GLAAD Study: More Gay Characters On Network TV, Fewer On Cable

LOS ANGELES — The number of gay and bisexual characters on prime-time network TV is up slightly this season to 18 out of a total of 600 roles, according to the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.

The increase over 2008 fell well short of the more than twofold percentage jump in the '08 season compared to 2007, according to the group.

And on mainstream cable channels the number of such characters continued to drop, slipping from a total of 32 in 2008 to 25 this year. The 2007 tally was 40.

Two channels that program for gay viewers, here! and Logo, add 27 gay characters to the cable total, GLAAD said.

The 14th annual "Where We Are on TV" report released Wednesday found that 3 percent of actors appearing regularly on network drama and comedy series in the 2009-10 season will portray gay, lesbian or bisexual characters.

That's up from 2.6 percent in the 2008-09 season. In 2007-08, it was 1.1 percent.

Only four of the 18 characters this season are nonwhite, GLAAD found, and there is only one lesbian, on ABC's "Grey's Anatomy."

Using information provided by ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and CW, the group reviewed 79 scripted series announced to air this season.

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The steady increase in gay characters is promising, as are story lines that are becoming "more reflective of current issues affecting our lives," GLAAD President Jarrett Barrios said in a statement.

Fair, accurate images of gay couples marrying, raising families and contributing to their communities help fellow Americans "come to accept and better understand" their gay family members and neighbors, he said.

Examples cited by GLAAD include a gay couple marrying on ABC's "Brothers & Sisters" and a gay police officer on NBC's "Southland" – a rare character for a crime drama.

ABC led the networks in gay representation, with 5 percent or eight characters out of 160, followed by Fox with four out of 104 (4 percent).

CBS lacked a single gay or bisexual part, the report said. The network, which has gay cast members on its reality series and daytime shows, declined comment.

Speaking to TV critics this summer, CBS programming chief Nina Tassler said the network has a commitment to diversity, including gay representation, and intended to improve.

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On the Net:

http://www.glaad.org

Comments

[gascelebrations]

You know when things really started to change for REAL for African-Americans in the United States? When "The Jeffersons" and "Good Times" were finally on television. Boy oh boy, that made a reeeeeally big difference. Tolerance increased, the amount spent for education for black children suddenly became equal to that of whites, and if I remember correctly, many hungry mouths were fed and feet were shoed.

In other words, if this is seriously what the gay "community" views as an accomplishment, I've got oceanfront property in Kansas to sell you.

Why are we so OBSESSED with the symbolic distractions and never concerned about real achievement? Where are gay political leaders? Why do our social critics hide from criticizing the meaninglessness of such "advances"?

[Dacktyl]

Actually... you sound rather cynical... but the media has a role in shaping public perception that actually works hand in hand with effective social change in the real world. The constructions of reality are reflective of who gets a seat at the table, so yes... "The Jeffersons" and "Good Times" may not have solved all the world's problems but they did bring black families into the living rooms of white people - something that in many cases never happened in reality - so there is value in having positive depictions of minorities such as the lgbt community who, for many years have been either "symbolic annihilated" or relegated to the roles of characters who are written to be despised, mocked or murdered. You really need to educate yourself before you shoot off your mouth.

[mykebee]

Norwegians are also WAY under represented by cable and network TV.

You can always tell a Norwegian, but you can't tell him much.

[harriettubman]

They can't even come up with realistic story lines for minorities so how would they incorporate more stories for gay people? This generation of TV producers has no creative juices whatsoever!!!

[Ken Freedom]

99% of the time they can't even come up with realistic stories for anyone.

[Marcel09]

wow more gays than African Americans on tv

[talkingdog]

Gays total less than 1% of the nations population.
Why the fear of gays?
Ignore them.

[talkingdog]

Ingore them if you don't like them is what I mean to say. I doubt they care what you think.

[Babooshka7]

The networks' characters are one dimension...Cable "gays" are more fun to watch and have more subtance...fewer but stronger

[ImissBush]

90% of them lipstick lesbians

[Cryostatic]

The decline in gay characters in cable networks is probably due to the fact that they figured out that adding a token homosexual to a show rarely improves it's quality and more often than not comes off as what it is, an insincere ploy to up ratings.

The network stations are perhaps, a little behind on this, though the articles makes it sounds like they've actually assigned some serious roles, I'm sure those are only a small number compared to the tokens.

[Marco21]

Of course there are mor gay characters on network TV. Thats because they are pushing a gay agenda. Its also one of the reasons they are losing ratings.

[BlackJAC]

What exactly is this "gay agenda" you gops are so obsessed with?

[Marco21]

I'm not GOP. I'm Independent. And the gay agenda is the feminization of America which includes many different subversive aspects.

[ProfessorDuh]

Or maybe they're just reflecting reality for once. There are a lot more gay people in America than there are beautiful forensic crime specialists, you know.

[BlackJAC]

How 'bout beautiful gay forensic crime specialists?

[Cyke101]

Fox came in second when it came to number of gay characters. They're the last network I can think of that would be pushing a gay agenda.

[JIzin]

Yeah, the "gay agenda" of having the same rights you have as a heterosexual of marrying the person you love, and having all the rights, benifits, and LEGAL PROTECTIONS that marriage confers.

OooooOoooo! Scary! Gay people want to have equality! Cant have that Noooo sirReeee!

[Ken Freedom]

Mmm. Fact-free homophobia at its finest.

[OldHick]

Cable is more interested in market share, whereas regular network programs are more concerned about overhead expenses.

[mcmutter]

,,,,ironically FOX loves to have gay characters on their entertainment shows...

[TheOceanWalker]

If they would only bring back Tobias Funke.

[BlackJAC]

There's talk of a movie.

[invirginia]

Aren't all of their shows for entertainment? Certainly not for information.

[jsgaetano]

I guess that must be to "balance" how they disrespect gays on Fox News.

[Ganybyte]

Sandra,
GLAAD counted the gay/lesbian characters not actors. It is relevant because it is an indication of how gays and lesbians are represented on TV and how visible gays are. This isn't about what private citizens do behind closed doors, but about how people are portrayed on TV.
g

[Sandra Stipp]

Doesn't GLAAD haven't anything better to do than to "study" how many gay/lesbian actors we have? Personally I could care less of a persons sexualy persuasion. And even less so about gay/lesbian actors.
One thing though, I'm glad gay/lesbians no longer have to hide or lie about who they are.

[WillCooney]

Sandra, take a moment and watch GLEE. See how empathetic the gay character is and how much he will encourage other gay teens to carry on and not commit suicide. Open your eyes to the wider world. Plus, if you think we no longer have to hide or lie about who we are, you're completely misinformed and don't know, for example, gay black gospel singers!