We’ve been treated to groundbreaking LGBTQ+ shows in recent years, all of which have helped pave the way for positive representation of gays, and it was certainly beautiful to watch.
Depictions of queer and transgender people have been present in the TV and film format for years, but due to the intense prejudice against the LGBTQ+ community at various points in time, the battle for on-screen representation has been an uphill battle.
While we were introduced to the sitcom Will & Grace, which focused on the lives of two gay men in the early 2000s, and Russell T Davies’ Queer as Folk, another series that focused solely on the lives of LGBTQ+ people, many remain puzzled. how far we have progressed.
In 2021, everyone was talking about Davies’ Channel 4 masterpiece It’s A Sin, starring Olly Alexander and Neil Patrick Harris, and following the lives of a group of young men coping with the horrors of the HIV/AIDS epidemic of the 1980s. to endure. as well as the pain of rejection and the prejudice their peers have faced over the past decade.
While LGBTQ+ representation in some facets of the media has reached unprecedented heights with shows like Modern Family and Orange Is The New Black, filmmaker and director Kevin Morosky believes more needs to be done and has called for future TV shows to create space. for ‘truly intersectional’ characters.
“With It’s A Sin, don’t get me wrong, it’s about a certain moment in time, but I think it’s a bit dangerous if the story comes from a negative angle,” he said. metro.co.uk†
Morosky — who related his experience of heartbreak through short, poetic vignettes in his self-published novel Notes — said there were “other ways” of telling these kinds of stories “that give more character to the character.”
“I know a lot of people will disagree with me on this,” he added.
‘Of course I didn’t think that show was super progressive; it was a story that needed to be told. But I think it’s a story that is told over and over again. I didn’t enjoy it in the sense of… I’m very concerned if the narrative in gay LGBTQ+ stories revolves around trauma.
‘I didn’t enjoy it, to be honest. That’s not a commentary on the work at all, but more on what I do and don’t want to consume.’
In 2021, It’s A Sin won a National Television Award for best new drama and even broke a Channel 4 record after it was hailed as the ‘most acclaimed new series ever’, with the first episode becoming the streaming service’s most popular drama launch. on file.
About the critically acclaimed show, Davies told Collider: “It’s an honor to do, but I remember there are people who have been working with HIV for 40 years but don’t get on television.
“So I’m trying to do my part, but it’s really extraordinary. I’ve launched some big shows in my time – Queer as Folk, Doctor Who. They were huge. I never expected it to be this huge, but it’s quite humbling.”
After the release of Netflix’s Heartstopper, the series was celebrated by millions of fans who were enamored with the blossoming love story between schoolboys Nick Nelson (Kit Connor) and Charlie Spring (Joe Locke), based on Alice Oseman’s magical graphic novels.
While discussing the joyous hit, Morosky expressed how moved he was by the romantic coming-of-age comedy.
“I can’t say how much fun it was to just read a positive story,” he said.
“I know it has a lot of ups and downs and things that they have to deal with, but there are overwhelmingly good moments where they fall in love, and it’s just beautiful.
“Your heart isn’t in your hands half the time.”
TV does a better job of emphasizing the queer experience. But shows like Glee, Friends and Gossip Girl have been accused of falling into stereotypical territory, unlike Euphoria and Netflix’s Sex Education, which have shown that the LGBTQ+ identity has a major impact on and off the screen.
And while things are moving in the right direction, Morosky believes that modern programs should feature versatile characters.
‘A good example for me is How To Get Away with Murder, if you look at Annalize Keating [Viola Davis]yes that show is wild, but it presents so many different sides to her, her alcoholism, sexuality, and that’s what made that show so addictive.
‘She is a full person and if you have that representation in film and TV, it has an effect and there is a responsibility because people no longer live with a stereotype.
“When you add nuance, it adds more depth to the character, which some LGBT stories lack.”
He continued: ‘I think that although all stories are important and should be shown. I also want to see layered nuanced stories and characters. Like Annalize Keating, she’s an onion, layer after layer. Truly intersectional, with room for shade and joy.
‘TV, film and art influence the way we move through reality.’
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Metro.co.uk celebrates 50 years of Pride
This year marks 50 years of Pride, so it seems only fitting that Metro.co.uk continues in our continued LGBTQ+ support, through a wealth of content that not only celebrates all things Pride, but also shares stories, taking the time to reflect and raise awareness for the community this Pride Month.
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