We are bombarded by gay men in the media today. Fox News recently did a story that said that
4.4 percent of scripted characters this season are to be gay (http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2012/10/05/study-number-gay-characters-on-tv-at-all-time-high/). A stereotype that is often shown in the media is the theatre loving gay. Think about it, in today’s television world every show has a gay and its more likely than not that they love the theatre as well.
Glee has Kurt.
Then there is Jack in Will and Grace.
Obviously Cam from Modern Family.
Who can forget one of tv's first gays, Justin from Ugly Betty.
Lastly, one of my personal favorites is Tom from Smash.
Because of the stereotype that has been created about gays loving the theatre any guy associated with the theatre is automatically assumed to be gay as well. I found an article that addressed this topic.
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AllGaysLoveTheater
The article says that because gay men are shown loving the theatre it is effecting strait men who like the theatre as well. Strait men who like like theatre are assumed to be gay because of the stereotype the media has created.
Television shows only one type of homosexual man when in reality just because someone is attracted to the same gender does not mean that they all have the same interests. Just like not all cheerleader are blonde or not all asians can't play sports, not all gays love the theatre. Stereotypes are very harmful and we should remember that just because someone appears a certain way does not mean that that is how they truly are.
This is so true! Hahaha. I haven't noticed how much the media (specifically TV shows) always enforces the idea that gays love theatre.
ReplyDeleteI like your media references and I also see it prevalent in the media a lot. Especially at BYU, I think we put this group into only specific interest or preference and group unfamiliar things all together
ReplyDeleteHaving been a theatre major this really is a problem for straight men! So many of my friends have been assumed gay even when they don't have any effeminate qualities or habits only because they participate in theatre. I also have a lot of straight friends that avoid going to shows or watching certain things because of the gay stigma attached.
ReplyDeleteThis is a true stereotype. I myself have put gay males into this stereotype a lot. I know it is unfair, but I viewed gays as those with a different voice who enjoy theater. I think the media kinds of warps my perception this way.
ReplyDeleteI like this. I need to change my perception on this... because I see a guy in the theatre a lot of times I catch myself making assumptions. There's nothing wrong with liking the theatre... there's nothing about it that would necessarily make someone attracted to the same gender. You're dead on with this.
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