Landmark portrayals of LGBTQ+ characters in US sitcom history

Interesting slide shows about the world Slideshow World by [ArcaMax](?ezine=782&r=ZhLldpJO16MToNsn3Kte5QqSBeH95XN9sbvCrC9xyKtDOjMyNzAwODM2NDpKOjIxNjI0ODQ6TDo3ODI6UjoyMDY4OTQ6Vjo1NA) [Landmark portrayals of LGBTQ+ characters in US sitcom history]( Eliza Siegel, Data Work By Paris Close, Data Work By Luke Hicks [ Landmark portrayals of LGBTQ+ characters in US sitcom history ]( [See full slideshow »]( Few things feel more quintessentially American than the sitcom. Its features can be recognized anywhere—the laugh track, the unchanging living room or kitchen set that becomes as familiar as one's own. The traditions that grew out of sitcoms are almost as deeply ingrained: a whole family gathering around the television at a specific time every week, excited to watch a family that looked like theirs finding humor in the mundane. Sitcoms have long reflected the cultural norms of the time to their viewers, as they were specifically designed to appeal to mass audiences. But occasionally, sitcoms subtly pushed against what was deemed socially acceptable, asking viewers to interrogate their beliefs and preconceptions. By including characters that did not conform to the ideal of a white, heterosexual, middle-class nuclear family, sitcoms started to reshape the very cultural norms they often reinforced. While sitcoms can be used as a historical record of the cultural values of their time, they also offer insight into what—and who—was not valued. For the first several decades of television history, LGBTQ+ characters did not generally appear. If they did, they were often portrayed as deviant or performative in stereotypical ways and were rarely developed into more than a walking trope. These depictions reinforced the stigma surrounding the LGBTQ+ community and did little to dispel prejudice. But as the gay liberation movement burst forward in the 1970s, catalyzed by events like Stonewall, LGBTQ+ representation on TV began to shift. The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, an organization that works to combat prejudicial depictions of the LGBTQ+ community in the media, has been tracking queer representation on television for decades. According to Raina Deerwater, GLAAD's entertainment research and analysis manager, that's because LGBTQ+ representation on television holds a specific kind of weight. "Television in America is very much a cultural institution," Deerwater told Stacker. "You go to a living room, and nine times out of 10 there will be a TV. It's a communal activity with your family. [TV] remains to be one of the major ways the LGBTQ+ community is seen in the media." Through the decades, sitcoms have shied away from and led the way on various social and cultural issues. From representations of the AIDS crisis in the '80s to the legalization of same-gender marriage in 2015, queer characters being shown on television—and how they are depicted—has evolved to become more diverse and characteristic of the wide spectrum of LGBTQ+ identities. LGBTQ+ viewers seeing themselves reflected on the screen is powerful. "It's important to know that there are other people in the world like you," Deerwater said. "There's something so special and validating about feeling isolated your whole life, feeling out of the norm, and then seeing that there is a world in which you are living and thriving and have a community." But seeing LGBTQ+ characters on TV is also vital for viewers outside of the community. Television can be a way for people not exposed to the LGBTQ+ community in real life to feel connected to a character. According to Deerwater, TV shows can also offer a starting point for conversations about LGBTQ+ people and issues. Stacker scoured news coverage, critical reviews, and historical documents to investigate the history of LGBTQ+ representation in American sitcoms. To track the recent rise in queer characters on TV, Stacker also analyzed data from a decade of GLAAD's "Where We Are on TV" reports, which keep tabs on how many LGBTQ+ characters appear on streaming services, primetime cable, and broadcast networks, among other insights. Visit thestacker.com for similar lists and stories. [Tweet It]( - [Facebook It]( Sponsor [ Your Favorite Comic Strips ] Your Favorite Comic Strips Enjoy free comic newsletters by subscribing below or check them out at [arcamax.com/comics.]( [*NEW: The Argyle Sweater]( [*NEW: Crabgrass]( [*Fowl Language]( [*Between Friends]( [*Caption It!]( [*Rose is Rose]( [*Daddy Daze]( [*Cathy]( [*Family Circus]( [*Wizard of Id]( [*Pickles]( [*Mother Goose And Grimm]( [*Dilbert]( [*Baby Blues]( [*Hagar the Horrible]( [*Speed Bump]( [*Pearls Before Swine]( [*Zits]( [*Peanuts]( [*Diamond Lil]( [*Luann]( [*Garfield]( [*Bizarro]( [*Rubes]( [*Rhymes With Orange]( [*Long Story Short]( [*Carpe Diem]( [*For Better or For Worse (classic strips)]( [*Red And Rover]( - From the ArcaMax editors More Slideshow World from ArcaMax.com - [How student loan forgiveness could boost Black homeownership rates]( - [Most popular camping gear categories]( - [5 strategies to make note-taking better--and more productive]( [Click To Unsubscribe]( | [Customer Service]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [California / Nevada Privacy Info]( 1706 Todds Lane, Box 311, Hampton, VA 23666 Copyright © 2022 ArcaMax Publishing [Facebook]( [Twitter](/ArcaMax)