The roles of gay men in American society have been a source of great tension and confusion for many people. They don’t fit into the normative roles that society has deemed appropriate for men and women, so it is harder for people to try and classify them.
Instead of being viewed for what they are (human beings), gay men often fall victim to harsh stereotypes. According to Joshua Gamson, in an interview with NPR.org, “ Pop culture mainly defined gay men as promiscuous and deviant, rather than monogamous and devoted to their families.”
Gay men are also commonly stereotyped as being super feminine, which is not always the case. So, recent television shows are working to change this perception.
Shows like “Modern Family” and “The New Normal” are trying to make people view gay men in a way that they have never really been portrayed on television before.
I think that through these shows, television producers are trying to give gay men back what they have been stripped of– a sense of normalcy and identity. Gay men are looked at as outsiders, but these shows enlighten viewer on the fact that they are really just like everyone else.
While shows like “Modern Family” and “The New Normal” are not always accepted by everyone, I do think that they show a major shift in the American perspective on gay people. Once upon a time, it would have never been heard of to have a show that so blatantly displayed same sex relationships on air.
However, as time passes, there is beginning to be a wider acceptance towards gay men and their relationships.
Personally, it has never really seemed like any of my business who someone falls in love with. Whether you agree or not, I think that everyone deserves the same level of respect, and that’s really what it boils down to.
Gay men are still men. They can do the same things and live the same lives as any heterosexual male. Their sexual orientation does not reduce them to something other, and shows like the ones mentioned previously help to enforce this.
While society has not completely changed, modern television shows that display gay men in a positive light help to push it forward little by little.
