gayness in media!

 

[AshleyAshes]

It would be nice to see more of these roles played in a "Straight" manner (no pun intended). Details to the plot, instead of plot devices.

It's what I'd like to do in this cop show idea and something I'm trying to get some classmates onboard with doing. We'd be focusing on doing shorts with various characters rather than anything like an 'episodic series' due to obvious cost and time constraints. One scene I have in mind is a character remarking on the bi male cop character, about he seems so typical, 'grade A Canadian' guy, ect, and him probably having a lovely thin wife to go home too. Then they see the gay male paramedic he's married to walk up and kiss him. ...One of the male characters seeing this makes a disgusted face, a female cop goes 'That's hot...' and another female paramedic just nods in agreement with it being hot. ...Or something like that. >_>;

 

[Saga]

I hate it when gays are represented (by straight actors and writers) as overly flamboyant, with their arms waving all around, pink scarves, lisps and sparkles.

No
Stop
Thats only like 15% of the community

 

[Gator]

Nine times outta ten, gay males in TV shows and the like are nothing but a joke. Their "representation" consists of a token flaming fruit in sparkly pink undies who has no personality other than to be the gayest thing he can possibly be. When he's not prancing to the playhouse or whining about bullies, he's preying on everything with two legs and a cock. We're lucky if he doesn't have a lisp and paint his fingernails. He's the girls' best friend and shopping buddy, he loves fashion, and you can probably get away with calling him a girlfriend/sister/auntie because he thinks it's cute. And yet, gasp, he's so misunderstood and everybody hates him and his life is so tragic because he's gay.
I'd love for people to learn that gay men are not just exaggerated women. Do some act like that? Sure. And so do some men who aren't even gay. But according to everything ever, those are all the tell-tale signs of the demon known as homosexuality. And of course, no gay man exists who wasn't disowned by his super-Christian family.
Women fare slightly better because, well, people like them more--or so it would seem. But if she's not a half-step away from being a man (and thus also nothing but a joke), she'd better be super sexy because we all know that women only exist to be fap material and the only thing hotter than one perfect-bodied "strong independent woman" is two of them making out. The lesbian is either a total bulldog or a vixen sex fiend, end of.
Transgendered and transsexual people do not exist. Period. At most, we'll get a drag queen who is no less a ridiculous walking stereotype than the gay characters. Because all drag queens are transsexuals and all transsexuals are big, ugly men who do a poor job of imitating women. And FtM? What the heck is that? Oh, you mean the bulldog lesbian, right?
And of course, anything outside of "straight or gay", "male or female" can never happen because that's just unnatural and silly and too hard for people to wrap their heads around. It's difficult enough to stick the transgenders and the homosexuals in there and figure out what to do with them, so let's not even start on all that other stuff that a whopping percentage of people don't even believe could possibly be real.

Thankfully, there are a precious few shows and movies and books out there that portray their gender and/or sexual minority characters as believable individuals whose entire lives do not revolve solely around being either transgendered or gay. They aren't all rainbow tragedies and horndogs with no standards. Sometimes, they're just normal people who happen to be this way or that, and their sexuality or whatever else is only even mentioned when it's actually relevant because they have lives and interests outside of butt pirating, makeup, and being persecuted. Those are the ones I'd like to see more of. Because these groups do need representation in order to help establish them as the average, everyday things they really are. Shitty representation, however, can be even more harmful than no representation at all.

 

[Saga]

stuff

wow
that was great
seriously, pinpoint accuracy on that post there.
10/10


i really am serious tho

 

[Leon]

I hate when GLBT characters or stories in media are way over the top flamboyant. Make'em seem like the normal people that they are.

 

[Gator]

wow
that was great
seriously, pinpoint accuracy on that post there.
10/10


i really am serious tho

Well shucks bby I ly2.

It's just one of them topics that gets my attention (and my goat), I s'pose.

 

[Willow]

I hate it when gays are represented (by straight actors and writers) as overly flamboyant, with their arms waving all around, pink scarves, lisps and sparkles.

No
Stop
Thats only like 15% of the community

Don't forget overly sassy.

I actually think this is part of the reason why there isn't a lot of GLBT representation in media. Of course, writers could consult actual gay people on how to write their characters or write them as normal people but that's the thing. Straight writers are still a little wary of writing the character wrong.

 

[benignBiotic]

Adventure Time had a thinly veiled trans character in Cookie Princess. An apparently male cookie wants to become a princess and everyone flat out laughs at him. He eventually 'commits suicide' from the disappointment. He gets put back together (he's a cookie) and they allow him to be a princess. I always found that episode really touching.

 

[CannonFodder]

Adventure Time had a thinly veiled trans character in Cookie Princess. An apparently male cookie wants to become a princess and everyone flat out laughs at him. He eventually 'commits suicide' from the disappointment. He gets put back together (he's a cookie) and they allow him to be a princess. I always found that episode really touching.

Jesus, adventure time is a dark show.

 

[RedSavage]

Jesus, adventure time is a dark show.

To be fair you find some pretty dark shit in a lot of toons.

 

[Mullerornis]

For an year so mediocre in terms of LGBT portrayals in media, House of Hades and the new Geography Club movie are welcome additions. Hopefully the success of the former at least will aid in the removal of the taboo in young adult literature.