LGBT Representation on TV

Sometimes I find myself wanting that ideal life shown on tv, a husband, kinds the whole thing. And that’s so strange cuz I don’t even like guys! Then I kinda realized that it’s not about wanting a husband but more about the whole concept of it cuz that;s the “perfect life”.

I maybe want to get married someday to a woman I love but whenever I think of marriage the whole idea of a husband is what comes to me! I guess it’s partially because that’s what’s been taught and shown to us since a young age.

I mean how many shows or movies do we see where there are LGBT couples living normal lives like we see heterosexual couples living. And yes, I agree that the amount of representation has increased in the past few years but it’s hardly enough! It’s so important to have representation cuz it gives us something to relate to and makes us feel accepted.

And while LGBT representation has increased I still feel like we are shown in very stereotypical roles and not as normal people who live their lives. Somehow being LGBT becomes the only trait of the character!

A while back I read this thing on tumblr but I didn’t think much of it. I clicked a screenshot and then forgot about it but going back to it, I think it’s really important. So here goes –

“Sometimes being gay can be really lonely. Not in the sense that you don’t have friends or anything, but you just feel isolated. The movies aren’t made for you. The music on the radio isn’t made for you. Advertisements aren’t made for you. You feel like everyone is in on some joke and you’re laughing with them but you didn’t get it.”

I couldn’t agree more. I want to see more representation, more things I can relate to. And when I think about other even less represented orientations such as asexuals or pansexuals I feel so much worse for them. Almost every movie showing a relationship puts emphasis on the sex part of it. I can only imagine how that feels for asexual people to have literally no representation. (I am not asexual and hence don’t want to speak on behalf of people who are cuz I do not truly know what it feels like and hence I said I can only ‘imagine’).

But anyway, my point is making good LGBT characters will only help in reducing homophobia and help LGBT individuals who are struggling with their identities and give them something to relate to and feel accepted and good about themselves.