Television May Be Embracing Gay Characters, But Where Is The Same-Sex Intimacy?http://www.buzzfeed.com/louispeitzman/television-may-be-embracing-gay-characters-but-where-is-theAuthor: Louis Peitzman Source: Buzzfeed
While LGBT representation went down slightly in 2013, the bigger problem is how LGBT characters were portrayed. With displays of same-sex affection so invisible, gay characters just aren't on the same footing as their heterosexual counterparts.
[. . . ] the climate as a whole isn't nearly as progressive as it purports to be. By and large, gay characters are sexless. And when they're not, their trysts are still more insinuation than anything explicit. LGBT audiences aren't looking for porn on network television, but we need more than the occasional hint that two same sex characters are attracted to one another. It comes down to depictional equality: If the straight couples on a show are making out, the gay couples ought be able to make out too.
Yes, representation is essential. [. . . ] The mere presence of gay characters isn't enough, and even the so-called politically charged story lines surrounding adoption and marriage equality are tame.
