This article discussed how gay characters on television, though they give more visibility to LGBT people and give people who may or may not have been exposed to an LGBT person a chance to understand at least a little of queer culture, are often often quite stereotypical or are forced into heteronormative story lines. For example, Will and Grace was used as an example to show how Jack is portrayed in a very stereotypical manner and gay relationships and life experiences are often forced into a heterosexual mold. A square peg in a round hole if you will. (Didn't mean that to sound as dirty as it did.) My question is: Because this article is a little bit dated since it focuses mainly on shows that are no longer on the air, do these ideas still apply to television shows which feature gay characters today? Or has it gotten more progressive?
My opinion is that just because LGBT visibility on television is greater today does not necessarily mean that things have changed very much. Shows that I have watched such as Glee, Project Runway, True Blood, etc. that feature gay characters still portray many of them in stereotypical ways. I mean, not all gay guys like showtunes and haute couture. No, really. Many lesbians on these shows are portrayed as the white, porn star ideal that has become so popular. Also, many LGBT characters are still being forced into heteronormative story lines where relationships are meant to evolve in the same manner that many heterosexual relationships do. While not bad per se, this forces many viewers to see LGBT people in situations and scenarios that may not be accurate to a queer identity or reality and may harm many people's perceptions of LGBT people when they realize this.
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