Are the current producers ruining Home and Away?

[John]

I don't think that the fact that the show does not have a gay character in itself entirely says that the show isn't reflecting current Australian society.  That is one issue.  I would like to see the show include a gay character from time to time as it would be reflective of current Australian society but its failure to do that does not negate all the other aspects that have been updated.

As to whether the show has a responsibility to raise awareness in a positive way or not that's another issue. 

[Skylover]

I guess it's personal taste in regard to Jonathan, I found his character endearing and well played, and I think it's important that not all gay characters are portrayed deliberately against the stereotype.

John, how has the show been 'updated' to be more modern? In regard to the gay issue, I'm not actually overly bothered about there being a gay character in the cast. There doesn't have to be a token gay character. It's more the fact the show has been running for 30 odd years and is possibly the only (??) Western soap to have not included a regular gay character during its run. That's the main issue. It's unwillingness to introduce one.

I also don't agree that having a gay character restricts storylines. They could also include a bisexual character to add storyline opportunities. In fact that would be interesting as not many bisexual characters seem to exist in soap. I still think Home and Away has the perfect platform to break stereotypes by including a gay or even better bisexual character who could be linked to Ash or the Braxtons. I say do something brave like that or bring Christopher back as a gay foster parent. The show has a lot of opportunities to do something really unique and brave, using its past or current characters. But they won't.

And where does this argument come from that gay characters might affect ratings? That concept seems ridiculous to me - if anything it would raise the show's profile and draw in more viewers.

[dee123]

16 hours ago, John said:

I don't think that the fact that the show does not have a gay character in itself entirely says that the show isn't reflecting current Australian society.  That is one issue.  I would like to see the show include a gay character from time to time as it would be reflective of current Australian society but its failure to do that does not negate all the other aspects that have been updated.

As to whether the show has a responsibility to raise awareness in a positive way or not that's another issue. 

What other aspects? It's still wall to wall straight white people.

[Luke39]

4 hours ago, dee123 said:

What other aspects? It's still wall to wall straight white people.

And why does that matter? Just asking. Do h and a have any responsibility or obligation? Unpopular opinion may be. But I dont think.They do. Not saying a gay character or couple wouldn't be good for diversity. But I.don't think.its urgent. Jmo.

[Bobby Forever Missed]

8 minutes ago, Luke39 said:

And why does that matter? Just asking. Do h and a have any responsibility or obligation? Unpopular opinion may be. But I dont think.They do. Not saying a gay character or couple wouldn't be good for diversity. But I.don't think.its urgent. Jmo.

THIS! posts like this are the reason i no longer watch the producers must take feedback like this from Facebook/Twitter and that's why there's NO Diversity of any kind! because Lucy and Louise are too scared to think about diversity (not just gay characters but disabled characters different races etc) in case the internet don't like it

[dee123]

43 minutes ago, Luke39 said:

And why does that matter? Just asking. Do h and a have any responsibility or obligation? Unpopular opinion may be. But I dont think.They do. Not saying a gay character or couple wouldn't be good for diversity. But I.don't think.its urgent. Jmo.

They haven't had a regular gay character the 20+ years they have been on air. At this stage it is urgent.

[Therese K]

34 minutes ago, Luke39 said:

And why does that matter? Just asking. Do h and a have any responsibility or obligation? Unpopular opinion may be. But I dont think.They do. Not saying a gay character or couple wouldn't be good for diversity. But I.don't think.its urgent. Jmo.

It matters because they're whitewashing and straightwashing the society they are supposed to portray. It matters because by ignoring gay people, and non-white people, and disabled people, and trans people, they are essentially saying that those voices and their stories aren't important.

I'm assuming that you're a straight white man? Correct me if I'm wrong, but if you are, then you have always been represented in the media. You don't know what it's like to never see someone like yourself on TV. Represantation matters. Seeing yourself portrayed in the mainstream media is important. We need positive and normalized diversity. Charlie was great, but having one character have a relationship with one person of the same gender, and then making a huge deal about it and then never having her get back together with anyone of the same gender again, doesn't really normalize being gay/bisexual, it just makes it a sensation, and it shouldn't be.

And come on, how many times haven't we seen a love story play out between two white straight abled bodied people now? It's starting to get boring. Shake it up a little writers. Dare to do something interesting and new 

Lastly, here is a cool quote by Whoopi Goldberg (a famous american actress and comedian if you haven't heard of her) that may help illustrate this topic for you: “When I was nine-years-old Star Trek came on, I looked at it and I went screaming through the house, ‘Come here, mom, everybody, come quick, come quick, there’s a black lady on television and she ain’t no maid!’ I knew right then and there I could be anything I wanted to be.” 
 

[Luke39]

9 minutes ago, Therese K said:

It matters because they're whitewashing and straightwashing the society they are supposed to portray. It matters because by ignoring gay people, and non-white people, and disabled people, and trans people, they are essentially saying that those voices and their stories aren't important.

I'm assuming that you're a straight white man? Correct me if I'm wrong, but if you are, then you have always been represented in the media. You don't know what it's like to never see someone like yourself on TV. Represantation matters. Seeing yourself portrayed in the mainstream media is important. We need positive and normalized diversity. Charlie was great, but having one character have a relationship with one person of the same gender, and then making a huge deal about it and then never having her get back together with anyone of the same gender again, doesn't really normalize being gay/bisexual, it just makes it a sensation, and it shouldn't be.

And come on, how many times haven't we seen a love story play out between two white straight abled bodied people now? It's starting to get boring. Shake it up a little writers. Dare to do something interesting and new 

Lastly, here is a cool quote by Whoopi Goldberg (a famous american actress and comedian if you haven't heard of her) that may help illustrate this topic for you: “When I was nine-years-old Star Trek came on, I looked at it and I went screaming through the house, ‘Come here, mom, everybody, come quick, come quick, there’s a black lady on television and she ain’t no maid!’ I knew right then and there I could be anything I wanted to be.” 
 

Ok fair enough. But my pov is its just a tv show. Thats just my pov, not saying im correct. I agree diversity in the mainstream media is important. But H and a is primarily oh pretty. OH beaches lol. H and A should represent a lot more then yes I am A straight white male. But whether tptb feel its necessary is another issue entirely. I.remember Friends got crap for no.African American characters. So H and A aint the first show dealing with this issue. Its a generational thing. Same with Gender diversity. Buffy was good at ThAt.

[CaptainHulk]

ATM, H&A doesn't the have the courage to put a full-time, non-stereotypical gay character. I think Neighbours got it right to a degree with Chris, Aaron and Nate. They had Gino before, but he was a campy stereotype and after a few years of Innuendo before being confirmed as such.

[Therese K]

1 hour ago, Luke39 said:

And why does that matter? Just asking. Do h and a have any responsibility or obligation? Unpopular opinion may be. But I dont think.They do. Not saying a gay character or couple wouldn't be good for diversity. But I.don't think.its urgent. Jmo.

A show can be about pretty people on the beach AND be diverse. Those two aren't mutually exclusives 

And of course it's just a TV show, but TV shows impact the way we view society and the world around us, hundreds of studies have proven that. And yes, it doesn't have any "obligation" to be diverse, but I don't think that really matters. Nobody has an "obligation" to be a good person, that doesn't mean it's okay to be a d*ck all the time. It's a weird comparison, but I hope you get what I'm trying to say.