Genre Transformation

Sustained Argument (PART ONE)

PART ONE

Thesis:

There is no doubt that the movies and TV shows we watch today have greatly improved on being more socially accepting of the the LGBTQ+ community. We can see it is slowly becoming a better norm. But it is not good enough. The industry is nowhere near where it should be. There are still so many people being under- or misrepresented on television. The LGBTQ+ characters that do get to make an appearance to the screen are minimal and highly stereotyped. Their importance is not taken seriously and is not substantial. Show creators of the major television broadcasting agencies should portray a better representation of the LGBTQ+ community on TV.

Sustained Argument (PART TWO)

PART TWO  click for PART ONE

Why There is a Need for Change:

The Hollywood industry must include a more accurate representation of the LGBTQ+ community. If they don’t, our world doesn’t get to learn about this community. That is a whole huge group of people left with little to no representation on television. Meanwhile, the viewers stay uneducated on the most update society and they stay stuck in their old stereotypical ways and thoughts about the LGBTQ+ community. Many people get their information and knowledge from the media so – whether they know it or not – media teaches the public, therefore they need to be teaching the public correct information. The lack of knowledge from the TV show watchers and misconceptions on the actual TV shows are not okay.

Sustained Argument (PART THREE)

PART THREE  click for PART TWO

Solutions:

So what can be done? How can it change?

Well for starters, casting directors can hire a more diverse cast of actors. The LGBTQ+ discrimination in the work force is truly a large factor of the problem.

Sustained Argument (PART FOUR)

PART FOUR  click for PART THREE

Conclusion:

Show creators need to include all communities and accurately represent them on television.

If they do not, they leave out part of the population on TV which is not okay. Not including the LGBTQ+ community, or giving misconceptions because of the portrayals on television, also leaves other TV viewers uneducated about the lives of many people who identify within LGBTQ+ community. People look up to characters and the actors they see on the screens, therefore positive and true role models need to be promoted and emphasized.

Primary Research

Bart McHenry’s Background: McHenry has been in musicals since high school and then earned his BFA in acting at University of Southern California. At age 28, he decided to he wanted to teach so he received his MFA in musical theater at University of California Irvine and was selected as one of four people a year for the three-year program. He went on to teach acting at Orange County High School of Arts, Saddleback College, and Irvine Valley College as a grad student. After he graduated, he was teaching and performing when he landed full-time at Azusa Pacific University for nine years. McHenry was the founding chair at the department of theater film and television. He has been involved in directing/ choreographing approximately 30 plays and musicals, starting in college directing college and community theater productions. For the past 7 years, he has been the Dean of Fine Arts and Media Technology at Saddleback College. There, he over sees seven departs in the art department including 25 full-time faculty, 25 staff, and 75 part-time workers. He says the favorite production or role he’s had is being a father and raising his two daughters: Becca and Noelle. McHenry has been out as gay for three years and attends college functions with his partner.

Analyzing Stakeholders

Who has the money and power? How does this affect the LGBT+ community on television?

The Hollywood industry has the money and the power over what can be seen on TV. These television producers do not want to take the chance of expanding their casts for shows. They know that white straight characters sell in TV and movies; thus, creating the underrepresented population.

Evaluation of Credibility

INTRODUCTION

I found a website that has an analysis of the TV show Modern Family. The website figures out if it is stereotypical or not. I discovered that this website is not a reliable or credible source.

AUTHOR

No author is named on the website. No credentials are listed. I don’t know who the author is so I do not know if they are qualified to write about this topic. Without an “About the Author” page, there is no contact information given like an email address.

Rhetorical Analysis

In the article “Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Not Appearing in This Movie”  from The New York Times by Liam Stack on May 2, 2016, the author discusses a GLAAD report (previously known as the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) that shows the low number of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender characters in movies. This small amount of characters representing this large group of individuals on screen, if there are any, are highly stereotyped. His argument is effective and convincing. These ideas make up the thesis. To prove the point or subject, the article further explains the need for the LGBT community to be more accurately portrayed and why.

The Portrayal of the LGBTQIA+ Community on Television

Main Idea:

The public has a certain perception of the LGBTQIA+ community. The public gets most of it’s information from media. Television is one of the biggest modes of the portrayal of the LGBTQIA+ community. Thus, people have perceptions because of how TV portrays the LGBTQIA+ community.

Thesis:

TV has informed the public about modern ideas about the LGBTQIA+ community, however, people still have misconceptions because of the stereotypes that are portrayed on television.