Lack of diversity in LGBTQ+ tv shows and how it has an effect in the real world

[wsnki07]

Speaking of preference, I think we definitely missed out on seeing how Idris Elba could’ve portrayed James Bond.

He’s such a great actor that has range. Homie took a break from acting to get into MMA and kicked ass, is a phenomenal DJ, made some club bangers in 2020 like “boasty”

He could’ve put a fresh spin on the role, but c'est la vie

It’s our loss, not his lol

 

[HOU_HEADHUNTER]

Under representation in mainstream cinema films and over representation in mainstream porn. Either way the representation is often skewed and seeks to portray black people in a certain way without many variations.

 

[bigboaster]

let’s exchange “only” for “preference”

Some people simply prefer not to see black people in certain roles and sees it as SJW propaganda.

And if that’s their preference and those involved in casting, filming, etc do not ahere to that preference, there’s a good chance the show, or movie may not be successful and will cost them money.

So what’s the safest way for them to ensure that their projects bring in the earnings?

Let's expand on this a bit.

I think there are some viewers (a minority but they are loud) that bristle at the casting of black/poc actors in certain roles BUT this is mainly due to the fact that they associate these castings with "woke"/bad writing and pandering. Which they feel cheapens the integrity of the project.

Now this could be a silly concern in most cases, in some others maybe less so. Regardless, I don't think overt racism is typically the reasoning behind that aversion to poc casting in modern day. I think that was more common in the past.

Moving past that point. What evidence do you have that POC lead projects would be seen as less successful (by studios I assume) and cost them money? There are certainly examples of POC fronted movies/films that do very well financially. Is that considered a big risk these days?

 

[AfterHours69]

Is it your claim that in TV and movies black people are only portrayed as "criminals, villains, junkies, etc." Is it your claim that in TV and movies black people are never portrayed in a positive, sympathetic or heroic manner? Or, is it your claim that if ever a black person is portrayed negatively then it is a personal offense? If the latter is the case, then many people of any race, ethnic background, gender or ideology might experience the same offense.

Your questions are already answered if you read my comment. “Almost never see…when you do they are…” And I’m not even sure how you came to the last question based on my statement.

I don’t know how old you are, but if you’re anywhere around 30 and under, it might be harder to see where my comment is coming from.

Historically (maybe before the last 20 years, give or take), what I said was the case, with few exceptions. In the 90s there were more opportunities for black actors, but a lot of that was directed at black audiences and not “mainstream,” and even those were targeted to a slim section of the black experience.

 

[AfterHours69]

Saw this on Facebook today, and it speaks to my point. We had, like, 3 channels. Then we had maybe twelve, then 20. Netflix was only DVDs until 2007. It shows a lack of understanding of history in media.

 

[wsnki07]

Let's expand on this a bit.

I think there are some viewers (a minority but they are loud) that bristle at the casting of black/poc actors in certain roles BUT this is mainly due to the fact that they associate these castings with "woke"/bad writing and pandering. Which they feel cheapens the integrity of the project.

Now this could be a silly concern in most cases, in some others maybe less so. Regardless, I don't think overt racism is typically the reasoning behind that aversion to poc casting in modern day. I think that was more common in the past.

Moving past that point. What evidence do you have that POC lead projects would be seen as less successful (by studios I assume) and cost them money? There are certainly examples of POC fronted movies/films that do very well financially. Is that considered a big risk these days?

I don’t remember suggesting that POC lead projects would be seen as less successful based on what I mentioned in my previous post.

In fact, I’d go a step further and say that POC lead projects are successful because they’re more concerned with taking up space and telling narratives that gives more nuance and variety to their POC characters than validating those giving their criticisms regarding pandering and bad writing (who wouldn’t even be able to conceptualize what good writing would look like through those lens unless they were actually invested and/or integrated in the culture)

The success comes from the Ryan Cooglers, Issa Rae’s, Quinta Brunson, Barry Jenkins not giving any validity to the critics who clearly don’t know what they’re talking about lol.

Im cautiously optimistic that their successes, in addition to other POC lead productions like Beef, EEAAO, crazy rich Asians will slowly increase the momentum that will make it harder to gatekeep and discourage (directly or indirectly) future projects that will positively contribute to the overall diversity.

But imagine if every time black people complained about the lack of diversity in storytelling, we were told that we’re just complaining because we have Tyler Perry whos currently a billionaire that does cast a lot of black actors in his plays/movies and tv shows? I’ll just leave that there because those who know……..KNOWS

the biggest gag of it all is that the people more likely to campaign and advocate for these projects from the beginning are the ones that some people here would consider to be the race baiting SJW’s that are always complaining and whining, etc etc.

they’re the ones that show up in droves at the Black Panther premiere, dressed in all white, hyping it up before the success came in that others tried to jump on the bandwagon after the fact.

Or they’re on Black Twitter and Reddit talking about Awkward Black girl and was ready to enjoy “Insecure” when it first came out.

I would not be surprised if the same thing happens regarding the OP’s perspective.

 

[wsnki07]

Also, this is a great video essay regarding how Black men were portrayed on “insecure” and what made it groundbreaking for its time.

 

[FrankieGuile]

Your questions are already answered if you read my comment. “Almost never see…when you do they are…” And I’m not even sure how you came to the last question based on my statement.

I don’t know how old you are, but if you’re anywhere around 30 and under, it might be harder to see where my comment is coming from.

Historically (maybe before the last 20 years, give or take), what I said was the case, with few exceptions. In the 90s there were more opportunities for black actors, but a lot of that was directed at black audiences and not “mainstream,” and even those were targeted to a slim section of the black experience.

It's not difficult to see where your comment is coming from for anybody of any age. It comes from a personal bias that ignores the TV and movie production trends over the past two decades.

 

[FrankieGuile]

let’s exchange “only” for “preference”

Some people simply prefer not to see black people in certain roles and sees it as SJW propaganda.

And if that’s their preference and those involved in casting, filming, etc do not ahere to that preference, there’s a good chance the show, or movie may not be successful and will cost them money.

So what’s the safest way for them to ensure that their projects bring in the earnings?

We are speculating, but the safest way to ensure successful projects is to write compelling stories that are well directed, well produced and well acted. The viewing public has moved beyond stereotypes and, in response, TV and movie-makers cast actors of all manner of race, ethnicity and background as heroes and villains alike.

 

[wsnki07]

We are speculating, but the safest way to ensure successful projects is to write compelling stories that are well directed, well produced and well acted. The viewing public has moved beyond stereotypes and, in response, TV and movie-makers cast actors of all manner of race, ethnicity and background as heroes and villains alike.

You’re nearly there.

Some people in the viewing public never needed to move beyond stereotypes because they were already far ahead, enjoying the party.

Others just showed up to the party recently, yet somehow thinks they were the first to arrive

And some still havent found the party, or just tossed out their invitations and never made it

 

[FrankieGuile]

You’re nearly there.

Some people in the viewing public never needed to move beyond stereotypes because they were already far ahead, enjoying the party.

Others just showed up to the party recently, yet somehow thinks they were the first to arrive

And some still havent found the party, or just tossed out their invitations and never made it

I think I was completely "there" without your analogy, which I'll admit, I'm not "there" on because I cannot follow it or want to try. But as long as my point is made and understood, that's enough for me.

 

[wsnki07]

I think I was completely "there" without your analogy, which I'll admit, I'm not "there" on because I cannot follow it or want to try. But as long as my point is made and understood, that's enough for

Thank you for confirming that you were in the second category of my analogy .

 

[ILoveGames48]

From the perspective of a straight black man, I definitely notice the lack of LGBTetc diversity, but I think their lack of mainstream media ubiquity stems from two separate sources...1st off I think there are simply more white LgBt folk, definitely in sheer numbers, but possibly also proportionally to their total population.
....but 2ndly I think that is bolstered by unresolved cultural issues with LGBT folk within populations of color that prevent our populations from having the nearer to normalcy white lgbt experience. I'm not implying they have some privilege that avails them of all their issues within their own culture/community, I just happen to think on a balance of probability, a white LGBT individual will see more acceptance from their respective heteronormative demographics then a LGBT POC might experience within our respective heteronormative demographics, and until we resolve or at least earnestly address those internal issues that representation will not be reflected within mainstream media.

I can’t sit here and say there is more gay white men and women than black ones .. I don’t have statistics from people who are honest about their sexuality.. it’s a known fact. That gay men black white hispanic etc…. Will lie about sexual preference .. as they don’t want others to know they are gay..


I see just as many black men in gay porn.. plus I been with a few myself .. so I know there are more gay black men than you’d like to admit to

 

[ILoveGames48]

Now talking about shows and movies with more gay content in their stories .. I think things have come a long way in the last 20 years for the community .. and it will get only better as time moves on..

Few movies with gay scenes would go to far and show guys with erections and even sucking dick.. … you don’t see that in movies with straight people.. they kiss and make out take off clothes and you see her tits and you see his ass( and sometimes his dick.. but you don’t see the guy eating out her pussy and her sucking his dick ..

Gay content can be done ina good tasteful way .. not being a flat out soft core porn

 

[AfterHours69]

It's not difficult to see where your comment is coming from for anybody of any age. It comes from a personal bias that ignores the TV and movie production trends over the past two decades.

I’m not ignoring it at all. You’re making up a whole lot of stuff that I’m not saying. You would see that I don’t have that bias if you read my other comments in this thread. You’re just making assumptions instead of going by what I’m actually saying, even just in my recent comments.

It is not even proven that representation does anything

This only happens if you think movies are real life and a specific identity is pictured in a specific way.

My point is that there wasn’t proper representation in the past. Representation matters, to the community and those outside. And, it does have an effect on how certain populations are seen if your only exposure to a group is what you see in media.

 

[FrankieGuile]

I’m not ignoring it at all. You’re making up a whole lot of stuff that I’m not saying. You would see that I don’t have that bias if you read my other comments in this thread. You’re just making assumptions instead of going by what I’m actually saying, even just in my recent comments.




My point is that there wasn’t proper representation in the past. Representation matters, to the community and those outside. And, it does have an effect on how certain populations are seen if your only exposure to a group is what you see in media.

I do not agree with your point because it hangs on one's definition of the term "proper." Only you can know what that means to you, yet, you apply the term as if everyone shares and accepts your definition. I do not because I do not know what you mean by "proper." Similarly, I do not accept that "representation matters, to the community and those outside." This is an overly broad statement. Representation might matter to some, but not to others. It matters much less to those of us who are more independently-minded, eschewing notions of a collective.

 

[AfterHours69]

I do not agree with your point because it hangs on one's definition of the term "proper." Only you can know what that means to you, yet, you apply the term as if everyone shares and accepts your definition. I do not because I do not know what you mean by "proper." Similarly, I do not accept that "representation matters, to the community and those outside." This is an overly broad statement. Representation might matter to some, but not to others. It matters much less to those of us who are more independently-minded, eschewing notions of a collective.

Easy for you to say as you now enjoy the privileges that the impact of representation has delivered to you. There have been studies done on how representation impacts people, some quoted by others in this thread. Through your comments, you come off as kind of a sour person, slightly combative, slightly rude, so I could see why community wouldn’t matter to you. It’s likely you’re alone and disconnected. If you need someone to talk to, feel free to DM me. I could help point you to some resources that might help with your feelings.

 

[dannyboy971]

Only about 7% of the world population are LBGTQ so people making films and TV shows want to make money from their work so targeting only 7% of the world is not going to pay the bills

 

[bigboaster]

Only about 7% of the world population are LBGTQ so people making films and TV shows want to make money from their work so targeting only 7% of the world is not going to pay the bills

It seems someone isn't aware of the popularity of LGBT content among the female demographic. Hahaha. You think all of this lgbt movies/series are only being marketed to queer people? Don't be silly.

 

[dannyboy971]

It seems someone isn't aware of the popularity of LGBT content among the female demographic. Hahaha. You think all of this lgbt movies/series are only being marketed to queer people? Don't be silly.

Just saying it how it is