Gay and Lesbian Representation On Aussie TV

[Christian Taylor]

So GLAAD in America has just sat through 4,693 hours of tv to assess how they feel the individual networks are representing gays, lesbian and transgender issues. (http://www.samesame.com.au/news/international/1175/US_TV_Cranks_Up_The_Gay_Dial)No network received an 'excellent' rating, but some did okay...

It begs the question though, how much better or worse is Australia? How well do you think we're represented on television in this country?

[timmeyboy]

Ok name some Gay men on Aussie Tv - one's that are out and proud......go on.........

[taylor-dayne]

http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,5311014,00.jpg

http://www.saxton.com.au/saxton_db_data/images/Newton_Bert.jpg

[meezon04]

LMAO

That is SUCH a young pic of him!

[Tim D]

Susan Kennedy?

[Cheetah77]

gay representation on Australian TV is pathetic. I don't remember there ever being Gay representation apart from those ill fated Aussie Queer Eye boys! Of course there are a couple of Australian produced shows on QueerTV but certainly nothing at all on free to air or even Foxtel that I know of!

and stupid me signed up for 3 yr contract with Foxtel before I found out about Queer TV and they don't have any of their shows on there so I'm stuck between rock and rock hard! Errr, that didn't come out right...

[drmoreau]

I can't say I'm particularly bothered by it.
Take political correctness too far and you risk introducing 'token characters'.

[jackie87]

No, the ABC doesn't even put out enough LGBT stuff (Controlled by ALP Catholics), SBS does a remarkable job though but why not enough stuff on the ABC apart from Play School?

[GenesisInVain]

I agree with Jackie, SBS does the best job!

[pinkyboisyd]

I dunno know... we had those 2 Lesbians on neighbours...

and that one gay boy on Home & Away...

The girls got over it..... and the boy was socially inept....

After all isn't that how straight people see being gay - A big social retardation phase that we eventually get out of.....

[Zakalwe]

The ABC show that's had the best Gay representation has been Spicks & Specks!

[jackie87]

Oh, I hate Alan Brough and that other bald one they are not even funny, just bitchy annoying whinging that pisses me off.

[Mr J]

I dunno know... we had those 2 Lesbians on neighbours...

and that one gay boy on Home & Away...

The girls got over it..... and the boy was socially inept....

After all isn't that how straight people see being gay - A big social retardation phase that we eventually get out of.....

I agree ... these kinds of representation are appaling. neighbours and Home and away only did it to get ratings through controversy. Neighbours had a lesbian charachter a couple of years ago and she kissed one of the straight girls. And with that couple neighbours got a heap of contraversy I remember there being newspaper articles over it saying how it was inappropriate. Though they do have a older lesbian and her partner that comes on occasionally and they are relatvively normal.

I feel sad that I actually know all this ... damn my sister for getting me addicted.

I agree that we don't have good represantaion on australian tv ... and when we are represented its usually conforms to stereotypes. Which confirms straight peoples views on us.

[Ruskin]

Did anyone else watch the new aussie show KICK on SBS?

One of the major characters, Leyla, was engaged, then she turned for another woman Jackie who was her fencing partner at uni ..
Very dramatic season final was last sat.

good storyline and performances, real three dimensional characters.

The show also aims to break down some immigrant stereotypes..
worth a watch
http://www21.sbs.com.au/kick/

Oh then there was Zack and Nick and various other GLBT on Big Brother... LOL

[Funking Trance]

I've noticed Dr Who on the ABC has a fair representation of gay themed characters although that is a British show. Mind you Russell T Davies of 'Queer as Folk' fame is the executive producer and head writer so I guess its not surprising.

[Zakalwe]

I've noticed Dr Who on the ABC has a fair representation of gay themed characters although that is a British show. Mind you Russell T Davies of 'Queer as Folk' fame is the executive producer and head writer so I guess its not surprising.

Have you seen Torchwood? Its probably the queerest show on television at the moment.

[Funking Trance]

Have you seen Torchwood? Its probably the queerest show on television at the moment.


Yeah I caught the first episode and then downloaded the rest although yet to watch it. That was also created by Russell T Davies and is a spin off from Dr Who as you probably know.

Have Channel 10 canned Torchwood? I've not seen it promo'd for a while now on 10.

[Zakalwe]

They moved it to another day at 12am.

Typical treatment of sci-fi on Oz TV. They did the same to Battlestar Galactica. Channel 9 did it to Star Trek as well. Dont get me started on this subject! ;) Thankfully i'd seen them all already downloaded off the net.

[Funking Trance]

Yeah it was never a Channel 10 show I don't think. They should have left it to the ABC to show when Dr Who was off season. I wonder if the ABC will be able to pick up the 2nd series which is about to air in the UK which by all accounts has a bigger budget and cross overs from Martha from Dr Who.

I'm a huge Dr Who fan so have high hopes for Torchwood. Did you enjoy it?

[Zakalwe]

There were some bad episodes, then there were amazing episodes.

Wait till you see the Episode when they meet the real Captain Jack!! Make sure you've got some tissues handy! ;)

The episode with the plane transported from the past is another good one.

Also the fairies at the bottom of the garden!

[Tim D]

Ok so 95% of people voting in the poll feel that gays are well represented on Aussie TV.

Let's have some suggestions of what could be done to rectify this! What types of characters could be added to shows?

My vote is for a family of drag queens to move into Ramsey Street.

[Zakalwe]

Bring back "Number 96" ! ;)

[pinkyboisyd]

LOL @ Family of Drag Queens - especially if they have a child.... theres a whole month of story-line right there...

"Mommy where did i come from?"

"Well when Mommy was all G'ed up in a back alley of Prahan she mistook an interesting Lesbian named FRANK for her boyrfiend and one thing led to another..."

[Tim D]

How about Sea Patrol with a group of gay sailors?

[Zakalwe]

I'd like to see a gay version of something like The Secret Life of Us or Sea Change. Forget this soap nonsense and bring back decent drama.

Perhaps it could be set in Surry Hills about the trials and tribulations, loves and laughs of a group of guys and girls who endevour to set up a gay social networking site. ;)

[Cheetah77]

sounds hot Zakalwe, you can write it, someone else here can direct and I'll be one of the stars! :)

[jackie87]

me too I wanna be the classic Neighbours bitch or the punk in Home and Away played by Dannii in her early years

[GenesisInVain]

Australian version of 'Queer As Folk' or 'Dante's Cove' or 'The L Word'? How good would that be!!!!

[Tim D]

I'd like to see a gay version of something like The Secret Life of Us or Sea Change. Forget this soap nonsense and bring back decent drama.

Perhaps it could be set in Surry Hills about the trials and tribulations, loves and laughs of a group of guys and girls who endevour to set up a gay social networking site. ;)

Ha ha that's hilarious! But what would we call it?

[Zakalwe]

Ha ha that's hilarious! But what would we call it?

The Golden Girls
(oh I think that might be taken...)

[GenesisInVain]

Same Same Dynasty ;)

[Tim D]

How about Samer Bay?

That gives the show lots of excuses for the boys to go topless.

[Zakalwe]

How about "Designing Women" ?
Getting closer but I think we need to workshop this...

[Tim D]

Gaywatch.

[Jody Ekert]

Secret Life of Us had a great gay teen story line....but we could use more for sure.

An Aussie version of L Word would rock - but may be unwatchable cause I've yet to see many local lasses that look like the LA ladies. And seeing two dykes shag on the pool table at the Bank may just be too much for TV.

[Timtam]

Ha ha that's hilarious! But what would we call it?


The Gays of Our Lives timmy?

[Tim D]

Ha ha, loves it.

[GenesisInVain]

Hmmm I want to see something set in Sydney, something to focus on young g's and l's (like teens) as well as the older g's and l's

[Blinking With Fists]

You'll need some stock plots for a serialised drama if you want it to compete in prime time. Select from the following:

a) someone goes missing in a helicopter/boat/solarium accident and the SES (which involves most of the principal cast) mobilises to find them, whilst one of the salt of the earth characters (perhaps a drag queen) comforts the readily grieving partner of at least one of those missing using home-spun and over-the-top cliches.

b) One of the young characters is tempted and runs away from home (thus becoming a new cast member)/cheats on a test/gets into drugs/develops manorexia/sleeps with someone else's boyfriend or girlfriend and somehow winds up getting an understanding lecture from an older member of the community.

c) Someone gets a stalker who dies in a fire only for them to come back from the dead along with at least one of the people they killed. Although this time, the stalker isn't a crazy lesbian or homosexual man! <cue dramatic music>

d) Some drag queens pile on a bus and go to a range of outback towns in glamorous outfits and then go on to be a worldwide phenomenon and muscial extravaganza, touring nationally!

e) A foster home is established by one of the couples at the local caravan park thus leading to the arrival of a troublesome young runaway who eventually grows and develops into a lovely young person with their whole life ahead of them, although they sadly take some poor advice from a dodgy hairdresser (I'm looking at YOU Mark Furze!)

f) Someone is NOT interested in getting with all the hot pretty boys and no-one can understand why. Finally it is revealed: he's straight and therefore a pathetic attempt at acknowledging diversity! Ultimately the straight boy has to move to a different town for purely contrived reasons.

Got any others?

[DanM82]

a) someone goes missing in a helicopter/boat/solarium accident and the SES (which involves most of the principal cast) mobilises to find them, whilst one of the salt of the earth characters (perhaps a drag queen) comforts the readily grieving partner of at least one of those missing using home-spun and over-the-top cliches.

That is just so gay! Oh Jesuth Christ! Stereotypes are for those with a lack of creativity... just look at the twinks.

[pinkyboisyd]

- How about after missing for sveral years the ugly brother or sister of one of the main characters returns to the town as almost a seemingly different actor then to that of the ones in the photgraphs and flashbacks..... as a new better and hotter version of the original..... they although seemingly perfect hold a dark secret.....

...aka they are secretly stealing money for their gender changing operation in thailand

[robbie]

funny Pinkbits..

How about - gay boy flies into Melbourne to see his mother and her new boyfriend.. hits market, picks up a local hottie, takes him home to mums for a shag.. they wake up the next morning and said trade hears his father's voice in the house - they're parents are dating each other! (true story - their parents are now married! haha!)

[DanM82]

Personal experience Robbie?