As a young gay boy, I looked for role models on TV, anyone to let me know that the feelings I was feeling for other boys weren't wrong, that it was normal. Eventually All My Children did a coming out story but since I was at school I didn't get a chance to watch it all the way through. There is one scene that sticks in my mind, a teacher Michael Delaney, was doing a lesson to his students about the holocaust and told them that he would have had to wear an upside pink triangle because he was gay. After that yet another character came out, alas the story was not a positive one but rather exposing the homophobia that is hidden in even the nicest of people.
Well of course this was no help to me. I already knew that people didn't like others that were different from them, and since I was the one who was different there was no need to remind myself. Just a few years later a little sitcom debuted that would sort of change my worldview, Will & Grace. The writing was sharp, the performances were phenomenal, and there was Karen Walker. I watched week after week laughing, enjoying the antics of the foursome.
Despite my growing fondness for the show, I realized that I had no desire to be Will, even though I should want to. He was successful, handsome, wealthy, and had dear friends. What was the problem? He was chaste, most of his stories revolved around Grace, Karen, and/or Jack. He had no love life to speak of, and his first kiss was to make a point to NBC executives and was shared with Jack. Well this just wouldn't do for me, I mean first I am not a logical person, if you anger or upset me, you know it. I am a creative, just like Jack, but I wasn't all the stereotypes (Ok I was and still am but thats not the point)
While my love affair with Will And Grace continued, my attention was pulled by another, more daring teen Drama. Yes I am talking about Dawson's Creek, I was hooked from the beginning but my interest was waning until they pulled out a surprise: Jack was gay!! This time the show did just about everything right, including letting the character have the character kiss, albeit a few seasons later.
After that almost every show had a gay character, whether openly or widely believed and 9 times out of 10 they were just supporting characters. What does this have to do with anything? I'm glad you asked, For a few years I have once again been frustrated with the lack of my life being reflected on TV. Sure we have Scotty and Kevin from Brothers and Sisters, but once they actually tied the knot their stories swerved away from the single life obviously.
With the exception of Brothers and Sisters, most of the shows don't show their gay characters beingintimate. One Life To Live made a big to do about them allowing former gay supercouple KISH to make love, shortly after they were let go. Which leads to Modern Family, and their gay couple Cameron and Mitchell. This week a controversy was started when Ryan Murphy noted that even though the couple have adopted a baby together, they don't kiss.
This leads me to wonder: Is America, The World ready to see gay men and women kissing? The short answer is they should be. However i confess that PDA's annoy me, I don't want to see a couple pawing each other, so I can understand why others are reluctant to see it. However there is a difference between the shows and real life, the show is suppose to be showing their intimate life, we "hear" conversations that are between 2 people.
In other words what I am saying is let the gays kiss, let them reflect the lives of your audience, quit being ashamed.
Well of course this was no help to me. I already knew that people didn't like others that were different from them, and since I was the one who was different there was no need to remind myself. Just a few years later a little sitcom debuted that would sort of change my worldview, Will & Grace. The writing was sharp, the performances were phenomenal, and there was Karen Walker. I watched week after week laughing, enjoying the antics of the foursome.
Despite my growing fondness for the show, I realized that I had no desire to be Will, even though I should want to. He was successful, handsome, wealthy, and had dear friends. What was the problem? He was chaste, most of his stories revolved around Grace, Karen, and/or Jack. He had no love life to speak of, and his first kiss was to make a point to NBC executives and was shared with Jack. Well this just wouldn't do for me, I mean first I am not a logical person, if you anger or upset me, you know it. I am a creative, just like Jack, but I wasn't all the stereotypes (Ok I was and still am but thats not the point)
While my love affair with Will And Grace continued, my attention was pulled by another, more daring teen Drama. Yes I am talking about Dawson's Creek, I was hooked from the beginning but my interest was waning until they pulled out a surprise: Jack was gay!! This time the show did just about everything right, including letting the character have the character kiss, albeit a few seasons later.
After that almost every show had a gay character, whether openly or widely believed and 9 times out of 10 they were just supporting characters. What does this have to do with anything? I'm glad you asked, For a few years I have once again been frustrated with the lack of my life being reflected on TV. Sure we have Scotty and Kevin from Brothers and Sisters, but once they actually tied the knot their stories swerved away from the single life obviously.
With the exception of Brothers and Sisters, most of the shows don't show their gay characters beingintimate. One Life To Live made a big to do about them allowing former gay supercouple KISH to make love, shortly after they were let go. Which leads to Modern Family, and their gay couple Cameron and Mitchell. This week a controversy was started when Ryan Murphy noted that even though the couple have adopted a baby together, they don't kiss.
This leads me to wonder: Is America, The World ready to see gay men and women kissing? The short answer is they should be. However i confess that PDA's annoy me, I don't want to see a couple pawing each other, so I can understand why others are reluctant to see it. However there is a difference between the shows and real life, the show is suppose to be showing their intimate life, we "hear" conversations that are between 2 people.
In other words what I am saying is let the gays kiss, let them reflect the lives of your audience, quit being ashamed.
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