Introduction to mock Coursework Study

What is the current relationship between homosexuality and the mediascape in Britain as evidenced by various media texts?

 

The representation of homosexuality in Britain has been “greatly moulded and remoulded” in the media, as said by Jermaine Caldwell. This is definitely true if one were to look at past representations juxtaposed with the present. One could argue that the increased illustration of the LGBT community and more open LGBT personalities (such as Elton John) has led to a greater awareness and possible acceptance, as well as a greater level of comfort experienced by homosexuals themselves. For example, a number of political leaders are in favour of the ban being lifted. This may have been caused by the change of discourse over the years. Homosexuality was seen as a sin, as a law was made punishing homosexuals, until around the 70s, when it was then seen as more natural and more occurring around and one could argue that, in the present day, homosexuality is almost glamorised, due to a much larger media portrayal of the community. It would seem that portrayals of homosexuality in British media have come a long way, yet positive and negative depictions are still both depicted - there is never just an encouraging light shone upon the topic. However, some still consider it a sin, or a taboo subject, causing backlash against media concerning gay characters or relationships, generating the question – does the media have enough power to change an entire world’s perception on homosexuality? It would seem that these discourses will continue to exist, and that no clear linear progression will ever surface. Since July 2012, over 8 million gay slurs have been used on social networking sites this year. An incredibly controversial, yet interesting and revolutionary, website, ‘nohomophobes.com’, counts the amount of times derogatory terms such as ‘faggot’ and ‘dyke’ are used on Twitter daily. The people using these terms, and the tweets themselves, are shown on the site. Its tagline states that “Homophobic language isn’t always meant to be hurtful, but how often do we use it without thinking?” which is extremely true of the current generation’s slang. For example, the term ‘faggot’ is in the Oxford Dictionary with one definition being ‘a derogatory term for a homosexual male’. Matthew Wood stated, in an essay entitled ‘The Portrayal of Gays and Lesbians on TV, and How Viewers React’, that “there are several ways in which gays and lesbians are portrayed” which is true of the Scottish drama ‘Lip Service’. The show, concerned with the life of a number of lesbians living in Glasgow, features a group of protagonists, some who appeared rather masculine, a common stereotype of homosexual women, and others who were feminine and may not have been considered gay on first watching, illustrating the strain that media stereotypes tend to impose upon a society. The reality of the situation is much more complex and features more intricate ‘characters’ and ‘story lines’ than the media could ever produce.