GLAAD Touts The New “Gays On TV” Season While UK Survey Reveals Viewer Gay Angst

 Lyndon Evans  

While GLAAD is touting and celebrating its Diversity Report for TV and the 2010-2011 TV season, At the launch of the 2010-2011 television season, GLAAD estimates that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) scripted characters represent 3.9% of all scripted series regular characters on the five broadcast networks: ABC, CBS, The CW, Fox, and NBC. This is slightly more than last year, with 23 series regular characters identified as LGBT.

After a two year decline, the number of LGBT series regulars on cable has made a healthy rebound.  A total of 35 series regulars were counted this year; up from 32 in 2008, and 25 last year, the BBC has commissioned a report which finds almost one in five in the UK are uncomfortable with having homosexuals portrayed on television.

A survey found that 18% feel “uncomfortable” or “very uncomfortable” with it, even after the 9pm watershed. Just under half of respondents said they were either comfortable or ambivalent.

Around a fifth of straight people said there was too much content relating to gay people on TV generally, although 46% said the volume was about right. Many lesbians felt there were not enough gay women on TV and most were portrayed either as “butch” or “lipstick lesbians”.

Gay men said they would welcome a more realistic portrayal of gay life and criticised a tendency to feature camp men, though they said this was improving.

The research also found that landmark gay storylines were regarded as hugely important by gay respondents. Gay characters on soaps such as EastEnders and Coronation Street were also seen as important. The study is one the biggest of its kind, based on a survey of more than 1,600 people and discussion groups involving 500. A BBC public consultation had more than 9,400 responses. The findings will shape coverage for years to come and could lead to the introduction of more lesbian characters in the corporation’s dramas. – Source – Guardian UK http://focusontherainbowopine.outloudblogs.com