Would you like to watch movies or watch television? What you think of as gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GBLT) are represented in the media that produce and broadcast programming in English?
is proven that the power of images and words has a lot of influence on how society perceives the GBLT community. This article explores some examples of how the television series, dialogue programs (talk shows) and movies have depicted GBLT people in their stories, in countries like the United States, Mexico and Chile.
share the experience of Mónica Taher, director of the Program for People of Color group Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) and the United States whose mission is to monitor and ensure that the representation of the GLBT community is correct and that its members are represented responsibly in the media of this country. Monica
that by being a lesbian, she suffered a great deal of discrimination during his youth in El Salvador. But describing the acts against him were not his first personal experience with homophobia. She remembers that he had heard abusive language on radio and television and who grew up struggling with their sexual orientation to see how sensationalist the media demonizing GLBT people.
experience is not unique. Unfortunately, in many countries in Latin America, the Caribbean and other nations also the world, the GLBT community has lived through similar experiences. The use of offensive words to refer to LGBT people are still expressed and accepted in everyday life, including television and film. However, it should be noted that it can be distinguished efforts within the Hispanic media programming to improve the representation of LGBT people.
dialogue programs or talk shows
The Talk Shows are programs in which ordinary people outside the world of television entertainment or media, are interviewed by the presenter to give testimony of personal experiences that are living or have lived in your life. Issues are often with social, family and sex that capture the attention of viewers. Within the genus
of Talk Shows have been some episodes in particular have been of an offensive against the GLBT community. According to GLAAD, for example, programs for José Luis Sin Censura and El Show de María Laria "promote physical and verbal abuse against the GLBT community."
José Luis González and María Laria, GLAAD argues, have allowed the audience members used derogatory words that they themselves, presenters, have been inappropriate statements against the GLBT community. It also denounces the organization, these talk shows have allowed physical violence against GLBT people where Gonzalez and Laria let the audience and the panelists were beaten and insulted each other.
El Show de María Laria has been canceled but El Show de José Luis Sin Censura is being recorded in Los Angeles and airs in the U.S. and many other Latin American countries. To take action, please visit GLAAD http://www.glaad.org/action/calls_detail.php?id=3767 .
However, not all talk shows are the same. El Show de Cristina and program Caso Cerrado have been nominated this year for the GLAAD Media Awards 2007. In 2006, El Show de Rocio, Laura, and El Show de Cristina were among the finalists. He was awarded the award for El Show de Rocío for his episode about bisexuality. TV Shows
Mexico has produced a variety of television programs involving LGBT characters. We can cite as a concrete example of actress Jacqueline Aristegui, better known by the public as Freedom. His first identity was that of Armando Suarez Palomo, an actor best known for her roles in telenovelas. Today, Liberty is a transgender actress. She had an operation for genital resignation in 1997. Freedom continues to develop highly successful career in telenovelas (Between Love and Hate and The Sanchez) and performs many press interviews.
In Chile, before not given much attention to GLBT people in the media. And when they represented, the GLBT community is portrayed in a negative way. Currently, the presence of GLBT people on television and in movies is increasing rapidly.
In the fall of 2006, the soap opera difficult to reach thousands of Chilean homes at night. The plot tells the story of an American millionaire who travels to Chile in search of his real family. The alien is a fake family who is interested in getting the money. Two of the main characters, Xavier and Sebastian are gay. Javier is a student and Sebastian is on the other hand, a plastic surgeon. The series follows the relationship between Xavier and Sebastian and displays many of the complexities of two men who are not out of the closet. In its relationship shows the same conflicts faced by heterosexual couples, but also reveal the prejudices of friends, family and society in general. To complicate matters further, there are two women who fall in love with them and they do not understand because they are not reciprocated.
In my opinion, the telenovela Complices has represented the gay characters in a positive way. The lives of Javier and Sebastian are like any other and their work do not favor gay stereotypes, such as barber or designer threshing. This representation helps to normalize gay couples relations between these two men. On the other hand, the TV series also shows that everyday discrimination faced by gay people. This does raise awareness of the audience as to the damages that are not minimized.
Also in Chile in recent years it has become much more publicity about the film festivals gay and lesbian in America. For example, in March 2006, the First Cycle of Gay and Lesbian Film in Valdivia, Chile. Events like this are good opportunities to educate the public about the Gay and Lesbian community and the discrimination they faced. The fact that more releases of movies with a homosexual theme, such as La Sagrada Familia or La Fuga, a good sign. Not all are good representations of gay people, but it seems that this subject is moving. As for the film
in Chile, are talking about much of the movie Divine, whose picture is scheduled for this year by the debutante director Christian Castro. The film will be about the fire that occurred on September 4, 1993 in the gay club called "Divine" in Valparaiso. Killed about 16 people and think it was arson. To this day still do not know who was responsible for the tragedy. The film will deal with the stories of 5 five characters to be developed in parallel and that culminated in the fire. The most important of the film is that the story can be told that fire victims will not have died in vain.
In conclusion, I think you can say that the GLBT community representation in the media is improving. However, there are still many examples of offensive programming on the community and opportunities to educate the public. What can be done to advance the situation of LGBT in the media? Pay attention to the language used by television news and newspapers. Is that language discrimination against LGBT people? What kind of reports are written? Are they positive or negative? If they were not advancing the representation of LGBT people in the media, act. Write a letter to the source. On the other hand, if you notice that the representation has been good, it is also worth notice to the TV channel to show support and applaud their efforts.
important thing is to take action and consider the power that media has on the awareness, education and accurate information about sexuality issues. Knowledge is power! Our generation and future generations need to be informed to make responsible decisions about their sexual and reproductive health.
Written by Jessica L. Stepp
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