Poll: Should There be Gay Characters in Kid's Shows/Films?
- Thread starter interspark
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Kids shows always try to include a wide range of people. They always include a whole bunch of kids from different races and they should do the same with sexual orientation. The reason they include lots of nationalities in these shows is so that kids will accept these as being real people and part of the word.
I can't think of any good reason to oppose it.
I can't think of any good reason to oppose it.
Yes, in a very "Adam likes girls, Zack likes boys, everyone is different" sort of way. Sex doesn't even need to come into the equation, at least as far as the kid knows.
Children need to know that such differences are natural and not even uncommon- I think that, with such early understanding, you'd see a pleasant deficit of homophobia in schools, High Schools being the main issue.
Children need to know that such differences are natural and not even uncommon- I think that, with such early understanding, you'd see a pleasant deficit of homophobia in schools, High Schools being the main issue.
Should there be? As in, should gay characters be shoe-horned into children's shows just so there'll be a gay character? Certainly not, obviously. If it makes sense for a character to be gay, then that's fine. Then again, I'm of the opinion that sexual preference of gender is in the genes.
No.
For me to know that they are gay without seeing the show itself, they would have to advertise it, which means they are trying to cater a certain audience that I do not belong to or is just trying poor humor like those parody movies which I detest. If the character turns out to be homosexual in between the storyline, I would not care but just saying "this is bob, he is gay" is pretty poor presentation.
For me to know that they are gay without seeing the show itself, they would have to advertise it, which means they are trying to cater a certain audience that I do not belong to or is just trying poor humor like those parody movies which I detest. If the character turns out to be homosexual in between the storyline, I would not care but just saying "this is bob, he is gay" is pretty poor presentation.
If we can have heterosexual couples, married parents, etc on kid's shows, I see absolutely no reason for there not to be gay characters as well, except for that the network would get blasted by Fox news and the super-conservatives.
This drone speaks with the voice and authority of the LGBT community (sounds like a delicious sandwich)-
Let me weigh in on the issue, after reading countless responses to this issue here and everywhere else people seem to be missing one big part of the puzzle here. When a heterosexual character engages in a relationship with a person of the opposite gender, what is their most defining characteristic? Is it their sheer obstinancy? Their roguish lop sided grin and sarcastic manner, perhaps they are inhibited and reserved around most people? For whatever the reason we know that the character is of note and is differentiated by their own characteristic flaws or merits, it certainly isn't because of their heterosexuality.
Which brings me to the big point, we need to stop writing about "gay characters" and start writing characters that happen to be gay, and not just for fiction for children. I am not a fan of any heavy handed method when it comes to teaching children even if it is for a good cause, I think there should always be a choice for the parents if they want to expose their children to any sexuality of/or human pair bonding.
My biggest problem with 'gay characters' in most day time friendly television series is the heavy handed way they are meant to educate adults about sexual diversity. Most of these characters are hardly relatable and they always have a tendency to devolve into camp, that or they are depicted in an overly flattering way, this can be just as damaging and counterproductive to what the writers were intending to do. How is a character even remotely human when he does nothing but act like Jack from Will and Grace?!
I just came out at work a month ago, I've been dreading it for awhile simply for how inevitably boring it is and I'm sure my coworkers noticed after my lack of alacrity in how I was barely engaged with their conversation about your typical generic super model/actress type anyway.
Big deal, so what? You know why I didn't come out when I started working there over a year ago? Besides being INCREDIBLY obnoxious and a gross implication that I can't stand out beyond my sexuality and just having the virtue of being INCREDIBLY unimportant to the task at hand, I didn't think they were ready and that I'd rather that they know me as a person and make their own judgments based on THAT information rather than some absurd stereotype.
Let me weigh in on the issue, after reading countless responses to this issue here and everywhere else people seem to be missing one big part of the puzzle here. When a heterosexual character engages in a relationship with a person of the opposite gender, what is their most defining characteristic? Is it their sheer obstinancy? Their roguish lop sided grin and sarcastic manner, perhaps they are inhibited and reserved around most people? For whatever the reason we know that the character is of note and is differentiated by their own characteristic flaws or merits, it certainly isn't because of their heterosexuality.
Which brings me to the big point, we need to stop writing about "gay characters" and start writing characters that happen to be gay, and not just for fiction for children. I am not a fan of any heavy handed method when it comes to teaching children even if it is for a good cause, I think there should always be a choice for the parents if they want to expose their children to any sexuality of/or human pair bonding.
My biggest problem with 'gay characters' in most day time friendly television series is the heavy handed way they are meant to educate adults about sexual diversity. Most of these characters are hardly relatable and they always have a tendency to devolve into camp, that or they are depicted in an overly flattering way, this can be just as damaging and counterproductive to what the writers were intending to do. How is a character even remotely human when he does nothing but act like Jack from Will and Grace?!
I just came out at work a month ago, I've been dreading it for awhile simply for how inevitably boring it is and I'm sure my coworkers noticed after my lack of alacrity in how I was barely engaged with their conversation about your typical generic super model/actress type anyway.
Big deal, so what? You know why I didn't come out when I started working there over a year ago? Besides being INCREDIBLY obnoxious and a gross implication that I can't stand out beyond my sexuality and just having the virtue of being INCREDIBLY unimportant to the task at hand, I didn't think they were ready and that I'd rather that they know me as a person and make their own judgments based on THAT information rather than some absurd stereotype.
I could ramble for hours on this. (I ain't though because it's like 11pm where i am)
Because of the time where i am i put it simply: it should be at the parents whim that they do. As in "flip on bob the builder for my future hetero son", and "flip on teletubbies for my son who has his choice". the only reason that there is none of kind of thing is people;e who are in the no category are usually willy to go to war over it, which in today's society means "I'ma sue your ass back into the stone age for goin against my book written 1200 years ago". therefor no channel wants to get near it.
i chose not on the really kiddie shows because i don't think any sexuality should be shown to anyone under 5(i was 4 the first time i watched Fox and the Hound remember it vividly) hate to be in this catagory, but at that point they are to young to know what they are seeing and may impression it no matter the message, from: Share! to it's cool to kiss boys/girls. i wasn't into tv when i was young don't see why kids nowa days should be.
Because of the time where i am i put it simply: it should be at the parents whim that they do. As in "flip on bob the builder for my future hetero son", and "flip on teletubbies for my son who has his choice". the only reason that there is none of kind of thing is people;e who are in the no category are usually willy to go to war over it, which in today's society means "I'ma sue your ass back into the stone age for goin against my book written 1200 years ago". therefor no channel wants to get near it.
i chose not on the really kiddie shows because i don't think any sexuality should be shown to anyone under 5(i was 4 the first time i watched Fox and the Hound remember it vividly) hate to be in this catagory, but at that point they are to young to know what they are seeing and may impression it no matter the message, from: Share! to it's cool to kiss boys/girls. i wasn't into tv when i was young don't see why kids nowa days should be.
...I don't think you mean Andy Warhol. This is the man with such films to his name as "Blowjob" (a film of the face of a man presumably enjoying a blowjob) and the infamous "Blue Movie" (unsimulated gay sex). On top of that, his art is full of gay iconography and and his original work was rejected for being "too openly gay".funguy2121 said:
Maybe you mean Normal Rockwell? People seem to get the two confused surprisingly often.
I'll answer this thread like I would to any thread about other minorities in media; if it is relevant to the narrative, go for it. Do not shoehorn in homosexuality, or women, or people with some disability, but if it adds to the situation in some way, then don't be afraid to be bold.
I don't think there should anything of a sexual nature in kids shows, regardless of whether it is heterosexual or homosexual.
The real issue is that children's shows can't have any feminine men/masculine women, or men/women who are close friends with other men/women without the media jumping up and down and yelling that they are corrupting kids.
The real issue is that children's shows can't have any feminine men/masculine women, or men/women who are close friends with other men/women without the media jumping up and down and yelling that they are corrupting kids.
Why should you have to make a big deal about a character's sexuality? maybe there are already gay characters but you just didn't notice. How do you know if the guy from Blues Clues isn't gay? Or if Dora the Explorer isn't a lesbian? maybe the makers just didn't feel the need to be pretentious assholes and to put a gay character into the show just to shove in the child's face every chance they get?
I like the way that shows like the anime Cowboy Bebop (not a kid's show, but still) did the sexuality thing: they didn't shove it in your face. in one episode, the character finds himself running into another person's room, with two men in bed together; they don't make a big deal about it, and you could just as easily not notice it. They treat it just like if the character had run into a room with a man and woman in bed. So, rule of the game: WHO F-ING CARES.
I like the way that shows like the anime Cowboy Bebop (not a kid's show, but still) did the sexuality thing: they didn't shove it in your face. in one episode, the character finds himself running into another person's room, with two men in bed together; they don't make a big deal about it, and you could just as easily not notice it. They treat it just like if the character had run into a room with a man and woman in bed. So, rule of the game: WHO F-ING CARES.
On a slightly different, but I feel relevant point, there was a lot of complaints about a kids BBC presenter who has one arm missing from the elbow down. Parents were demanding that she was removed as she was 'scaring their children'.
Surely, if you have any sense at all, if your kid says 'mom, why does she only have one hand?' you just go something like 'oh I expect she had an accident, she's fine tho, some people just look different, and she's happy isn't she?' because one thing you can guarantee is kids tv presenters grin like loons 24/7 while a camera is near
Reminds me of Louis CK about the attitude of some people against gay marriage 'but I don't want to have to explain it all to my child!' 'what, two guys that love each other shouldn't get married because you can't talk to your own kid? screw you'.
The more we can explain different races, sexualities, religions, and disabilities to kids, the less hate and ignorance we'll have in adults in 10 years time.
Surely, if you have any sense at all, if your kid says 'mom, why does she only have one hand?' you just go something like 'oh I expect she had an accident, she's fine tho, some people just look different, and she's happy isn't she?' because one thing you can guarantee is kids tv presenters grin like loons 24/7 while a camera is near
Reminds me of Louis CK about the attitude of some people against gay marriage 'but I don't want to have to explain it all to my child!' 'what, two guys that love each other shouldn't get married because you can't talk to your own kid? screw you'.
The more we can explain different races, sexualities, religions, and disabilities to kids, the less hate and ignorance we'll have in adults in 10 years time.