The Rainbow Campaign

[Luc]

Petition for A Regular Gay Character

Found this online.

[Loz]

I think perhaps Home and Away should introduce a character who is bisexual - or have one of the current characters decide they are bisexual. That way, there's no problem about them having limited prospective love interests, because the character would be totally keeping their options open!

I think that the notion that people would be 'turned off' by the portrayal of a same-sex relationship is completely outdated, and understimates the viewing public. I also honestly think that having regular gay chracters on TV is the kind of thing that normalises same-sex relationships for straight people who might not personally know anyone gay. If same-sex relationships aren't portrayed because TPTB think that viewers think they're weird / unnatural / gross / whatever... those viewers may never have those views challenged.

And if my memory serves me correctly, most guys I know weren't 'turned off' by Skye and Lana in Neighbours! Except maybe the gay ones.

[yannick]

Look who we have here

I agree with most things that have been said. And I think now is the right time to introduce a gay/bisexual character. When you look at a few storylines that have been on H&A lately (and one in particular that's happening now..), some of them have been quite risky for the 7 PM timeslot, so that can no longer be an issue.

[Alexei]

I think perhaps Home and Away should introduce a character who is bisexual ...

Interestingly I think the public would probably be more accepting of a gay or lesbian character. In my experience people are actually a tad less tolerant of bisexuality - I don't really know the reason.

[Luc]

I'm not sure if it was someone here who commentd "Neighbours has a gay character?" but I'll explain all the same. Lana Crawford, Sky's Canadian friend turned out to be gay and she and Sky shared a few kisses - but that storyline didn't lead anywhere, same with the Pepper/Rosie story.

Idon't know if this will encourage Seven, but I found a few things that represent Media Portrayal of homosexuals then and now (sort of)

List of American Television Episodes With LGBT Themes

Media and Sexual Orientation

[~Lynd~]

There was a question on The Power Of 10 tonight asking what percentage of Australians thought you were born gay.The answer was 58%.

[Kimmie]

I think most of all, I don't want a Home and Away homosexual character who is temporary. Too often are characters introduced, or characters go through plots where they question their sexuality and it's then forgotten (of course, this could be said for the various kidnappings and mental issues that are discarded and never recalled after they've happened). For that reason, I don't think a bisexual character would be plausible, because I think that after a few weeks of being bisexual on H&A, the character would be turned to be heterosexual, heterosexual, and yet again, heterosexual- their bisexuality proving to simply be a 'phase'.

I also feel the need to throw in yet another gay character in a recent tv show which I think has been done very well- Maxxie from Skins (airs on SBS here in Australia, E4 in the UK) is part of his crew, he also happens to be gay. I think that through introducing a younger gay character to H&A who is so lovable that it's hard to hate, the issue that this may present to the general (misguided) public would be overcome. Their sexual relationships with others would be offscreen due to their age, giving Australia time to get used to the concept while the teen grows up into an adult and the storylines become more visible.

I'll be sending a letter to H&A when I finish the next few days of exams. While they already have all of their new characters sorted, it might help when it comes to the next round of entries.

[Luc]

This is proof Australia's opinion on homosexuality is changing. (I've forwarded a copy to Seven as well)

Gay student partners banned from dance - Debate To Be Held

[Luc]

Okay, we only have 33 signatures on the petition, if you haven't signed it, please do it know (not that I'm demanding, you have a right to your opinion), I've been spreding it round, but I seem to be attracting the wrong kind of people to sign it

Here are some of the responses

Here are a few posts from the SOAPCHAT.NET Forum Protest for a gay character ? What's the point in having one gay character ? God I hate all this nonsense. It's ridiculous. If a show is going to reflect society there should be several , 3 or 4 gay characters , bi lesbo's whatever otherwise it's stupid and patronising. Half of the Seven network is probably gay and a percentage of the male cast will be gay or bi sexual . It doesn't surprise me that Australian shows like NAW , sorry HAW and Neighbours don't do gay stuff , the stereotype of Aussies as beer guzzling sexist homophobic morons comes to mind ... I'm not sure I want them to shatter the stereotype. I feel a moral superiority over aussies. All my Aussie mates are unbelievably sexist . I mean God , you just cannot imagine how sexist they really really are and they are also just incredibly unaware . I'm always surprised at the television industry's releuctance to feature lots of gay storylines in their drama when half the poeple making it are gay . It's all very insane. But ONE gay character ? Nah , thats just stupid. The reality in a place like Summer bay is that one heterosexual male and one gay male would experiment , thats where the story should start , it needs to come from character and not in isolation Two's a bit patronising and predictable isn't it ? Doesn't two mean we'd get a Coronation St or Esatenders thing where the two characters have to fall in love and then remain in isolation ? The reality is that gay people are everywhere and I'd rather see , for example Leah having a lesbian relationship or one of the regular characters experimenting than seeing a gay character introduced. Good on ya though for the petition and everything , despite my misgivings I do think it's ludicrous that NAW , sorry I mean HAW which is generally pretty far ahead of it's Neighbours rival in terms of sophistication and content has ignored sexuality . Imagine the brilliance of Aiden and that Christian boi having experimental gay sex in Irene's Diner ?

This guy signed twice...

Yes please! Hopefully male And hawt!

[Nathan]

Yeah, I think there should be too. It doesn't have to be a gay character, it can be a character whose gay

What I mean is that a person's sexuality doesn't make a person, and this should be the case.

The person can have completely 'normal' storylines, and he or she just happens to be gay.

Shortland Street, New Zealand soap, is on at 7pm weekdays like H&A, and had two regular gay characters (AT THE SAME TIME! )