Ty Burrell On 'Modern Family' And Gay Rights

Not only did it sweep the Emmy comedy categories this year, but "Modern Family" may have done a little something for the gay rights movement.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, "Modern Family" star Ty Burrell opened up about why he thinks the ABC sitcom has been an important part of our culture over the past few years.

"I have family members that I don’t necessarily need to name, that felt one way [about gay rights] five years ago and feel a different way now," he said. "And I do really think that has something to do ... [with seeing] gay people living the same lives as everybody else. And I think that, sort of weirdly enough, that banality, is revolutionary.

"Just seeing [their characters] Mitch (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) and Cam (Eric Stonestreet) dealing with the kid trying to sleep, trying to figure out how to dress them for Halloween, fighting about who’s the breadwinner," Burrell continued. "Everything is, other than a few small things, essentially the same."

NBC's "The New Normal," on the other hand, saw a great deal of backlash for featuring a gay couple before it even aired.

"The silly part is that no one has seen it," Rannells, who stars on the Ryan Murphy comedy, told PrideSource of boycotts against the show. "So what that boycott is based on is a two-line description of what they read this show was about and, just based on that alone, they're upset. That's disappointing because ultimately, what the show is about is how much love it takes to start a family -- and not just our family."

For more on Burrell, head over to "The Hollywood Reporter."

Catch "Modern Family" on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.

Do you think "Modern Family" has helped the gay rights movement? Sound off in the comments.