Teen shows prove promising for sexual diversity

When it comes to film and television, we’re acclimated to the “Brangelinas” of the world, the Bella and Edward “Twilight” romances and the Cinderella-Prince Charming archetype. 

In short, we know all about cisgender, straight couples. But what about genderqueer people or gays?

Statistic after statistic shows that sexual minorities are underrepresented in media across the board. LGBTQIA+ people make up less than 5 percent of characters in media, and people of color make up less than 11 percent, according to USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. This is despite the fact that these numbers are nowhere near representative of the actual population.

Yet, there may be hope for representation in media. Acceptance and exposure for LGBTQIA+ individuals is growing in the teen show sector. In it, queer representation is increasingly dynamic and inclusive. With shows like Netflix’s “Orange Is The New Black” gaining popularity, viewers can see that stories from sexual minority groups are just as endearing as heterosexual romances. 

 There are finally programs that deviate from the traditional gay male archetype of a flamboyant character used solely for the sake of comedy. 

A prime example of a queer-tolerant teen show is MTV’s “Faking It,” which showcases sexually diverse groups in a realistic light.

Shows with queer characters often focus too closely on a gay/straight dynamic in which coming out is the center of their story, but the storyline of “Faking It” is not so oversimplified. It moves past the watered-down spin.

The show has a premise that is seemingly simplistic at first — two girls pretend to be lesbians to be popular in their high school. It becomes far less shallow as the show plays out, however, as the protagonist, Amy, realizes that she actually does have feelings for her friend, Karma.

The notable part of “Faking It” is that Amy’s journey does not stop there. She doesn’t notice her feelings for Karma, come out to her parents and then live her life as a bona fide lesbian. She deeply considers her sexuality and even loses her virginity to a man. 

The writers don’t rush to define her, and she doesn’t feel a need to define herself. The lines between gay and straight are blurred in this show, and sexual fluidity can finally see the light.

“Faking It” also features an intersex character, which is important, because intersex people are so underrepresented that the “I” is often left out of even the LGBTQIA+ acronym. There are not any recurring trans characters on the show, but Laverne Cox guest starred as a trans drama instructor.

Additionally, there is a compelling dynamic between one of the gay male characters on the show, Shane, and his best friend, Liam. Liam is straight, but their relationship never features any sort of discomfort. He is never afraid that Shane will develop feelings for him. 

In other words, Liam does not perpetuate the ludicrous idea that just because you are gay, you want to have a relationship with everyone else of your gender. 

 Other shows marketed for teens, like ABC Family’s “Pretty Little Liars” and “The Fosters” represent queer people as well. One of the four main protagonists of “Pretty Little Liars” is a lesbian, and “The Fosters” features a lesbian interracial couple. Additionally, the protagonist of the feature “Chasing Life” is openly bisexual, which is important given the far-too-common bisexual erasure in media.

Seeing stories of diverse groups of people in media is important because it inspires empathy. Watching movies or television shows with a protagonist who is gay or a member of any other minority can teach viewers about what it’s like to be in the position of those minorities, ultimately enabling people to be more accepting and sympathetic.

Representation of minorities in media also normalizes those minorities. Repeatedly seeing queer characters on television makes being queer seem more conceivable to those who do not personally know openly queer individuals. This is especially important for those who live in small towns and have limited knowledge or exposure to queer people.

Everyone deserves to see someone they can relate to represented in media. People of any gender, orientation or race should feel included.

Ruth Callander, a columnist for AfterEllen.com, describes the representation phenomenon well. “It’s a long-established fact that queers hate osmosis. We’ve always liked to buck the science by moving naturally from the areas of lowest concentration to the highest concentration of, well, us.”

While Callander takes a comical approach to the issue of queer people having little exposure to similar individuals, it’s no joke. A CNN column by John D. Sutter cited Franklin County, Miss., as “the county where no one’s gay.” And he’s right — there are no same-sex couples in the entire county. 

The future of queer representation in media seems undoubtedly bright, but we still need to integrate other sexual minorities into common culture, rather than just having a few token individuals from minority groups. 

Adrianne Glenn primarily writes about social and cultural issues for The Pitt News. Write to Adrianne at adg79@pitt.edu.