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Gay News: A report published by the BBC today claims that 18% of respondents are "uncomfortable" with TV's portrayal of gay people.
11,400 were interviewd for report
Almost one in five unhappy with gays on TV
More than 2,000 people were interviewed for the report Portrayal of Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual People on the BBC. A further 9,400 people took part in a public on-line survey.
The survey showed that 9% of the
Physical and emotional intimacy in same-sex relationships was seen as being “difficult” for some heterosexual viewers. Some cited content to which children could be exposed and the possible need to explain behaviour or relationships as a reason for their discomfort.
Heterosexual men and people over 55 were more likely to feel uncomfortable with the depiction of gays and lesbians on TV than their female in younger counterparts.
However, half of those surveyed described themselves as comfortable with TV’s portrayal of gay men and lesbians, with just under a third having no views either way.
Among the gay men and lesbians interviewed, a majority rated the BBC’s portrayal as good or very good, with 44% agreeing that it was realistic.
However 37% of the sample said that it was stereotypical, and did not reflect the diversity of the gay and lesbian communities. Gay male characters especially were described as being too camp.
Gay men were perceived as having a greater presence in the BBC’s programming, which had a “severe lack of visibility” for lesbians, and bisexuals being largely invisible.
Gay characters in long-running drama shows such as
It was also felt that gay characters in these soaps should become embedded in the show before storylines around their sexuality were developed, and that storylines shouldn’t just revolve around their homosexuality.
The gay participants in the survey also praised “ground-breaking” storylines in US TV series The Wire, which has been shown on BBC, Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit, and Channel 4’s Queer As Folk.
Channel 4’s was perceived to be leading the field with 44% of people describing its gay output as quite or very good, compared to 375 for the BBC.
The respondents called on the BBC to have a much more cohesive approach to its portrayal of gay men and lesbians, and to demonstrate a commitment to a more integrated and realistic way of portraying them.
The survey, the largest of its kind, was part of the BBC’s remit to better understand and engage meaningfully with all its audiences.
The report’s recommendations, which include achieving a more accurate, authentic and diverse portrayal of gay, lesbian and bisexual people, will now be sent to Director General Mark Thompson.
The BBC said it would review the research again in two years to see if had moved forward in the eyes of its audiences.
