MSCL.com

In the "Taboos" installment of VH-1's Retrosexual, Marshall Herskovitz discussed having a gay couple on Thirtysomething and how the network (ABC) wouldn't allow them to kiss onscreen. Funny to see how far ABC has come in less than fifteen years: Desperate Housewives and Life as We Know It.

Ya but how little they've still come in terms of gay characters. Sure Herskovitz/Zwick pushed a bit with each new series (Ricky in MSCL, though we never saw a gay kiss or anything, the lesbian kiss in Relativity, and then the lesbian storyline in Once and Again). But otherwise has ABC done much for actually *showing* affection between same sex couples on any of their shows? (though they didhave the first same sex kiss on all my children)

E

I'm inclined to agree with Eric, the accomplishments, though they are milestones appear rather meager when looking at the big picture. I can't really say what else ABC has done in terms of showing same-sex affection as I haven't seen Despearte Housewives or Life As We Know It. But I don't really have high hopes. Television is of course about business, and there is a strong, vocal, Christian right segment of the US population who would not enjoy watching same sex affection on Disney owned ABC. As well there is a smaller sub group that has taken it upon themselves to make sure no one 'has to' see same sex affection on television. Of course there are specialty shows like Queer as Folk, The L Word and others that I don't recall at the moment. There are also some people who claim they wouldn't be interested in seeing gay relationships on screen because every show that's done it before has done a crappy job. Fair enough, it's a good point but I still think these people are lying to hide bigotry but I'll still give that a thumbs up, hidden bigotry mixed with shame is still progress. Here in Canada things aren't any gayer but in general I'd say there is little to no affection on television here anyway.

grim4746 wrote:As well there is a smaller sub group that has taken it upon themselves to make sure no one 'has to' see same sex affection on television.

I got three words for those people: CHANGE THE CHANNEL

Boo freakin' hoo, they don't like same-sex affection. Grow up, everyone is different. I don't like to see opposite-sex affection everywhere I go, on the street - I hate PDAs. Just makes everyone uncomfortable. I've probably held my boyfriend's hand in public a total of five times or less in the past almost-two years we've been dating.

We are such hypocrites in America - I can't stand it. We are hungry for more sex, more sex, more sex... and sex of course sells, yet those Christian right-wing fundamentalists have a big ol' problem, even though THEY have sex, THEY are consumers of sex in this country also. What the hell???

(can you tell I've already had a long, hard day and it's only 12 noon?)