Lack of diversity in LGBTQ+ tv shows and how it has an effect in the real world

Nigel Atkinson

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Right.

so the solution is to continue to call it out when white people are over represented, but not say anything when other races are over represented?

I feel like something is missing here
The context you’re missing is the historical aspect. What you’re deeming as an overrepresentation of Poc is not formed in the same manner as the over representation of white people. Like I said before, there is a historical context that can not and should not be ignored when you approach such conversations.
 

kjehe3

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This might be a really bad take so feel free to educate me. But, I think the reason for lack of diversity is because they have no clue about the community lol. They know how profitable it can be to create something for LGBTQ and so they film a movie/TV show usually with a basic ass plot. The star is usually a really exaggerated twink who gets bullied. Then they add a jock who is usually bi-curious, friends with the bully and is in a relationship with a girl. The reason they add a jock is because they want to add a "heartthrob" similar to straight films, to cover up for the awful plot. It always ends up the same, jock over time falls for the twink, he either breaks up with the girl or cheats on her. The jock has issues with coming out which causes a wedge in their secret gay relationship. Then they decide fuck it, come out as a couple and walk down the hallway holding hands. Film ends. It's always the same, nothing different. I loved love victor but even that follows a similar style.
 

AfterHours69

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This might be a really bad take so feel free to educate me. But, I think the reason for lack of diversity is because they have no clue about the community lol. They know how profitable it can be to create something for LGBTQ and so they film a movie/TV show usually with a basic ass plot. The star is usually a really exaggerated twink who gets bullied. Then they add a jock who is usually bi-curious, friends with the bully and is in a relationship with a girl. The reason they add a jock is because they want to add a "heartthrob" similar to straight films, to cover up for the awful plot. It always ends up the same, jock over time falls for the twink, he either breaks up with the girl or cheats on her. The jock has issues with coming out which causes a wedge in their secret gay relationship. Then they decide fuck it, come out as a couple and walk down the hallway holding hands. Film ends. It's always the same, nothing different. I loved love victor but even that follows a similar style.
I think Love Victor used culture and religion to tell a part of the story that doesn’t get told in mainstream, really. It had issues, but I think the dynamics you are alluding to made sense for the story and characters. It didn’t seem as cliche to me.
 
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Maginot

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I have to respectfully disagree with a large portion of what you said.

although there are kernels of truth in some of the points you made, a majority of it is an example of “the color purpling” of black people and black athletes in particular.

if you’d really like to go into details, I’m game, but I don’t think it’s accurate to say “the sports industry only cares to profit off black bodies.” Black athletes are not as oppressed as you would like them to be, in order to fit your narrative.
With all due respect, if you're white or non-black, there is nothing for you to disagree with. I say that respectfully.
 
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deleted464787

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With all due respect, if you're white or non-black, there is nothing for you to disagree with. I say that respectfully.
Well done.

You just demonstrated that, to you, the validity of the argument should be judged based on the color of the skin of their person making it, rather than the argument itself.

There’s no discourse to be had with people who think like that.
 

wvgwm52

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The Last of Us, in its episode 3, depicted an out-of-the-ordinary gay couple, with one 'chubby' guy. Even if I didn't really appreciate the episode as a whole, I found the romance well written (in the sense that we saw the couple aging and facing problems common to all couples, like illness). :)
What is it about this episode you didn’t like.. the idea a gay man shows up and they were laying in bed.. the gay man asked if he’d done anything like this before and he said no ..

bbut the guy was missing the connection that happens between two people . So he let himself explore this side of himself and lived several years together in that house
I thought the episode was perfect
 

bigboaster

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Well done.

You just demonstrated that, to you, the validity of the argument should be judged based on the color of the skin of their person making it, rather than the argument itself.

There’s no discourse to be had with people who think like that.
I wholeheartedly agree. That's just plain old fashioned prejudice. No ifs ands or buts. Shameful
 
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deleted464787

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Are you saying white people are being shutout of sports?
Not at all.

im just pointing out the double standard that is present, and asking him to explain his position on it.

I can’t wrap my head around why anyone would complain about a situation where one race is under represented, but seems perfectly content with situations where the same race is over represented.

it normally doesn’t look good when someone has an issue with things that put them at a disadvantage, but at the same time remain conveniently quiet about a situation that benefits them.

his answer was basically that historical context excuses it.

I don’t necessarily agree with the logic, but it is certainly his right to hold that view
 
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deleted464787

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I wholeheartedly agree. That's just plain old fashioned prejudice. No ifs ands or buts. Shameful
Racism isn’t going anywhere as long as people (on both sides) believe that they can dismiss someone’s argument based solely on the color of their skin.

it’s very disheartening to basically hear him say my opinion doesn’t matter because I’m white. But had I been born black, what I said would have been valid.

he’s not doing black people any favors there.

fortunately, I’m mature enough to recognize that he doesn’t speak for all black people. So I wouldn’t dare hold all black people accountable to his bigoted viewpoint.
 

AfterHours69

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Not at all.

im just pointing out the double standard that is present, and asking him to explain his position on it.

I can’t wrap my head around why anyone would complain about a situation where one race is under represented, but seems perfectly content with situations where the same race is over represented.

it normally doesn’t look good when someone has an issue with things that put them at a disadvantage, but at the same time remain conveniently quiet about a situation that benefits them.

his answer was basically that historical context excuses it.

I don’t necessarily agree with the logic, but it is certainly his right to hold that view
Ah—well, it looks to me like they are saying historically non-whites were shutout of media. That’s why they were underrepresented.

There was an active effort to keep everything white and keep POC off the screen. After years of that programming, there remained a conscious or unconscious bias to only tell white stories, or if it was a universal story, they never even consider filling it with non-white bodies. POC were only cast to fill stereotypes (black “thug,” Asian nerd with broken English, angry Latino w/Spanglish, peaceful/warlike Native American, etc). They weren’t cast as romantic leads or heroes, or objects of desire—not without a fight, controversy or backlash. Even then, it was few and far between.

Since the default was set to white, it took a movement to consider the other populations on the planet. That’s why underrepresentation in media is a concern.

There’s not an effort to keep white people out of sports, so I don’t think the comparison works. At least, that’s one reason.
 

Fishsqueezee69

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I just gonna start off by saying that this is not a victimisation case or a targeted post, this is just an open discussion I'm wanting to have with other members of our communtity, and you guys' opinions on the lack of diversity and stories within the film industry for lgbt representation. Because I've watched a lot of tv shows and movies, and I cannot help but notice that if there is a gay character or a gay relationship in the show, the characters most the time turn out to be these two specific categories; the white skinny twink or the white muscle jock that seems straight at the beginning. I'm not in any way, shape or form hating on these character archetypes, but I do not agree with the lack of diversity and representation for other members of the lgbtq+ community. For example, there are latin and hispanic men with skinnier or bigger body types that are gay or bi, same goes for black people, and asian people. But they are hardly ever represented in these shows or movies, and I feel it really does have an affect on how people view the lgbtq+, where they're part of it or not. The first image that will come to someone's head when the word "gay" is said, will more than likely be one or both of the categorized characters I mentioned above because it's all that we see. I, as a coloured person and a bigger body type, have had experiences before where I was discriminated against and made to feel I don't belong within the communtity because I don't "fit" the social image of what a gay or bi man should be, and I only mention this to further prove my point. Now, I know there are many shows and movies with more lgbt diversity, such as Holt and Kevin from Brooklyn 99, or Tony from 13RW, and Phastos from Eternals, but it is a rare thing to see. I just want to hear opinions from others within the community and how you see the way we're represented, whether you agree or disagree, this is an open discussion. :) View attachment 89004931 View attachment 89004951 View attachment 89004971 View attachment 89005011

You have some good points. I personally don't watch a lot of American queer series or movies because of this lack of diversity. I use to watch queer movies from all over the world. I have watched queer movies from Iceland, France, Argentina, Peru, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Germany, Spain, Thailand, etc.

In fact, I no longer have an appetite for USA queer movies. As you said, 90% of the time the protagonist is a white blonde guy who is a twink and/or muscle head.

Lately, I have gravitated towards BL. Not sure if you know what it is, but basically Heartstoppers is a BL (and so is Young Royals). I watch Asian BLs, so things like 2Gether, Love Sick, KinnPorsche, Cherry Magic and Choco Milk.

However, even Asian BL has a ton of diversity issues. In general, Asian BL tends to portray more masculine gays (well, that is technically a prerequisite for a real BL), and the guys are beautiful (BL = Boys Love from a Japanese term. And Japanese like their beautiful boys lol), and usually very light skin.

However, The Philippines is challenging that IMO. But that's another story. BTW if you have Netflix, you can watch season 1 of a Filipino BL called Gameboys. One of my favorites.
 

wsnki07

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I
You have some good points. I personally don't watch a lot of American queer series or movies because of this lack of diversity. I use to watch queer movies from all over the world. I have watched queer movies from Iceland, France, Argentina, Peru, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Germany, Spain, Thailand, etc.

In fact, I no longer have an appetite for USA queer movies. As you said, 90% of the time the protagonist is a white blonde guy who is a twink and/or muscle head.

Lately, I have gravitated towards BL. Not sure if you know what it is, but basically Heartstoppers is a BL (and so is Young Royals). I watch Asian BLs, so things like 2Gether, Love Sick, KinnPorsche, Cherry Magic and Choco Milk.

However, even Asian BL has a ton of diversity issues. In general, Asian BL tends to portray more masculine gays (well, that is technically a prerequisite for a real BL), and the guys are beautiful (BL = Boys Love from a Japanese term. And Japanese like their beautiful boys lol), and usually very light skin.

However, The Philippines is challenging that IMO. But that's another story. BTW if you have Netflix, you can watch season 1 of a Filipino BL called Gameboys. One of my favorites.
I remember watching many BL films when I was in undergrad. “The Love of Siam” absolutely destroyed me in all the right ways lol.
 
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badd mamma jamma

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This is not because people didn’t agree with their cause. It’s not like the people WANT racism to continue.

it’s because people didn’t want political stuff shoved down their throats when they were trying to enjoy the game.

I hate to break it to you, but even a majority of black people weren’t happy about it either.

even today, people still boo whenever a political agenda (no matter how right or wrong) is brought up in such matters.

Keep politics out of sports. In such a politically charged climate that we’re living in, everyone needs a safe space to get away from it.

Edit: also to add, Colin Kaepernick got punished especially hard, because his actions could be construed as disrespectful to the fallen patriots that died to give him the freedom to do what he did. Try doing that in certain other countries—even first world countries—and you’d be dragged off the field and sent to the gulags.

y’all are so privileged, but it’s such a banality to you that you can’t even appreciate how privileged you are.
What drugs are you smoking? Minorities have every right to speak out on their injustices. So a group should suffer in silence jist to accommodate the majority? Nah fuck that.
 
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deleted464787

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What drugs are you smoking? Minorities have every right to speak out on their injustices. So a group should suffer in silence jist to accommodate the majority? Nah fuck that.
I wasn’t aware that I said minorities don’t have the right to speak out on their injustices.

I also wasn’t aware that I said a group should suffer in silence to accommodate the majority.

are you responding to the correct person here?
 
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Kanashi

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I highly recommend Moonlight for anyone who hasn't seen it yet. It's a beautiful movie and one of the best LGBTQ movies I've seen in the past decade. Posting the trailer below.

such a beautiful film!
 
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michael_3165

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For me there are a few issues...

Firstly yes, there isn't much diversity. I find it infuriating to constantly see white, camp, *jazz hands* types. It is just incredibly clichéd.

Secondly people forget that there are still HUGE issues within the black community (I use that term very loosely) and LGBT. There are massive amounts of homophobia from certain sections of society, so we need to bear that in mind. If you want "genuine" LGBT actors playing roles (which theres a trend of demanding) you'll likely struggle finding too many POC (celebrity) who are actors, out and want to publicise it.

Being fat isn't "in" generally on TV. Should it be? I'd say that I would prefer "normal" looking gay people on TV. The question is, does that sell? It's all about the money.

As for diversity try It's a Sin which is a TV short series from 2020 ish. SO great w black, normal looking, camp, and straight acting types. It was beautifully done (though its a fucking heartbreaker so beware!)
 
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michael_3165

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I think also too what needs to kept in mind, is that much of advertising and media is geared towards the consumer whose decisions, and preferences tend to be the most lucrative and profitable for those wanting to make money...i.e., women, specifically ciswomen. So a lot of LGBT+ portrayal is going to follow their preferences and stereotypical perspective...
I don't buy that though. Because it's barely been tested. Also from my experience "cis" women aren't the key demo for this type of character. It's LGBT people surely?