The Gay's are on Television

This weeks reading talked about the idea of scripts. The readings focused more on the ideas around criminal scripts and their portrayal on news programming. The basic idea behind scripts in this context is, their is a certain “cast of characters” and a certain storyline that can be seen in the portrayal of these programs. The pattern can be seen across most stories and news stations, the cast and the storyline do not change very much or at all. This same theory can be taken and applied to the representation of the LGBTQ community on television programs today. Historically the “cast of characters” for the LGBTQ community consisted of people that did not fit gender norms in society and stood out a lot. These people being stereotypically referred to as; the “flaming” gay male, the very “butch” lesbian, and drag queens. These character identities were often discriminatory and created a very narrow mindset towards the LGBTQ community as a whole. 

All these characters were highly stereotyped and for a long time were the only representation that the LGBTQ community had on mass media. These character representation not only neglected to show the vast diversity of this community but also perpetuated certain stereotypes. One of the first characters to break this mold was the character of Will played by Erik McCormack on the sitcom Will & Grace. He was cast next to a very flamboyant character named Jack which made his cool laid back demeanor more apparent and noticeable. This was one of the first times that a gay male was portrayed as something other than overly flamboyant, loud, and in your face, and a main character on television. This completely flipped the traditional script for gay males on television and began to breathe new life into the LGBTQ character roster for television personalities. Since the debut of Will & Grace in 1998 there have defiantly been progressive moods towards a wider representation of LGBTQ community on television. Most recently and notably Rupaul Charles who is a very famous drag queen, won the Emmy for television host of the year. This singles a change in the times and definite reversal of the traditional LGBTQ scripts. These scripts that we create for people that are designed to represent entire communities and cultures need to be evaluated constantly to try an stay current and inclusive. The times have changed and all people deserve to be recognized and celebrated for who they are.