– Politics –
Introduction
Politics are all about passion. Politicians who are passionate about their views are the ones who reach out to the public in order to gain support for a political change. And while politicians have the power, experience and background needed to begin a political movement that they are passionate about, they would almost never achieve success without the help of their greatest asset: the media.
– Society –
Introduction
Sexuality
As American society moves towards what is typically considered a more liberal perspective, media representation of different sexualities has become more frequent. However, portrayal of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community is not always fair or accurate.
Shows like Will and Grace, Glee and Modern Family have paved the way in attempting to create acceptance for LGBT characters. However, the cookie-cutter, stereotypical depiction of their LGBT characters on those shows and more recent ones like The New Normal and Sean Saves the World aren’t entirely synonymous with the reality.
For example, the media often sexualizes lesbians, and creating a fetish out of a sexuality. The 2003 MTV Video Music Awards is most remembered for the kiss shared between Britney Spears and Madonna. In 2008, one of the most talked about songs of the year was Katy Perry’s breakout hit I Kissed a Girl. Media like this portrays being lesbian as a fad, something that is sexy and attractive, rather than an actual sexuality that many identify with.
Bisexuality is also portrayed by the media as not a legitimate descriptor. Audiences will be hard pressed to find a character who is acknowledged as bisexual and not as someone “experimenting” or who is confused. Shows and movies will often joke that bisexual characters simply went through an experimental phase.
Even worse is the representation, or lack thereof, of transgender people in media. Many shows simply do not even discuss this important group. However, some shows do seem to be attempting to mitigate stereotypes surrounding this group. Glee’s character of Unique, where the transexual character is attempted to be portrayed in a positive light. 1999’s Boys Don’t Cry starring Hilary Swank as a transgender male did try to seriously discuss the stigma and violence that comes with misunderstanding those who are transgendered.
Despite such attempts, transgender characters often end up being built up for laughs. It is common to find in typical comedies, especially the older ones, a scene where one of the characters hits on someone they assume to be a certain gender and are later surprised – and, more often than not, repulsed – to find they are a different gender.
Though media is pushing for more LGBT representation – NBC has recently confirmed it is currently developing a lesbian comedy from Ellen DeGeneres – the media still has a long way to go towards acceptance and accurate portrayal of the LGBT community.
Introduction