Giving Thanks: Russell T. Davis

Originally posted on www.biggaypictureshow.com

When we see gay people appear on our television screens many of us may feel a sense of pride or achievement just because we are being represented on television. In all fairness this sense of pride or achievement may not be as strong as it was 10 or 15 years ago, as we now see gay people in all walks of life and we are no longer considered a taboo in the British media, or by a vast number of those in society.

But what we have to ask ourselves is how did this happen? Yes there have been people campaigning for years to allow gay people to have the same rights as straight people, and they fought the battles in courts and in parliament and helped us achieve equality in the workplace, schools and many other areas of our lives where we were once discriminated.

But the mass media, television, film, music also had a significant impact as many believe what they see on TV, and come to find what they are shown to be the norm. So how did we get to have gay characters spring up in film and television? Well that credit has to be given to those behind the scenes.

Over the last few decades countless writers and producers have helped gay men and women make their way onto our screens, and in Britain one of the most well known to do this is Russell .T Davies.

We all know Russell for his revival of the hit Sci-Fi programme Doctor Who and its subsequent spin off shows Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures, and even with these shows he’s managed to incorporate LGBT characters in the shape of Captain Jack Harkness the well known bisexual who is played by openly gay actor John Barrowman.

But obviously this probably wouldn’t have been possible if it hadn’t been for his breakout television show Queer as Folk, which centred on gay men living in Manchester. The show broke boundaries and helped gay men get the representation on television that was needed.

However his contributions to the LGBT community on television didn’t just start on Queer as Folk. Whilst working on children’s television show Children’s Ward he wrote a script that challenged the assumption that only gay people could contract HIV, when he featured a teenage boy who had been infected with the virus due to a blood transfusion. And he even incorporated gay characters in other programmes he worked on, such as a lesbian vicar in the late night soap Revelations.

So whilst we are sat watching television and see these gay characters walking around on our television sets, just take a moment to think about the great people working behind the scenes who have helped push us into the mainstream media and into most people’s viewing schedules.

Why gay characters need to be on TV

Originally posted on www.biggaypictureshow.com

Over the last decade the gay community have come onto our television screens with a bang. Since the 90s we have seen a selection of television shows achieve ratings and critical success such as Queer as Folk, Sugar Rush and Lip Service, along with gay characters playing principal roles in other television dramas and comedies like Shameless, Skins and Gimme Gimme Gimme.

Aside from this we now have gay characters on our television screens on a daily basis with soaps like Coronation Street, Hollyoaks and Eastenders featuring several gay characters and storylines, allowing everyone to see that we are just the same as everyone else.

However where these programmes, characters and storylines have been met with praise and positive responses, they have been equally met with dislike and several complaints to Ofcom.

Over the last few years there have been several issues in the news surrounding gay people on television, such as the complaints surrounding a lesbian kiss on Coronation Street, along with some feeling there were two many gay characters on the show. There were complaints surrounding a gay sex scene involving openly gay actor John Barrowman in Doctor Who spin off Torchwood, despite the programme being aired after the watershed, and there were complaints regarding a gay couple being seen in bed with each other in Eastenders.

The fact of the matter is when straight people on these shows are shown kissing or in bed, we never hear of several complaints being made to Ofcom because of it. And even more importantly gay people are part of society and therefore should feature in television shows especially soap operas, I mean we wouldn’t complain if there were two many black or Asian people on Coronation Street would we?

Aside from gay people needing to be seen on television to show people that we are part of society, it also needs to show that we are just like everyone else, dealing with the mundane 9 – 5 working hours or having troubled relationship problems. Yes there have been stereotypes in the past such as Tom from Gimme Gimme Gimme or Mr Humphries in Are You Being Served? But in the last 10 years television has helped show that the gay community is just as diverse as every other community and that we aren’t all running around shouting “I’m free.”

The most important reason for us being visible on screen is to show today’s youth that it’s ok to be gay so they aren’t scared to come out, and to show others that gay people aren’t to be viewed as something different or to be scared of. Eventually with enough positive portrayal on television we may be able to almost stamp out homophobic issues, but until then we’re just going to have to keep showing everyone that we are just normal people.

What's Wrong With Gay Sex?

Originally posted on www.gailymail.co.uk

So yet again there are people complaining about the display of man-on-man sex on television. In the firing line this time, Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood.

It was announced recently that the BBC had received around 500 complaints in relation to a sex scene between the television show’s main character Captain Jack Harkness (played by openly gay actor John Barrowman) and another man.

A number of the complaints were saying that the scenes were unsuitable for children. Now the last time I checked, the show is broadcast after the 9pm watershed (which was introduced so children wouldn’t be exposed to scenes of a sexual nature), therefore allowing the display of such things as sex on screen. So the real question is why are these children watching the programme? Surely the parents should know what to expect and therefore prevent their children from watching – it’s as simple as that.

What is truly annoying about this whole situation is that during a previous episode of Torchwood there was a sex scene shown between one of the lead characters Rex and a woman – were there any complaints about that? As far as I am aware there were not. So why do people find it acceptable to allow their children access to straight sex on screen but as soon as it’s two men all hell breaks loose and it is deemed as ‘disgusting’ and ‘irrelevant’?

A number of people have deemed these scenes ‘pointless’ and as I mentioned earlier ‘irrelevant to the plot.’ But why is a gay sex scene between the lead character and a male love interest, who later goes on to become a key part in the storyline, irrelevant and a sex scene between a man and woman, which could have been left out in all fairness, be deemed acceptable? It makes absolutely no sense what so ever.

As a big fan of Torchwood I can understand why the sex scene was included in the show – it not only further develops the character of Jack, but also develops the plot line, but people don’t seem to see this as they are too blinded by the fact that two men have just kissed. Believe me it does happen. Which makes me wonder, if Jack were having sex with a woman, would there have been a commotion? Probably not as these fans have already proved they have no issue with two straight people having sex on screen.

The BBC has come forward and defended its actions for showing the scene, explaining to the narrow-minded fans that allow their children to watch TV after 9pm, that the show was on after the watershed, so therefore such scenes should be expected. The BBC has also stated that it aims to depict sexual relationships in an honest, realistic way, which they have done, and good on them for defending their actions. However they did edit down a sex scene earlier on in the series as they deemed it too explicit for UK audiences, which I find absolutely ridiculous considering the scene was aired in full on American television, and we all know their rules on what can and can’t be be seen on TV compared to over here. So if it’s good enough for America, why isn’t it good enough for the UK?

This is only the latest example in an ongoing apparent attack on gays on screen. Recently there was a huge debate in the media about there being too many gay characters in UK soaps, so obviously Eastenders and Coronation Street were in the firing line then. But now it looks as though some UK television viewers are just out to attack everything gay on TV, I mean 12 years ago Queer as Folk aired in the UK and was shocking but I honestly thought audiences had come a long way since then and now accepted gay people, but apparently not.

The perceived acceptance of us gays by some in society is a case of “I don’t care if they are gay, but I just don’t want to see it.” Well this is what I gather from the attack on television anyway. But guess what, gay people do exist and we deserve just as much exposure in the society we live in as straights. I mean if someone complained about a black person on television there would be uproar, but it seems that it’s still ‘open season’ where gay people are concerned.

It looks as though we still have a long way to go before people accept us on television, but I’m giving a big thumbs-up to both Torchwood and the BBC for sticking to their guns and defending something that deserves a place on TV and in society.