Op-Ed: Has Television Made Gay Lifestyle More Acceptable?

Has the use of gay characters on television helped with the social landscaping of homosexuality? Would actors who out themselves be less received without the trend of gay characters on the boob tube?

Back in 1977 "Soap" really started the ball rolling with a much loved gay character played by the talented Billy Crystal. His character was one of the more realistic in a cartoonish show. While the fact he was gay was prominent it didn't derail that the character was a good guy or one of the kinder members of the show's ensemble. The character was played by a heterosexual male and that perhaps helped make it acceptable at the time period. Today it's just as common to have a gay man playing a straight character and visa versa. The world of television seems to shape the mores of society at a quicker pace than any other current medium.

The gay community is large and diverse and increasingly multigenerational, and as that becomes truer, I think we’ll see more diversity on TV and a move from stereotypical things to less stereotypical things, as there’s more diversity to choose from.

Damon Romine is the entertainment media director for GLAAD.

Society is becoming more accepting of those with different sexual orientations. There are still fragments though that are not as accepting which leads to hate. By using a medium like television though those pockets can perhaps be educated that tolerance is the answer even when one does not approve of a lifestyle. Although not all will agree with this thought pattern.

We have not seen any what I would consider honest portrayals of the homosexual lifestyle on television in at least 20 years.

The gays consistently are portrayed as the loyal friend, the most self-sacrificing person, even the most morally upstanding person. So the public is getting this constant picture of gay life as something exemplary.

Robert Knight is director of the Culture and Family Institute.

Shows often reflect real life. Ellen DeGeneres came out of the closet on her series "Ellen" in 1997. Although much has improved in the rights of gays more still needs to be done. In Hollywood there are still taboos which causes some to remain in the closet.

Some say the key to creating more awareness and acceptance of gays and lesbians lies in getting gay actors to open the closet door. "We have all these gay shows but how many actors have come out? ...When that doesn't need to have to happen, that's when we have achieved something," says Michael Lumpkin.

Today's shows though depict their gay characters in more realistic light than in the past. At some point we won't even comment on the casting of sexual orientation. Society will have evolved to tolerance.