Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Information on Television: A Quantitative Analysis Across Two Seasons

Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Information on Television: A Quantitative Analysis Across Two Seasons

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Abstract

Two https://www.camsloveaholics.com/xlovecam-review content that is annual of development through the 2001-2002 and 2002-2003 tv periods had been conducted to evaluate the clear presence of behaviors and spoken communications pertaining to the sex of gays, lesbians, and bisexuals. Intimate content related to nonheterosexuals had been present in about 15% of programs general; nevertheless, prices of event within episodes had been low. Of 14 genres, only films and variety/comedy shows had significant percentages of programs that included nonheterosexual content. Programs on commercial broadcast networks had been less likely to want to have content that is nonheterosexual those on cable companies, specially those on premium cable film companies. Implications for the lack that is continued of to intimate minorities are talked about both for heterosexual and nonheterosexual watchers.

Introduction

Intimate content of programming on American tv changed considerably considering that the medium was initially designed a lot more than 50 years ago. At its inception, tv seldom presented intimate themes, and through the entire very very very early years of tv, subjects such as for instance maternity, contraception, along with other facets of figures’ sex had been considered too responsive to be portrayed or talked about in shows. One theme that’s been particularly ignored could be the depiction of intimate problems linked to homosexual, lesbian, and bisexual people. Inspite of the lifting of some longstanding taboos throughout the last a few years, television development happens to be called “compulsory heterosexual” (Wolf & Kielwasser, 1991), and depictions of this intimate problems connected with nonheterosexuals 1 may stay reasonably unusual (Brown, 2002).

Minimal quantitative research has been conducted to report homosexual problems and characters on tv. Presently, nearly all of exactly what happens to be posted about tv and its particular portrayals of intimate minority themes and figures arises from qualitative writings. The goal of this paper is always to provide quantitative information on sexual behavior and intimate talk associated to nonheterosexuals throughout the 2001-2002 and 2002-2003 tv seasons. The findings out of this research offer empirical data in regards to the prevalence of nonheterosexual content that is sexual a broad number of television development, plus the regularity of these sexual content if it is presented.

Before 1970, very little homosexual figures might be entirely on tv, and their general lack through the display screen proceeded before the 1990s (Wyatt, 2002). In the past few years, how many programs with leading or recurring homosexual figures has diverse from 16 within the 1997-1998 period to 29 when you look at the 2000-2001 season (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, n.d.). Although these figures represent a growth weighed against yesteryear, they have been nevertheless quite tiny in contrast to the number that is overall of showing up on tv programs broadcast each period.

In accordance with social cognitive theory (Bandura, 2001), one crucial method by which television influences people is through supplying vicarious experiences upon which to model philosophy, attitudes, and behavior whenever real-life experiences are far more restricted. A closely associated concept is the fact that the news by depicting intimate situations that folks may possibly not be in a position to see somewhere else offer scripts for enacting different intimate habits (Gagnon & Simon, 1973) such as for instance individuals making love having a partner that is new. Reliance on tv programs for intimate scripts and tv figures as models for behavior can be specially strong among youth, whom may not have much experience that is first-hand sexuality, yet are just starting to solidify their intimate identities and start to become enthusiastic about intimate relationships (Chapin, 2000). In fact, as much as one in five teenagers reports that “entertainment” is their many crucial supply of intimate information (Gibbs, 1993 as cited in Brown & Steele, 1995).

Although tv was criticized for maybe perhaps not providing role that is good for adolescents as an example, abstinence among teenagers is hardly ever portrayed in an optimistic light (Committee on Communications, 1995) the possible lack of good part models on tv is more extreme for homosexual, lesbian, and bisexual youth (Kielwasser & Wolf, 1992). Many lesbians and homosexual guys develop in a community that is straight few gay part models; therefore, they have been particularly susceptible to the portrayals of homosexual people within the advertising (Fejes & Petrich, 1993; Ryan & Futterman, 1998). Yet, intimate minorities in many cases are ignored because of the main-stream media and addressed as though they don’t occur. This exclusion happens to be posited to play a role in maintaining sexual minorities hidden and without power, an activity which Gross relates to as “symbolic annihilation” (Gross, 1991; Gerbner & Gross, 1976). Portrayals of homosexual folks of all ages have already been uncommon and frequently negative (Gross, 1991, 1996; Moritz, 1994), and portrayals of young nonheterosexuals are also less frequent (Kielwasser & Wolf, 1992). Shows for adolescent audiences often portray an environment that is exclusively heterosexual with just occasional brief appearances by adolescent figures who’re confused about their sex (Kielwasser & Wolf, 1992). This is really important because homosexual adolescents frequently cannot get information strongly related their orientation that is sexual from and household and may also make use of tv as a supply of data about homosexual problems (Paroski, 1987). The number that is small of figures on tv, and also smaller number of adolescent gay figures, is proposed to play a role in a sense of isolation among nonheterosexual youth (Kielwasser & Wolf, 1992).

Even though homosexual figures are portrayed on tv, they are generally shown within an asexual context (Fejes & Petrich, 1993). Gross (1991) cites types of homosexual figures who had been hardly ever, when, shown in intimate or contexts that are romantic as Sidney in like Sidney, Steven Carrington in Dynasty, and Marilyn McGrath in Heartbeat. More modern these include Matt Fielding in Melrose Put, whoever orientation that is sexual prominently showcased in promotions ahead of the show’s premiere, after which seldom contained in storylines for the very first a few periods (Wyatt, 2002). Until extremely recently, the 2 freely homosexual figures on NBC’s presently popular series that is prime-time and Grace Will and Jack had been seldom shown being actually affectionate with other males; but, the lead female character Grace, that is heterosexual, has frequently demonstrated an ability in intimate circumstances with men. Will and Grace even offers been criticized for reinforcing heterosexual norms and stereotypes about homosexual characteristics such as for example homosexual guys being feminine, flamboyant, and promiscuous (Battles & Morrow-Hilton, 2002). Battles and Morrow-Hilton argue that the safer, more assimilated asexual character of Will is frequently contrasted aided by the more flamboyant Jack, that is made enjoyable of to be campy and “queeny.”

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