LGBT+and+the+Media

= =  ** LGBT and the MEDIA **
 * Richa Prabhakar **

      **Gay-Straight Alliances** **Gay–straight alliances (GSAs) are voluntary, extracurricular clubs for students who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ), who are questioning their sexuality, or who consider themselves to be allies of the LGBTQ community.**

**In both Canada and the United States, GSAs must obtain a faculty advisor (Lipkin, 2004; Valenti & Camp** **bell, 2009), which assures students that there is at least one adult in the school they can approach concerning LGBT issues. ** 

 <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Canadian Newspaper Coverage of Gay-Straight Alliances**

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #666666; display: block; font-family: arial,verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Canadian newspaper coverage of the formation of GSAs provides the public with rich qualitative data with which to pin point the trends in public approval/disapproval of LGBT youth activism. It also offers insights into how schooling is cast as a socializing and political agent with regards to sexuality. From the first newspaper coverage of an emerging Canadian GSA in Vancouver in 2000 to the latest stories appearing on the front page of the Windsor Star in 2009, queer youth activism in public schools, as represented in Canadian media, has caught public attention. Canadian newspapers are a useful measure of Canadian public opinion with regards to GSAs.** <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #666666; display: block; font-family: arial,verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**How does media portrayal affect the image of LGBT youth?** <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #666666; display: block; font-family: arial,verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">** Media is described as "central to the way in which social movements reach their audience..." (Smith, 2010) **

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: arial,verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">** A study undertaken by Streitmatter in 2003 that looked at combating uncomfortable feelings toward LGBT youth using media and popular culture used the idea that if young people like who they are watching, if they find them physically appealing/attractive, they will be more receptive and comfortable seeing or reading about them. Hence the purpose of the study was to show that increased portrayal of gay/lesbian/transgender/bisexual in media will 'lessen' youth homophobia. While this study is well-intentioned and is moving in the right direction, it does not really challenge creative media to move away from stereotypes of LGBT portrayal and hence still endangers in leaving heterosexual youth with damaging stereotypical images. **

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: arial,verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">** Unfortunately today, most television networks, publishing houses, music corporations, advertising agencies are motivated by and cater to the heterosexual audience and its ideological imperatives (Padva, 2008). A large part of popular media and communications in democratic societies (especially in the 1990's and early 2000's) was concerned with multiculturalism and diversity. Homophobic songs and jokes were still inappropriately popular. However, recently many influential icons are realizing how important (and in some cases profitable) it to promote not just ethnic diversity but also sexual diversity and pluralism (Padva, 2008). Gilad Padva came to the conclusion that while supportive literature, cinema, music, posters and Internet articles do not nec ** **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">essarily replace the need for professional help for harassed LGBT youth; anti homophobic ideology represented in the media can help social workers, teachers, parents and support workers in an attempt to inspire LGBT youth and to eventually decrease homophobia among heterosexual youth. **

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: arial,verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">** Think about television shows/series you may watch, and then think about if there any gay/lesbian characters depicted on that show. What do you notice? Personally, it was quite clear to me that there is still a very strong image that is portrayed of characters who are classified under the LGBT label. For example, in the popular TV show Modern Family, two gay partners Mitchell and Cam are portrayed as a stereotypical gay couple - with their stereotypical high pitched voices and excessive hand movements. This is just one of many examples out there. While this may be entertaining, I believe it subliminally builds an image into the minds of heterosexual youth (without them even knowing it!) leading their impressionable minds to believe tha ** **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">t this kind of behavior is //specifically associated// with LGBT individuals and is 'weird'/ not normal. **

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: arial,verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">** Take a look at this young gentleman - Zach Wahls. He was raised by two females (lesbian partners), and by the looks of it their sexual orientation had no effect on their parenting skills whatsoever. Neither did their sexual preferences anyhow influence their son's character - leaving us with the question that why is heterosexual the 'normal' way? LGBT is just another label to describe people - people who share the same beliefs when it comes to family, raising children, education. So why the separation? Why the different rights? ** <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: arial,verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"> media type="youtube" key="A3YSfNKSwFk" height="315" width="560" align="center"

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: arial,verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">** [|Two Lesbians Raised a Baby and this is What They Got] ** <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: arial,verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: arial,verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Dan Savage - It Gets Better Campaign** <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**LGBT Bullying and Suicide**  <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: arial,verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #666666; display: block; font-family: arial,verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">** 'We lived in a Will & Grace world thinking that everything was fine. And then we started hearing in September that our kids were killing themselves, and we knew we had to do something about it.'//—TV host Tommy Smythe, co-organizer of It Gets Better Canada// ** <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #666666; display: block; font-family: arial,verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #666666; display: block; font-family: arial,verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: arial,verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">** In September of 2010, noted columnist Dan Savage started the "It Gets Better Project". Savage initiated this project in response to increased media coverage of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth committing suicide as a result of being harassed by school bullies. Savage and his long time partner wanted to create a place where other LGBT individuals could reach out to these youth and tell them that it does indeed get better. The project utilizes Youtube as a gateway for communication, where adults upload narratives/messages to support LGBT youth. The campaign has rapidly grown over the past year and has received over 35 million views, including videos produced by notable personalities like US President Barack Obama, US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, celebrities like Janet Jackson and Justin Bieber (Hlousek, 2011). ** <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: arial,verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"> <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Suicide is the third leading cause of death among adolescents - it is far more common for bullying victims than for the general population. Members of the LGBT minority are more than often the target and victims of teenage bullying versus their heterosexual counterparts. Hence, when numerous studies indicate that the incidents of suicide and attempted suicide among LGBT youth are greater, it hardly comes as a surprise to us.** <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Appearance was the number 1 reason that students in schools are bullied, according to a 2005 U.S Survey. The second reason is actual or perceived sexual orientation.** <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**By statistical representation in Canadian schools:** <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline;">** Among the findings of the 2009 Canadian **<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #115278; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**Climate Survey on Homophobia** :
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; background-color: initial; color: #333333; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">** 59 per cent ** of LGBTQ high school students reported they were verbally harassed, compared to ** seven per cent ** of non-LGBTQ students.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; background-color: initial; color: #333333; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">** 25 per cent ** of LGBTQ students indicated being physically harassed due to their sexual orientation, compared to ** eight per cent ** of non-LGBTQ students.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; background-color: initial; color: #333333; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">** 31 per cent ** of LGBTQ students reported personal harassment on the internet or via text messaging, compared to ** eight per cent ** of non-LGBTQ students.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; background-color: initial; color: #333333; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">** 73 per cent ** of LGBTQ students reported they felt unsafe at school, compared to ** 20 per cent ** who did not.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; background-color: initial; color: #333333; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">** 51 per cent ** of LGBTQ students reported they did not feel accepted at school, compared to ** 19 per cent ** of non-LGBTQ students


 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">By statistical representation in American schools: **

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline;">** A <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #115278; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2009 survey of U.S. students in Grades 6-12 also suggests being bullied at school is more likely for sexual minorities. Some key findings: **
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; background-color: initial; color: #333333; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">** 85 per cent ** of LGBTQ students reported being verbally harassed at school in the past year because of their sexual orientation.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; background-color: initial; color: #333333; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">** 40 per cent ** reported being physically harassed.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; background-color: initial; color: #333333; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">** 19 per cent ** reported being physically assaulted
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; background-color: initial; color: #333333; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">Compared to Canada, fewer of the American students, ** 61 per cent **, reported that they felt unsafe in school because of their sexual orientation.

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**U.S data from the National Climate School Surveys covers the period since 1999. A small decrease in the frequency of homophobic remarks by students has been noted, but the harassment and assault incidents that LGBT students experience have remained fairly constant (CBC, 2010).**


 * The NCSS survey conducted in both US and Canada found that bullying of LGBT students is less common in schools where there is a definite anti-bullying policy in place and/or the presence of a gay-straight alliance club (CBC, 2010)**

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|Dan Savage on Connect with Mark Kelly - CBC]


 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #666666; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;">The Influence of Social Media and a Documentary Worth Watching - Conclusion **

**"While in my childhood the values of social justice and equity were instilled, I received no messages suggesting gays and lesbians were deserving of just and equitable treatment" (Roper, 2005)**

**The Influence of Media** **We all find and watch shows that we can identify with, or shows that give us something to look forward to or strive for in life. Shows are primarily meant for us to forget our own lives and escape into a new 'reality' for 30 minutes. Both adults and children make an instant connection with characters on television, YouTube etc - these connections can be both positive an negative. The positive aspect is that with such a wide variety of diversified shows gives youth the opportunity to be exposed to a diverse world, should they choose to. However, the negative side is that if the characters they see in movies, newspapers, comics, television and on the internet shows only portray stereotypes, the impressionable minds of youth may receive the wrong message about LGBT individuals. The short term entertainment effect lasts a few minutes but the negative side effects could last for years (DeWitt, 2011).** **Media Stereotypes** **It is inevitable that stereotypes come to mind when we think of different groups of people. However, in the past decade it is clear that the LGBT community has been fighting against these negative stereotypes. Without sounding like a prejudiced person, I agree that everyone deserves a good laugh now or then - just as long as its not at the expense of someone else's beliefs. Sadly though, in popular media, LGBT characters are still depicted in a certain kind of light - their mere presence is not enough on TV, they need to be portrayed with equality. As mentioned before, many more shows are offering gay characters (e.g Modern Family, Glee) and one would hope that their presence on TV would alleviate any uncomfortable feelings that heterosexual youth have for their LGBT peers - but if there are negative stereotypes of how LGBT individuals act and/or are treated, heterosexual youth will more than likely continue this attitude and harbor malice when the show is over. The key to understanding teenage/young minds is that they are VERY impressionable - and as they grow older, they become more rigid. Positive exposure to the LGBT community on popular and social media can really have have a large impact on the growth and development of adolescents (Slater et al.). When LGBT youth see themselves on television, they don't want to see tragic figures who are always surrounded by negative circumstances - they too want to be seen characters that everyone can be proud of. They deserve to see normal everyday characters that happen to be gay/lesbian (DeWitt, 2011).** media type="youtube" key="jE0FP9aQ8Xw" height="315" width="560" align="center"

<span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;">** References **
 * Project VoiceScape: This Gay and Age (A Documentary by Morgan Wilcock) **

Lindsay Herriot (2011): Trends in Canadian Newspaper Coverage of Gay–Straight Alliances, 2000–2009, Journal of LGBT Youth, 8:3, 215-233

Tara M. Kachgal (2011): The “Gay Comfort Level”: Examining a Media Advocacy Group's Efforts to Combat Youth Homophobia, Journal of LGBT Youth, 8:1, 53-65

Gilad Padva (2008): Media and Popular Culture Representations of LGBT Bullying, Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services, 19:3-4, 105-118

Meg Hlousek (2011): “Pink Politics”: Negotiation of LGBT Identity through Politics & Popular Media, Undergraduate Humanities Forum, UPenn

Bullying and sexual orientation by the numbers - Canada - CBC News.//<span style="background-color: #efefef; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">CBC.ca - Canadian News Sports Entertainment Kids Docs Radio TV //. Retrieved December 4, 2011, from http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2010/10/29/gay-bullying-statistics.html

Media Stereotypes, LGBT Youth and a Documentary Worth Watching - Finding Common Ground - Education Week. (n.d.). //<span style="background-color: #efefef; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">Education Week: Blogs //. Retrieved December 8, 2011, from http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/finding

Will it get better?. (n.d.). //<span style="background-color: #efefef; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">In Toronto Magazine //. Retrieved December 1, 2011, from http://www.intorontomag.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=55:will-it-get-better?