Gay men and mainstream TV?

Question

Why is it that lesbians are demonized by televison viewers but that every show has a token gay MAN on it these days and this is overwhelmingly accepted? Much worse, the gay men are the extreme stereo-typical "in your face" ultra prissy ones!

Answer 1

That's an awesome question...seriously! I was wondering the same thing. This is what I came up with. Most of the reality or quasi-reality shows that feature gay people (I'm thinking fashion shows, style shows, half-way house...) are watched (in my opinion) by girls, metrosexuals and gay guys. So, there's your answer: girls LOVE gay guys cos they are overall useful...you know, shopping, taste in clothes, hairstyle, good conversation, no competition etc.
Metrosexuals, I believe, don't really mind gay guys, cos they accept them as part of life (plus they are borderline gay themselves most of the time).
Gay guys...well, they just like watching other gay guys cos they can identify themselves with the characters.

Now, all these listed definitions are limited to the people that watch that kind of shows and I, by no means, want to generalize!

So, now about the issue of lesbians. First of all: we live in a conservative country, in case you haven't noticed yet, or if it's easier to accept, are ruled by the conservative elite. So, since girl on girl action is considered highly erotic, you won't see it on TV. (I mean, just think of the Sex and the City...it's not even about lesbians, it's just girls talking and it had to be on HBO!!!)
Anyways, for the purposes of this discussion...obviously I'm simplifying things.
The second reason is that: most of the people still have an image of lesbians as dirty girls (which again is too erotic) or consider them to be a bunch of feminist fat chicks with no sense of style. Now, who wants to watch that?

Now even if the image is correct (that lesbians are just a bunch of girls who play for the same team) what special abilities do they have??? Gay guys are amusing (or, at least that's what the people who watch the shows think) with their "in your face" pissiness (like you pointed out), have a great sense of style (I have to admit that!). So, in other words, they are useful for the entertainment industry. And it seems that stuff like that comes naturally to them (according to the pop culture). Which lesbian do you know that has special abilities like that...definitely NOT the majority of them (I know of three...Ellen, Rosie and Miranda from Sex and the City and she's not even that funny).

OK, and there is another thing...lesbians DON'T LIKE MEN!!!
Now, out there is a men's world and they just don't want to see women beating up on men (goes from the image of feminist fat chicks) and you git to admit that even guys find girl on girl action only amusing as long as there is a dick in the picture at some point, otherwise it's just a waste of pussy to them!!! pardon my language...

anyways, bottom line: lesbians are not found on TV as often as gay men because:
- most of them have no special abilities, so they don't sell,
- they are seen as too erotic,
- they are beating up on men and men don't like that,
- girls see them as competition (strange but true),
- most importantly, no one wants to take them seriously!

These are not my views but it's the only explanation I could come up with. Hope this helps!!!

Answer 2

First off, Kat: Great perspective! Except that I would disagree that men like viewing lesbian sex only if a man is present. I think any man in the picture is a turn off to most men, including myself. The token man in a lesbian sex scene is basically there to please a guy's wife and to give the guy a chance to see what his wife's reaction is to women doing it. To most men it is the ultimate fulfillment of fantasy to watch two women get it on. If he can participate, all the better. But that is just fantasy world, threesomes are doomed to failure.

I think that Gay men are more involved with theatre production because it's a way for them to interactively role play in public without drawing suspicion to sexual motives. This enables them to test their sexually identity, to live out their erotic fantasies, and to make connections with other gay men. Those that are involved with the medium are probably more likely to take female mannerisms beyond the limits in an attempt to push the erotic satiation of their fantasies to the extreme for the “sake of public entertainment”. Now that gay men heavily dominate the industry they are getting "political" and are campaigning to put a gay man in everyone's living room during prime time. This also works with the growing number of women who hide their sexual attraction to gay men under the guise of "fascination", common interests, and that they are funny. Straight men make no bones about how sexually appealing lesbians are to them and have basically given away their hand. As a result straight women quickly become jealous, are offended, and naturally protest against the perceived, and sometimes real, suggestion to bring another woman into the relationship. I think that women can more easily draw the line at fantasy and keep things within that realm, but more men are inclined to try to live theirs out even if it means risking their relationships.

Answer 3

I think some people think the stereo-typical gay man is funny but I never have. There really haven't been many lesbians on TV so I don't know what to think about that. I don't really care if there are gay characters on TV as long as they are good characters.

Answer 4

Strange. For the longest time, nothing much was said about lesbians but gay men were demonized with all types of slurs. I wonder if Ellen and Rosie had anything to do with it...Ellen was the first one to come out and say "I'm gay" and Rosie is highly controversial because of her ill-informed political opinions, so they may have set a bad precedent for lesbians.

Answer 5

I've never been able to work that out.
I can think of very few programmes that have had lesbian characters, but dozens that have had gay men.
Queer as Folk, and Will & Grace, are predominantly about gay men.
I suppose the only 'mainstream' lesbians were Ross' ex wife and her girlfriend in Friends.

Answer 6

Because men can do what they want when the want because the government hasnt changed one bit, this sucks for us females but there isnt too much we can do about it right now, I mean we can protest but that doesnt seem to have much of an impact on anyone.

Answer 7

It is a nation wide agenda to make homosexuality an accepted lifestyle. I think that you should have to pay a fine for your first gay offense. Spend 6 months in jail for a 2nd gay offense. And be castrated and hung for you third. But that is just my opinion.

Answer 8

It's just a phase. It will change.

Answer 9

sucks huh

Answer 10

hmmmm