The Presence of Homosexual Characters Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Presence of Homosexual Characters - Essay Example Similar sitcoms, such as Brothers and Sisters followed in the wake of the success of Will and Grace. Today, there is a liberal offering of sitcoms that feature gays in lead roles, have gay themes, or present gay minor characters. Because of the number of shows available, the portrayal of the gay lifestyle reflects the diversity we might see in real life. There are lesbians that would defy recognition if we met them on the street, and there are outrageous gay men whose sexual preference can be detected from across a parking lot. While mainstream America is sometimes shocked by the outrageous portrayals of some of these characters, they have benefited the viewers by exposing them to a valid world of authentic diversity and reduced discrimination against gays. The portrayal of homosexual characters on television is positive because it gradually makes people accept homosexuality. Prior to mid 1990s, homosexuals were rarely accepted in the society, and kept as a 'dirty little secret'. Homosexuality at that time was considered deviant behavior and not as an acceptable norm. America was uncomfortable with gays and uncomfortable with itself. ... During this period, the media had been passively introducing gay characters and homosexual themes to the television viewers. The trend started during the 1970s in an ABC sitcom called Soap with a gay character named Billy Crystal. Twenty years later, in 1996, people were becoming more accepting of homosexuality and seeing their characters on television. Though there were many sitcoms that had supporting characters who were homosexuals, NBC's 1998 sitcom, Will and Grace had successfully included a main character who is homosexual in a show that had homosexuality as a main theme. Homosexuality had been gradually introduced over a period of 3 decades, and the public was ready for the character, Will. He was a conservative, well mannered male that did not stereotype the homosexual lifestyle. NBC was able to pull the audience a little farther into the gay world by introducing Will's friend Jack, who was more outgoing and substantially more physically demonstrative. Jack was able to exhibi t mannerisms and say lines that the public was not yet ready to see in a lead role. However, this highly successful sitcom was instrumental in introducing a gay couple in a gay setting on a regular basis. The viewers benefited from the gradual exposure to homosexuality as a realistic, alternative lifestyle. Homosexuality has become less monstrous to the cultural mainstream and instead has become a cultural curiosity. As a result, homosexuals can be open about themselves to society and as well as feel normal about themselves. The increasing acceptance of homosexuals in the television sitcom has helped to dispel 'gay panic', an unwarranted and exaggerated fear of homosexuality. Gay panic has been the cause of violence towards gays, as well as a legal defense for assaults on gays. The