GLAAD’s annual “Where We Are on TV” report was released this week, and was a bit bleak. We’re losing characters across scripted broadcast programming, and of all 468 LGBTQ characters counted across broadcast, cable and streaming networks, 36% won’t be returning due to cancellations, the miniseries/anthology format, or a character dying or otherwise exiting the show. We’ve talked a lot around here about how much these cancellations are f*cking our community, and recently listed more than 52 shows with lesbian and bisexual characters cancelled after one season.
But you wouldn’t know how desperately our community needs more LGBTQ+ characters on television from doing what I do every month, which is google all kinds of combinations of new show names and networks to figure out if they’re going to be showcasing LGBTQ characters. This is something I have to do to write the monthly streaming guide. And while those searches often turn out useful information, they also deliver, inevitably, a Reddit thread or Quora thread of people complaining about there being too many LGBTQ characters on television, or worrying that their favorite comic book is going to be “woke-ified” in its transition to television. Sometimes I copy and save my very favorite lines from these complaints to laugh at them and today seemed like a good moment to share them with the group.
The following excerpts have been ripped mercilessly out of context from comments on Quora, Reddit and other message boards about LGBTQ+ representation on television from homophobes who claim to not be homophobic.
1. “I’m not homofobic or anything like that but I’m sorry that isn’t the reality most people aren’t gay”
2. “I’m sick of the LGBTQIAZLWPD what the fuck ever. If you wanna scissor your girlfriend or puff each other’s peter… go do it. But, stop trying to shove the mess in my face.”
3. “When LGBTQ people talk about love, I cringe because they are always whining, complaining, and getting offended by everyone, every sentence, and every single normal shit.”
4. “At this point it feels like Apple is basically saying all Japanese women are homosexual which seems pretty darn racist to be honest.”
5. “As a straight man myself, I support gay rights and want people to be happy. But in real life, people keep their sex lives behind closed doors. So being forced to see men make out and have love scenes regularly now on TV makes me physically uncomfortable.”
6. “Tomorrow bestiality would start creeping into media, because apparently these hay-wired creative people would go overboard with their love for their pets.”
7. “I was watching a show the other day for the first time, I thought the plot was really cool, within the first two minutes a boy took another boy into his bedroom and they started kissing. Why?”
8. “enough we get it we are all equals thank you.”
9. “I’ve visited and stayed at the Disney World resort six or seven times; it seems they’ve taken a more drastic stance in the last few years as I don’t remember their push for gay this and gay that being so upfront and unceasingly…annoying.”
10. “Forcing Gay characters into all Netflix content makes me want to CANCEL IT! I should be able to EASILY FILTER GAY CONTENT!”
11. “There’s a gay person in every show now. That’s not even realistic. I rarely see someone who you can see is gay in my daily life. It’s ridiculous.”
12. “The media/Glam industry has so many Gay people at the top, they almost control the industry. So they go overboard and blow trumpets on everyone. This over representation sometimes backfires. Hence we have Gay pride parades, forced gay characters in every series.”
13. “Every show. EVERY single show has the SAME lesbian character and for some reason they think it’s cute to show long drawn out gratuitous kissing scenes. I don’t think I’ve seen a heterosexual love scene in a movie or television show in like 9 years!”
14. “I don’t care what you losers have to say, keep blowing each other.”
15. “I watched Killing Eve to the end on NF. But truth be told, if I had known nearly every female was going to be bi or lesbian, I would not have bothered.”
16. “9-1-1 has at least 13 lgbtq+ characters. I’m not taking a side in this. But by the numbers. That’s severe over representation. I am all for representation some of my favorite people are lgbt+. But just making characters that started out straight into queer characters for the sake of representation is disingenuous and hurts the cause.”
17. “I think the show-runners are actually exploiting lgbtq people. Like every scene I watch on these new shows that involves a gay person, the gay person is always dying to turn a corner and kiss their lover. I would be offended, and feel it’s insulting.”
18. “Please don’t reject God. Submit to Jesus Christ and be FREE!
19. “I know gay people exist, I don’t need to be reminded every time I watch tv… Anyone thinking this makes me homophobic, I feel the same way about vegans and gluten intolerance. Just shut up already and leave the rest of us alone.”
20. “By breaking in our houses through TVs and forcing our brains to see gay people all the times, MANY PEOPLE BECAME GAY”
21. “I just want murder and mayhem not activism. If I want social commentary, there are plenty of avenues.”
22. “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Being gay is NOT a personality.”
