Sexual Identity Representation In Film
Have you ever wondered why there is a lack of queer characters in films and television shows? Or why all of them seem to be the same person? This is part of the reason why there is an issue with the representation of sexual identity in film. Representation is important to end homophobia. It is also important for people to understand homosexuality and for LGBT+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and others who identify in the group) youth to have positive role models. Above this, it is important for all people to be more accepting of the LGBT+ community. Sexuality in the media could be more positively represented if there were more diverse LGBT+ characters. Newly developed diverse characters would …show more content…
According to Bryant (2011), “among the common themes noted are the portrayal of bisexuals as mentally ill, victims, unable to maintain relationship fidelity, people who sleep with anything that moves, sex workers and killers” (583-584). Film examples that give bisexuals a bad rap are Blue is the Warmest Color (Kechiche 2013) and The Kids Are All Right (Cholodenko 2010) . The character Adéle in Blue is the Warmest Color is bisexual and cheats on her long-term girlfriend for a man which results in the end of their relationship. A similar scenario plays out in The Kids are All Right where a married woman cheats on her wife with the sperm donor who fathered their children. The stigma of being unfaithful is often portrayed in the characterization of lesbian and bisexual films providing evidence that more diverse characters are needed. The stigmas applied to queer people are also relative to the stigmas of people of color leading to a lack of racial diversity in LGBT+ …show more content…
Film and television programming have come a long way in including LGBT+ characters and better representing sexuality in the past few decades but they still have a long way to go. If film leaders reduce the use of stereotypes and negative stigmas, create more racially and personally diverse characters, and rely more heavily on the portrayal of positive, mainstream LGBT+ scripts, the viewing audience will be more likely to understand people of diverse backgrounds and strive towards ending homophobia. Diverse inclusion of people of all persuasions are critical for advancing the acceptance of others and providing positive role modeling for today’s
Have you ever wondered why there is a lack of queer characters in films and television shows? Or why all of them seem to be the same person? This is part of the reason why there is an issue with the representation of sexual identity in film. Representation is important to end homophobia. It is also important for people to understand homosexuality and for LGBT+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and others who identify in the group) youth to have positive role models. Above this, it is important for all people to be more accepting of the LGBT+ community. Sexuality in the media could be more positively represented if there were more diverse LGBT+ characters. Newly developed diverse characters would …show more content…
According to Bryant (2011), “among the common themes noted are the portrayal of bisexuals as mentally ill, victims, unable to maintain relationship fidelity, people who sleep with anything that moves, sex workers and killers” (583-584). Film examples that give bisexuals a bad rap are Blue is the Warmest Color (Kechiche 2013) and The Kids Are All Right (Cholodenko 2010) . The character Adéle in Blue is the Warmest Color is bisexual and cheats on her long-term girlfriend for a man which results in the end of their relationship. A similar scenario plays out in The Kids are All Right where a married woman cheats on her wife with the sperm donor who fathered their children. The stigma of being unfaithful is often portrayed in the characterization of lesbian and bisexual films providing evidence that more diverse characters are needed. The stigmas applied to queer people are also relative to the stigmas of people of color leading to a lack of racial diversity in LGBT+ …show more content…
Film and television programming have come a long way in including LGBT+ characters and better representing sexuality in the past few decades but they still have a long way to go. If film leaders reduce the use of stereotypes and negative stigmas, create more racially and personally diverse characters, and rely more heavily on the portrayal of positive, mainstream LGBT+ scripts, the viewing audience will be more likely to understand people of diverse backgrounds and strive towards ending homophobia. Diverse inclusion of people of all persuasions are critical for advancing the acceptance of others and providing positive role modeling for today’s