'True blood' of US TV: Gay heroes hit highest-ever level

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Published time: October 06, 2012 13:01
Edited time: October 06, 2012 17:01

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Human rights, Movies, Sex, USA

Which characters are gaining in popularity on American TV? It appears the number of gay and bisexual heroes on scripted broadcast networks is at its highest-ever level this season, according to the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.

The annual "Where We Are on TV" report reveals that 4.4 per cent of actors appearing regularly on prime-time network drama and comedy series during the 2012-13 season will portray lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender characters.

The figure is up from 2.9 per cent in 2011, which saw a dip in what had been a growing annual trend, AP reported.

"It is vital for networks to weave complex and diverse story lines of LGBT people in the different programs they air," President of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Herndon Graddick noted.

Since its inception in 1985, the non-governmental media monitoring organization has been promoting the image of LGBT people in the media.

"More and more Americans have come to accept their LGBT family members, friends, co-workers and peers, and as audiences tune into their favorite programs, they expect to see the same diversity of people they encounter in their daily lives," he added.

Kristin Bauer van Straten in True Blood (Image from kinopoisk.ru)

The study reviewed 97 scripted TV programs scheduled to air in the upcoming season on the broadcast networks. Counting a total of 701 series regular characters, it turned out that 31 of them are LGBT characters.

ABC is said to be the champion, with 10 out of 194, or 5.2 per cent, of their regular characters identified as LGBT.

Meanwhile, regular gay and lesbian characters on what the study hails as "mainstream" cable television has also risen, up to 35 this season from 29 last season.

The HBO drama "True Blood" featuring six LGBT characters and based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries series of novels by Charlaine Harris remains cable's most inclusive series. The struggle for vampire equality has been interpreted as an allegory for the LGBT rights movement, with several phrases in the series adapted from expressions used against and about LGBT people, "God Hates Fangs" among them.

Comments (10)

Olivia Kroth (unregistered) 14.10.2012 13:57

I wonder why RUSSIA TODAY worries so much about US stuff. No RUSSIAN CULTURE to write about?

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LevelHeadedBloke 09.10.2012 14:48

No wonder the US is going down, if they keep preaching and spreading this primitive BS!

There is no such thing as a "gay" or a "lesbian" person.... they are all humans and just because someone 'chooses' to f__k a tree or a bicycle for fun does NOT make that person any different from the rest of us.

These "gay and lesbian" are in essence movements created for political gain... they work by first attracting people to something intriguing (homosexuality), and once you are in, they re-purpose you and use you to achieve other political agendas and you idiots gets played like dumb zombies.

Because humans, particularly teenagers, are deeply curious by nature and ready to experiment with their sexuality, they easily fall into this trap!

To make things worse, the "religious fanatics" universally oppose homosexuality for all the completely wrong reasons, which gives the media great stories to publish and make other people feel a general obligation to side with the "gay/lesbian" community instead of the religious community, which is quite natural.

But if you have even a little sense, ask youself the question:

How is a "gay" or a "lesbian" person physically or biologically different from other humans?

The answer is, they are not! So why should they have a different lable?

And to those considering themselves "gay" and "lesbian"...

Experimentin g with your sexuality is a purely human and acceptable behavior... you don't need to stick a seperate label on your foreheads!

Wa ke up and see how you are being manipulated for political agendas of others!

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I (unregistered) 07.10.2012 19:15

@guest ...Again to emotional response. Point1: As autsider I am just trying to rationalize your hatered toward Russia. As your answer also prove both of us understand that polish hatered is based on their religion dislike of Russia. It was question not statement. Point 2: I do not care what do you watch but statisticaly very few people in Checz Republic or Portugal know names of those shows. Point 3: We watch and monitor Iran, Russia once allowed that destructive liberal ideology enter their society and that cost Russia 30 million people. That is why they should monitor simmilar liberal movements in the west. You should get that Guest!

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