Gay TV and Straight America

Gay TV and Straight America examines the various LGBT representations on 90s primetime television in terms of changing the economics of the media industries, particularly during the age of sexual and cultural political transformation (Griffin n.p). Becker uses the term “straight panic” to emphasize that the 1990s were a watershed moment in the lives of many American gays. Traditionally, the term “gay panic” referred to a courtroom technique utilized to resolve numerous issues including homophobic violence in the United States. Becker is mainly interested at the manner in which this climate influenced industrial practice in U.S network television. The author also argues that U.S network television talks about gayness with the aim of economic gain.

Question 1

“Slumpy” classes were emerging class of Socially Liberal and Urban-Minded Professionals. During the period of neoliberal climate, there was a multicultural celebration of diversity which was mixed with the call for fiscal responsibility. During this era, the socially liberal and fiscally conservative became the political position of choice for the increasing number of well-educated baby boomers and Generation Xers (Griffin n.p). As a result, homosexuality fitted into this delicate balance and it came to be articulated in the ’90s. In addition, it was during this same period that the highly batter visible political battles over gay rights provided homosexuality a path to the desired goals. Some of the educated gays and lesbians with disposable income appeared to be economically self-sufficient. For those who were looking an affordable politics of social liberalism, they could support the gays and lesbians to fit the bill. On the other hand, the consuming the gay-inclusive television offered the members of the ”Slumpy” classes a convenient way to affirm their open-mindedness.

Question 2

In Gay TV and Straight America, Baker claims that the representation of gay people on the network TV during 1990’s was mostly ”normal”. Here he asserts that Americans became familiar with gay people as well as the gay culture. In additional, the efforts made gay rights advocates and the niche-oriented economy of the post-Fordist United States to became not only acceptable but also embraced by the mainstream culture at the end of 20th century (Griffin n.p).

Question 3

The Helpful Heterosexual is the reassuring image of progressive or gay-friendly heterosexuality. The main purpose is to successfully enhance the voice of the both ”straight panic” and ”Slumpies” and at the same time, shape the agency’s character. The Homosexual Heterosexual refers to the representation that gives limited voice by suggesting ”we’re all the same.” A good example is the one in which a character is represented as being ”gayer” than his out or a gay co-worker, irrespective of who sleeps with whom. Finally, the Hip Heterosexual recuperates heterosexuality from banality by portraying a straight individual who is very comfortable with homosexuality. Here, the representation is mobilized through a tinge of homophobia and it gives voice to the liberal politics by aligning viewers with the outrage of an ”enlightened minority” (Griffin n.p).

Question 4

It is clear that the gay people and culture is still not widely accepted in the media and popular culture. For instance, there are many primetime programs which portray gay-theme, or other ”special episodes”, but only a few feature gay main characters. A good example is the Sit-com Normal, Ohio which only lasted few episodes on Fox of 2000 (Griffin n.p).

Work Cited

Griffin, Hollis. “”Gay TV And Straight America“ Reviewed By Hollis Griffin”. Ejumpcut.Org, 2008, http://www.ejumpcut.org/archive/jc50.2008/gayTV/.