Helpful or Hurtful? LGBTQIAA in the Media

Published in the Southern News on 4/29/2014

In the past 30 years, the LGBTQIAA community have made progress as becoming a respected and a permanent community in our society. Gay marriage is legal in 36 states, and gay relationships are now more accepted than in generations past. And of course, there is the issue of whether or not transgender people are represented right, or at all.

Although we have made great lengths in equality, the stereotypes of those who are gay, transgender, bisexual, the androgynous, and lesbian still manage to exist in media whether its on the silver or television screen.

On the screen, queer people seem to fit into one of three boxes. Gay men often are flamboyant and sassy. Lesbian women are often portrayed as having short hair, and are as tough as nails. Bisexuals are often shown as being promiscuous with multiple partners. Transgenders are often shown as wearing wigs and makeup, as well as trying to prove how they fit into their birth-assigned gender. And of course, there are the non-binary people who are not a man or a woman and rarely make an appearance in shows and movies.

Don’t believe me? Well here’s some examples to chew on. There’s Jack from ‘Will and Grace’ and Kurt from ‘Glee’ who fit the stereotype to a T.  There’s also Samantha Jones from ‘Sex and the City’, a bixsexual who is willing to have sex with anyone. Wade “Unique” Adams from Glee also wears wigs and dresses. All of these are examples from the television screen of queer people being showcased as a stereotype. These are stereotypes that aren’t always true.

As an ally to the LGBTQIAA community, I can say that these stereotypes aren’t true. In fact, these are hurtful, because many don’t even meet them. Many instances media portrayal of LGBT often have them in a single box, despite the fact that members of the community differ.

Believe it or not, LGBTQIAA  people come in many different forms. Sure, gay men sometimes can be extremely outspoken, but that’s not the case of every gay man. Yes, bisexuals can be promiscuous, however that’s not the case of every bisexual person. And some lesbian women tend to have shorter hair and a more masculine appearance, but that’s not the case of every lesbian.

And then there’s the issue for transgender people. It’s no secret that they are confused about their gender and try to figure out what their place is in this society. And of course, there is the issue of the non-binary people who are rarely present in media. Why can’t they have a more permanent place in modern media, that portrays them correctly? Is it because media want to stick out the fact they are gay or queer?

So, therefore, there’s nothing better than a stereotype to help do so. That can be hurtful, as you can imagine because your community is showcased in a way that may or may not ring true. Although its good that they are being portrayed and a part of the story lines, we do need to make sure that their sexual orientation isn’t a part of their personality.

But not all media is hurting the LGBTQIAA community. In fact, there are several instances of it actually helping.

In recent years, however, the portrayal of the queer community has slowly begun to change for the better. In the 2007 movie ‘Shelter’ gay couple Zach and Shaun are surfer boys, not flamboyant. In Glee, Brittany isn’t the promiscuous bisexual. In Pretty Little Liars, Emily isn’t the stereotypical lesbian. In ‘Ugly Betty’, Alexis Meade is one of the more powerful people in the Meade empire, despite her father telling her that she’s dead to him. These are only a few instances of the media showing LGBTQIAA in a more truthful manner.

The media has gotten better in showcasing the fact that members of the queer community come in all shapes and sizes. After all, it is 2015. We’ve come so far in the past 30 years to make the community a more equal place in our society as it should be.

But what we have to remember is that they are human. They come in all shapes, sizes and personalities. However, by giving them a stereotype, we are basically saying that they come in one form.

We really need to ditch all of these stereotypes that we have for them. We need to put more non-binary characters in the media, and represent them correctly. The stereotypes that are portrayed really need to go.

They are so last season and are going out of style rapidly. The new trend? Being more and willing to accept that just by the fact that someone is queer, doesn’t meant that they are automatically checked into a stereotype.