Representing GLBT Characters on Television · Representing GLBT Characters on Television Larry Gross and James D. Woods Monday, November 14, 2011

Representing GLBT Characters on Television

Larry Gross and James D. Woods

Monday, November 14, 2011

Glee


Social Function of Television

• Television as the great storyteller in our culture.

• What is the fate of a cultural group that finds itself on the outside of the cultural mainstream.

• Does representation equal equality?

• As the critic how do we “unpack” representations of the GLBT community in popular culture?


Television in particular has become a key source of (mis)information about the world, thus helping to create and maintain a common set of values and perspectives among its viewers (Gross and Woods, 8).

How does the media represent you?


Grey’s AnatomyMad Men


Modern Family


Gay and Lesbian Characters on Televisionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki Lists_of_television_programs_with_LGBT_characters


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

Because we now see so many more representations of gay and lesbian characters on television the question is not of underrepresentation but of misrepresentation.

Role of the critic is to explore how media representations “police the boundaries” of what is considered “normal” and what is considered


Questions:

• Authenticity

• Representational Politics/Power

• Authority (who speaks for whom?)

• Essentialism


Gay advocates and our adversaries agree on one things: the media are more than “mere” entertainment. The mass media that tell most of the stories to most of the people more of the time are slowly shifting the terms of our public conversation toward a greater inclusiveness and acceptance of diversity (Gross and Woods, 20)


Documents

Representing GLBT Characters on Television · Representing GLBT Characters on Television Larry Gross and James D. Woods Monday, November 14, 2011