Homosexuals on Television

[FastFastr]

Do gay (or straight) people find the depiction of gays on television offensive?

Are the gay characters on Will and Grace over the top?

Is the name QUEER Eye for the Straight Guy or the premise offensive.

As a hetero man, I think….

1. Calling homosexuals queer (as in strange) is derogatory, and….
2. If heterosexuals are straight then gay people are seen as the opposite (aka, wavy, crazy, NOT normal, etc..)
3. If Queer Eye was a show called N—gger hanging with white folks, where a black man showed white folks how to play basketball or how to dance PEOPLE WOULD GO NUTS.

So… are you offended or pleased that homosexuals finally have a place on television? Is the depiction of homosexuals on TV accurate? Is the character of “Jack” on Will and Grace accurate?

 

[webber1998]

I'm an inbetweener... bi... since nobody had answered, I'd just like to say that I don't see any problem with using the word queer when it is not included in a degrading context.

Queer as Folk ... Queer eye for the straight guy.
Doesn't seem negative to me.

Bunch of queers trying to act like bitches.. that would be negatvie.

Never seen Will & Grace so cannot comment. Not much of a sitcom watcher.

Just my opinion....for what it is worth.

 

[sachiaiko]

Honestly, i like how they portray the guys in Queer Eye. They are a little on the more femme side of gay, which in my opinion can be more of a stereotype then the reality, but they are all reall sweet guys.


Will and Grace. This i think could go either way. i LOVE the show. I think it is funny as hell.

But Jack is a flamer, and he's self centered and rude and generally a pain in the ass. Not that he's not lovable, in fact thats why he is in everyones life, despite he's strangeness.

Will is more a professional Gay man. Not so much on the flamming side cept when he's with his best friends. I think some people might find it offensive, althought at this point i havent spoken with a gay man who did.

Personally, as a bi WOMAN, and not a man, i am just happy that Gay people are being portrayed in tv at all now a days without them being evil or awful or sick or something.

They are people, everyone is different some people are goo dsome people are bad, doesnt matter what race they are or what sexual preference they have.

On a side note, on thing i really like about queer eye is that it shows friendship between straight and gay men can happen without it havin ta be really all that uncomfortable.

Alot of straight guys feel uncomfortable, and in my experience they really dont need too.

Anyhoot, i've rambled on enough.

Nikki

 

[Cigan]

Queer is a funny word. It was originally derogitory in nature, but homosexuals took it and made it their own so quickly that it's more unleasant nature kind of got squelched. So it's pretty safe. Though not completely. As to your questions about specific shows.

I don't think Queer Eye for the Straight guy is offensive. I don't personally like the show (Mostly because the fashion guy grates on my nerves. I love the rest of the fab 5).

Personally I can't stand the American Queer as Folk. I only watched a few of the very early episodes, and I was watching the UK equivalents at the same time, and the American version does not even remotely compare. I don't find it offensive though, just not up to par with the original, which I adore.

As far as Will and Grace goes. Love it to death. Are the characters over the top? Of course they are. They're characters on a sitcom. That has nothing to do with them being gay. I mean who here watched Seinfeld. No one on Will and Grace can remotely compare to Kramer. Watch Everybody Loves Raymond. The mother alone is more over the top than most of what happens on Will and Grace. So that's pretty appropriate to the genre it's in. You've got to look at things in context.

I hope this answered your questions.

 

[Queersetti]

I agree with Cigan, I don't think the gay characters we are seeing now on television are any more stereotyped than other characters. Everybody Loves Raymond is an excellent counter-example. If we were to view the characters on that show as heterosexual role models, it would be very offensive.

Personally, I don't care for Will and Grace. I've always been curious as to why any bisexual would enjoy this show, when it seems to me that it's basic premise rests on a denial of the existence of bisexuality.

 

[bottom boy]

Well Q,

I usually agree with your opinions, but not this time.

My GF and i (both bi) both enjoy Will and Grace. I don't think its basic premise is to deny bisexuality ... I just take it for what it is, a very funny show that happens to include gay people in the plot.

bb

 

[Queersetti]

Well Q,

I usually agree with your opinions, but not this time.

My GF and i (both bi) both enjoy Will and Grace. I don't think its basic premise is to deny bisexuality ... I just take it for what it is, a very funny show that happens to include gay people in the plot.

bb

I haven't watched the show in some time, so perhaps my view is out of date.

But my impression was that the premise was, basically, that Will and Grace are attracted to each other, but that their attraction must remain unrequited because he is gay. But, if he is attracted to Grace, isn't he bisexual, and doesn't the whole construct depend on the viewer pretending that bisexuality doesn't exist?

 

[bottom boy]

But my impression was that the premise was, basically, that Will and Grace are attracted to each other, but that their attraction must remain unrequited because he is gay.

I think that the premise actually is that he/she are close friends who accept eachother's sexuality. He is gay, she is not. It is more about how the other people in their life (parents, friends, etc) deal with their relationship more than how they deal with it.

jmho

bb

 

[sexy-girl]

the main problem with stereotypes is when they are the only thing on tv

for example when black characters on tv were only one dimensional "yes sir" types

i think there does need to be a few more balanced homosexual characters on tv though but things have moved forward even in my life time

what often bugs me about lesbian characters at the moment is they often end up as being straight by the end of the picture if they are going to do that they should at least make them bi

 

[sachiaiko]

I agree with Cigan, I don't think the gay characters we are seeing now on television are any more stereotyped than other characters. Everybody Loves Raymond is an excellent counter-example. If we were to view the characters on that show as heterosexual role models, it would be very offensive.

Personally, I don't care for Will and Grace. I've always been curious as to why any bisexual would enjoy this show, when it seems to me that it's basic premise rests on a denial of the existence of bisexuality.

Actually, Karen in the show, the wonderfully annoying rich pill popper? Yea, she's very bisexual. I watch the show alot, and every once in a while you meet a woman she's slept with. Hehe. And in fact, everyone is aware of it and its just not a big deal to anyone because despite the fact she's rather fucked up everyone loves Karen.

I always felt that in the sitcom over the top off the wall manner, Will and Grace made a space for all three, Bi, het, and Gay.

Anyhoot, my two cents

Nikki

 

[BlueSugar]

I hate seeing Gay as the new trend.

I enjoyed Queer as folk, I enjoy Will and Grace and fight with my boyfriend to watch Queer Eye for the straight guy (just to see the make over... i hate when they cut hair, there is NOTHING wrong with long hair !! ) I even like how there is always one obligatory lesbian couple, and one or two of the friends are usually Bi and or supportive. He knows that I am bisexual, he supports me being bisexual, we love and respect each other... and he gets a kick that when a beautiful person walks by we can comment equally with out jealousy.

I think bisexuals are still viewed as "slutty" or whorish still, which is why they wont be "mainstream" yet. Ya know, men likeing both women and men, same for women, polygamy is still looked down upon and of course that is why a bisexual lifestyle leads to... just like gays...sodomy and either child porno or beastality (who thinks this shit up ... seriously? lol) and gays/lesbians just like their own sex so it isn't as "bad."

Awesome shows, but a lifestyle became a trend, just like the spanish trend, the black trend, the broken home trend, orphins, asians, indians... ::shrug:: what can ya do... while ya raise awareness of other lifestyles/cultures and gain acceptance from the outside world ... I guess this is the small price we have to pay.

So keep them coming, but keep them fair and diverse.

...I think another largly related question... is what are the "metro-sexuals" going to do when the gay trend fades? lol
How does everyone feel about the metrosexuals anyway?
It was even joked about on South Park for fucks sake haha!

 

[Cigan]

Well Q,

I usually agree with your opinions, but not this time.

My GF and i (both bi) both enjoy Will and Grace. I don't think its basic premise is to deny bisexuality ... I just take it for what it is, a very funny show that happens to include gay people in the plot.

bb

Fag Hag syndrome right here. The connection between Will and Grace is a very common connection that gay guys and girls feel for each other. Can't explain it, won't try. It is not sexual. Though occasionally it does take on some of the social dynamics of two people who are a couple. It's so common that the fact that they are using it in a show is by no means a slight at bi-sexuals or the existance of bi-sexuals. I knos this because I have had fag hags before. There is just something nice about going around with your female friends comparing the bodies of the shirtless runners passing by. I mean come on how can you beat that?

 

[Queersetti]

Actually, Karen in the show, the wonderfully annoying rich pill popper? Yea, she's very bisexual. I watch the show alot, and every once in a while you meet a woman she's slept with. Hehe. And in fact, everyone is aware of it and its just not a big deal to anyone because despite the fact she's rather fucked up everyone loves Karen.

I always felt that in the sitcom over the top off the wall manner, Will and Grace made a space for all three, Bi, het, and Gay.

Anyhoot, my two cents

Nikki

Well, I am glad to be corrected about this.

 

[sigh]

I haven't seen any of the shows in question (sorry, but when it comes to TV, I'm a total geek) but as far as language goes, my mom tells me that words like queer and gay weren't considered offensive until they began to be applied to the homosexual community. If that's so, I think it's a triumph that gays have taken those words, redefined them again and changed their connotation to an affirmation of a perfectly legitimate lifestyle.

 

[Queersetti]

Fag Hag syndrome right here. The connection between Will and Grace is a very common connection that gay guys and girls feel for each other. Can't explain it, won't try. It is not sexual. Though occasionally it does take on some of the social dynamics of two people who are a couple. It's so common that the fact that they are using it in a show is by no means a slight at bi-sexuals or the existance of bi-sexuals. I knos this because I have had fag hags before. There is just something nice about going around with your female friends comparing the bodies of the shirtless runners passing by. I mean come on how can you beat that?

Believe me, I understand all about fag hags. But, what I saw in the early episodes was not, in my mind, fag hagism. It seemed pretty blatant to me that the comic premise of the show was "let's have a gay man and a woman fall in love". Now, the show may well have evolved since then, but it seemed pretty clear to me that that was now it stated out.

 

[Queersetti]

Fag Hag syndrome right here. The connection between Will and Grace is a very common connection that gay guys and girls feel for each other. Can't explain it, won't try. It is not sexual. Though occasionally it does take on some of the social dynamics of two people who are a couple. It's so common that the fact that they are using it in a show is by no means a slight at bi-sexuals or the existance of bi-sexuals. I knos this because I have had fag hags before. There is just something nice about going around with your female friends comparing the bodies of the shirtless runners passing by. I mean come on how can you beat that?

Believe me, I understand all about fag hags. But, what I saw in the early episodes was not, in my mind, fag hagism. It seemed pretty blatant to me that the comic premise of the show was "let's have a gay man and a woman fall in love". Now, the show may well have evolved since then, but it seemed pretty clear to me that that was now it started out.

 

[Cigan]

Believe me, I understand all about fag hags. But, what I saw in the early episodes was not, in my mind, fag hagism. It seemed pretty blatant to me that the comic premise of the show was "let's have a gay man and a woman fall in love". Now, the show may well have evolved since then, but it seemed pretty clear to me that that was now it started out.

I actually never saw the early episodes. When the show started I lived with my parents and you could cause Jupiter to come crashing into the earth before you would get either of my parents to let a sitcom, any sitcome show on the TV during prime watching periods. So I have only seen recent episodes and what I saw was very stereotypical fag hagism. In fact they even used the term in one of the episodes I saw.

 

[bottom boy]

I have seen some of the early episodes on reruns, and they definitely included some sexual tension between Will and Grace. But according to some flashbacks that they had - Will and Grace were actually about to "do it" in college, when Will came out to her.

So what followed was, I think, his defining his sexuality, and where he was going with it. In later episodes, it seems that he is comfortable being gay, and although he may have affection for Grace, he knows that he is gay, and it won't work for them.

Grace, however, may have other ideas. She still seems to harbour some feelings (at least when she's feeling lonely).

Anyway, that all I have to say about that. I just like the show, thats all.

 

[deliciously_naughty]

I can't believe we're having this conversation AGAIN.

Why does someone feel the need to ask if we're offended by W&G the Fab Five at least once a week?

Any positive gay exposure in mainstream america=good

Negative (as in you are evil we must make you straight again) portrayals=bad

There are just as many "types" of gay men and women as there are straight men and women. We have moved beyond the Jack stereotype and found some of those representations.

However...it's tv...of course there's going to be "something" there...gay people acting in a "typical straight" way or just going about their lives does not make good ratings. End of story. So we flame up Jack, repress Will, find 5 gay men who are comfortable playing up certain things and have them remake straight men, we find other characters to play the club gay boys.

At least gays are being introduced to people who might never encounter an openly gay person otherwise (or not realize it even if they did). It's a start to opening their minds.

 

[College_geek]

You know what was also some good coverage, I guess you could say. In that "Beautiful" music video, there's that delicious kiss between the two gay men. Not only was it nice to look at, but it had a good message. It was a really romantic kiss...no flamboyance, no repression, just two lovers sharing a moment.

 

[Svenskaflicka]

...I think another largly related question... is what are the "metro-sexuals" going to do when the gay trend fades? lol
How does everyone feel about the metrosexuals anyway?
It was even joked about on South Park for fucks sake haha!

What's "metro-sexuals"???

 

[Queersetti]

What's "metro-sexuals"???

Metrosexual is a term that has been in circulation recently to describe straight men who affect what is thought of as "gay style."

 

[Svenskaflicka]

How do they do this? I've never heard of this before.

 

[BlueSugar]

take a good look at all the movie stars (male) they're really starting to spend ALOT of time on hair, makeup , upkeep and clothing. Shaving with the grain....Matching their shoes with their belt and all those other details most (straight) men don't know or care about... Its like the fab 5 took over the world. Cute and all, but it catching on like wild fire. lol

now take a look at straight men around in the buisness world and compair... amazing hm?

 

[College_geek]

How do they do this? I've never heard of this before.

It's extremely pop culture now. It was kind of funny and cute when it first started, but now I'm kind of irritated by it because it's becoming the thing to do, so I think some guys do it to fit in, which is not why they should.

I've also read in some women's magazines that some women are completely turned off by it now because they don't want to see guys dressing better than them (which is really shallow, but a lot of those magazines are shallow to begin with).