Television    Post-­‐‑DOMA

TV’s Depiction of LGBT Characters Reinforces United States’ Same-Sex Marriage Polling Numbers

By Scott Richardson

Polling  History -  1973: Conservative America

-  7 in 10 Americans agree that homosexual sexual relations are “always wrong”

-  1996: First polls on same-sex marriage -  27 percent support

-  2006 wording change -  “homosexuals” to “same-sex couples”

-  2011: support passes 50 percent (53%) -  9 percent jump from 2010 (44%)

-  2013: First Gallup poll since DOMA repeal -  54 percent support

Influence -  Forming identity

-  Family and peers are most influential

-  TV’s Role in gender identity -  Kids/teens turn to TV without LGBT “role model” -  Without role model, can feel isolated

-  Cultivation Theory -  TV gives us an accurate depiction of “real life” -  The representation of minorities is important

-  Media’s “default” is heterosexual

Early  Examples -  LGBT not shown on TV until 1960s -  1970s: shows had guest stars

-  For the growth of straight characters; tolerance

-  First gay couple shown on TV in 1975 -  1977: Billy Crystal as Jodie Dallas on Soap

-  One of the first primetime shows to have a starring gay character

Jodie  Dallas

-  Faced criticism from activists for ‘negative’ depiction -  While not ideal, presented the ‘first draft’ of LGBT

characters portrayed as ‘regular’ people

LGBT:  The  90s   -  First same-sex kiss on L.A. Law (1991) -  First same-sex wedding on Roc (1991) -  Roseanne & Friends weddings (1996-7)

-  Friends: 31.6 million viewers

-  First LGBT title character on Ellen (1997) -  Ellen Degeneres comes out in real life then on show

-  By 1996-97 season, 23 recurring or starring LGBT TV characters

-  Will & Grace debuts in 1998

Will  &  Grace

-  Early focus groups didn’t know Will was gay -  The overly flamboyant Jack made Will ‘straight’ by

comparison

Real  &  ‘Normal’ -  Networks’ challenge of selling LGBT

-  Using, mistaking, ‘heterosexualizing’ gay characters

-  Using LGBT to be ‘progressive’ -  Many characters were not realistic/relatable

-  Reluctance to show male couples -  Dawson’s Creek first male-male open-mouth kiss (2000)

-  Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Willow & Tara -  First accurate, gradual homosexual relationship (2001) -  One of the first shows “to portray gays as real people”

Willow  &  Tara

-  Writers dropped hints in early seasons -  Gradual progression; realistic ‘coming-out’ scene -  Longest lasting relationship on the show

Cable  Thrives -  Queer as Folk (2000) -  Six Feet Under (2001) -  The Wire (2002) -  The L Word (2004)

-  Omar Little from The Wire -  David Simon created Omar

“because gay people exist” -  By 2006, same-sex marriage

approval reached 42 percent

More  Milestones -  Brothers and Sisters in 2008

-  Marries two series regulars

-  All My Children in 2009 -  First daytime wedding

-  Conan in 2011: Conan officiates wedding -  First on late-night; real wedding for costume designer

Team  Coco

-  On the one-year anniversary of the show -  Amidst the Prop 8 legislative war, the wedding took

place in New York

TV  Post  DOMA -  True Blood allegory

-  ‘God hates fangs’, ‘coming out of the coffin’

-  Having LGBT characters is the norm

-  Game of Thrones, Walking Dead, Archer, Glee, etc.

-  Brooklyn Nine-Nine -  Captain Holt is an authority figure, who is also gay

The  Nine-­‐‑Nine

-  Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a comedy show, but Holt’s sexuality is never the punch line

-  Fall 2013 debut (part of first post-DOMA TV season)

The  Future -  Polling recap: from 27% to 54%

-  From 1996 to 2013, same-sex marriage approval doubled

-  LGBT visibility way up in 2014 -  112 LGBT starring/recurring characters in 2013-2014

-  Same-sex marriage is politically divisive -  SCOTUS DOMA vote was 5-4 -  Public favor: Liberals 77%, Conservatives 30%

-  Safe to assume public favor will gradually rise -  Likely will remain a hot-button issue