Diversity

[Matt]

25 minutes ago, harrietjames said:

So yet again they kill off a culturally diverse character and off screen at that.... Why am I not surprised?

Wow, I think you'll find he was killed in the characters' backstory...

[Homeandawayfan.]

H&A is under no strict obligation to show diversity but I feel it should show diversity. It is not ticking a box, but more so reflecting today's society.

Neighbours has had plenty of gay characters in the last few years and plenty of Asian people such as the Udagawas, Tanaka's and the Kapoors and I think Nate was part Aborigine. Andy Barrett may have been mixed race but this was never confirmed, and we don't know Justin Morgan is mixed race.

[b2sb09]

Discussions about the lack of diversity on Australian TV aren't new. Some progress has been made, yet others seem resistant to it, like Home and Away. I don't care that it's a small seaside town, that's no excuse for excluding diversity. Endless criminals, murderers, gangs (all well above the average you'd expect of such a town) etc, always manage to find their way into Summer Bay, yet people of colour or LGBTQI or who have disabilities seem to have great difficulty in finding that same road, almost as if it's been made invisible for them. Home and Away is a TV show that chooses when it wants to reflect society and when not to. It's attitude toward violence and crime for instance is a good example of when it ignores how society views such things, usually when it's a regular character doing something criminal and being excused, compared to wanting us to condemn the same behaviour when committed by a guest character. They pick and choose at will, so the only conclusion I can draw for the lack of diversity, is that it's an obvious decision to keep the show as it is.

There were a couple of studies on diversity released last year. Screen Australia found that kid shows and comedies had better diversity, than the adult shows. It found that 5% of main characters where Indigenous compared to 3% of the population, but characters from non-Anglo Celtic backgrounds, or who had identified disabilities or were LGBTQI, were well under-represented compared to the actual percentage of the population they represent. In Home and Away's case, I think it safe to say that it is incredibly subpar on all levels of this representation.

For a show that is 30 years old, Home and Away does feel that it hasn't really moved with the times in certain areas, and it's not just the lack of diversity, it's the way in which they have chosen to portray them when they bother to. Their gay characters, of years past it's been that long, tended to play to stereotype, and one thing I am sick to death of seeing on TV, not just Australian TV, are dead or crazy/obsessive lesbians, bi characters for an episode or two before back to 100% straight, non happy endings for diverse characters etc. Neighbours' Steph and Belinda-she-who-stalked-from-behind-trees-and-couldn't-accept-it-was-over-Bell supposed lesbian storyline was how not to do it, since Belinda was written in such a way as to make us mistrust her every time they brought her back,

Spoiler

but at least it appears as if they haven't forgotten that Steph has been attracted to women, not that I expect much of the upcoming storyline with Victoria.

These days, by expecting good representation, then you're almost guaranteed to be disappointed, so predictable LGBTQI storylines have become. Neighbours does need improvement in how to tell some of these storylines, but at least they're making an effort to include diversity after spending years ignoring it, unlike Home and Away. I mean, how hard is it for Home and Away to add some diversity? With the political climate and all that, plenty of opportunities for some drama and decent storylines by introducing some cultural diversity, or any diversity really. I guess it's just a little too hard though.

 

[cadyctslover]

Just caught up on Episode 6610 at Aus pace.

Spoiler

Hunter accompanies Olivia to 0-Week at university. Hunter says that 0-week is "awesome" having just  bought a BLT from the LGBTIQ Society.

"Equality never tasted so good!"

It's as if the writers are desperately saying, 'We're not ignoring it! This is all we're allowed to do!"

 

[dee123]

On 12/03/2017 at 2:19 AM, cadyctslover said:

Just caught up on Episode 6610 at Aus pace.

  Hide contents

Hunter accompanies Olivia to 0-Week at university. Hunter says that 0-week is "awesome" having just  bought a BLT from the LGBTIQ Society.

"Equality never tasted so good!"

It's as if the writers are desperately saying, 'We're not ignoring it! This is all we're allowed to do!"

 

Yes. Things here and there have seemed to be pointing at this is a mandate coming from 7, not the show.

[harrietjames]

And the use of the acronym "protects the children from the gays" - we must protect the children....

[dee123]

Neighbours is bringing a blended Indian family, and not just any family they are 

Spoiler

Rebecchi's.

http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/neighbours/news/a824471/neighbours-shane-rebecchi-returns-new-family/

More advancement for them. It's just becoming so apparent how far behind H&A are I wonder how long 7 will be able to keep this up? 

[cadyctslover]

Spoiler

I'm really looking forward to the extended Rebecchi's arriving. By linking them to an existing family they should integrate nicely with the rest of the cast, and won't feel like 'that other family' like with the Kapoor's.

 

[Homeandawayfan.]

H&A has bought back Dr Bernice Chung for a few guest episodes.

[harrietjames]

On 20/05/2017 at 7:46 AM, Homeandawayfan. said:

H&A has bought back Dr Bernice Chung for a few guest episodes.

Will they cast her secret lesbian lover?