The BBC and Homosexuals ....
Discussion
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/03/01/nbbc01.xml&sSheet=/news/2006/03/01/ixhome.html
BBC presenters accused of poking fun at homosexuals
By Tom Leonard
(Filed: 01/03/2006)
Anne Robinson and Jeremy Clarkson are among BBC presenters accused of perpetuating negative attitudes towards homosexual men and women in a new report.
Homosexual people's lives featured in just 38 minutes of 168 hours of peak airtime monitored on BBC1 and BBC2, according to research for the campaigning charity Stonewall.
Most of that time was on entertainment programmes, and 32 minutes of it amounted to derogatory or offensive references and only six minutes to "realistic" portrayals, said Stonewall.
The study released yesterday said that homosexual people living in stable relationships were "almost invisible" on the BBC's two main television channels. Most of the images aired were "clichés and stereotypes", it added.
The criticism is particularly embarrassing for an organisation that makes great play of its commitment to serving minorities and reflecting "cultural diversity".
Robinson was attacked for repeatedly using homosexual innuendo to belittle a contestant on the quiz show The Weakest Link - Celebrity Chefs. The presenter asked Reza Mahammad: "What do you do in your restaurant? Just mince around?". She later pondered: "Is Reza more puff than pastry?".
She added: "Reza, before you go, and bear in mind that this is a family show, what's the strangest thing you've ever put in your mouth?"
The report said it was not unusual to hear Clarkson, presenter of the motoring show Top Gear, unfavourably describing cars as "gay".
The series illustrated the "phenomenon" of "an acceptable or palatable form of pseudo-lesbianism", said the study. It cited as evidence Clarkson using lesbian sexual fantasies as a metaphor to describe his enthusiasm for a car, saying: "Now this, for me, when I was little, was, kind of, Jordan and Cameron Diaz in a bath together."
Clarkson also referred to the transport ministers Alistair Darling and Stephen Ladyman as "Darling and Manlove".
Ally McCoist, a team captain on A Question Of Sport, was censured after an episode featured a montage of clips of sportsmen, including McCoist, kissing.
Afterwards, the report said, McCoist "was quick to point out that he was not instigating the kiss, in other words, that he is not gay".
The study, Tuned Out, carried out with researchers from the University of Leeds, claimed that 51 per cent of all individual references to homosexual people on the BBC were in the form of jokes.
One, on The Lenny Henry Show, accompanied by a limp-wristed gesture, was about a man being arrested for being homosexual and let off by a gay judge. In Porridge there was a reference to a sexually predatory homosexual prison group, "Equal Rights For Poofters".
Viewers criticised the BBC for allowing Chris Moyles, the Radio 1 DJ, to make anti-homosexual comments.
The report concluded: "The BBC rarely challenges homophobia and consistently allows its presenters to perpetuate negative attitudes towards lesbians and gay men, and gay sexuality."
While lesbians were almost completely ignored, said the study, the BBC relied heavily on cliched stereotypes of sexually predatory or camp and effeminate homosexual men, citing the character Shane in the hairdressing drama Cutting It. The corporation "seems reluctant to present lesbian and gay people in everyday scenarios such as stable relationships or family life", it added.
Viewers in focus groups said gay characters were rarely developed in BBC soap operas, and their sexuality completely defined their role.
Once their "coming out" or sexually orientated storylines were over, they were commonly written out, the report said.
The BBC said the study was too narrow, confined to peak time on the two main channels, and ignored much of its news and current affairs coverage.
A spokesman added: "If they think gays and lesbians can only watch things in which they have direct representation, we think that's misconceived."
BBC presenters accused of poking fun at homosexuals
By Tom Leonard
(Filed: 01/03/2006)
Anne Robinson and Jeremy Clarkson are among BBC presenters accused of perpetuating negative attitudes towards homosexual men and women in a new report.
Homosexual people's lives featured in just 38 minutes of 168 hours of peak airtime monitored on BBC1 and BBC2, according to research for the campaigning charity Stonewall.
Most of that time was on entertainment programmes, and 32 minutes of it amounted to derogatory or offensive references and only six minutes to "realistic" portrayals, said Stonewall.
The study released yesterday said that homosexual people living in stable relationships were "almost invisible" on the BBC's two main television channels. Most of the images aired were "clichés and stereotypes", it added.
The criticism is particularly embarrassing for an organisation that makes great play of its commitment to serving minorities and reflecting "cultural diversity".
Robinson was attacked for repeatedly using homosexual innuendo to belittle a contestant on the quiz show The Weakest Link - Celebrity Chefs. The presenter asked Reza Mahammad: "What do you do in your restaurant? Just mince around?". She later pondered: "Is Reza more puff than pastry?".
She added: "Reza, before you go, and bear in mind that this is a family show, what's the strangest thing you've ever put in your mouth?"
The report said it was not unusual to hear Clarkson, presenter of the motoring show Top Gear, unfavourably describing cars as "gay".
The series illustrated the "phenomenon" of "an acceptable or palatable form of pseudo-lesbianism", said the study. It cited as evidence Clarkson using lesbian sexual fantasies as a metaphor to describe his enthusiasm for a car, saying: "Now this, for me, when I was little, was, kind of, Jordan and Cameron Diaz in a bath together."
Clarkson also referred to the transport ministers Alistair Darling and Stephen Ladyman as "Darling and Manlove".
Ally McCoist, a team captain on A Question Of Sport, was censured after an episode featured a montage of clips of sportsmen, including McCoist, kissing.
Afterwards, the report said, McCoist "was quick to point out that he was not instigating the kiss, in other words, that he is not gay".
The study, Tuned Out, carried out with researchers from the University of Leeds, claimed that 51 per cent of all individual references to homosexual people on the BBC were in the form of jokes.
One, on The Lenny Henry Show, accompanied by a limp-wristed gesture, was about a man being arrested for being homosexual and let off by a gay judge. In Porridge there was a reference to a sexually predatory homosexual prison group, "Equal Rights For Poofters".
Viewers criticised the BBC for allowing Chris Moyles, the Radio 1 DJ, to make anti-homosexual comments.
The report concluded: "The BBC rarely challenges homophobia and consistently allows its presenters to perpetuate negative attitudes towards lesbians and gay men, and gay sexuality."
While lesbians were almost completely ignored, said the study, the BBC relied heavily on cliched stereotypes of sexually predatory or camp and effeminate homosexual men, citing the character Shane in the hairdressing drama Cutting It. The corporation "seems reluctant to present lesbian and gay people in everyday scenarios such as stable relationships or family life", it added.
Viewers in focus groups said gay characters were rarely developed in BBC soap operas, and their sexuality completely defined their role.
Once their "coming out" or sexually orientated storylines were over, they were commonly written out, the report said.
The BBC said the study was too narrow, confined to peak time on the two main channels, and ignored much of its news and current affairs coverage.
A spokesman added: "If they think gays and lesbians can only watch things in which they have direct representation, we think that's misconceived."
The Wiz said:
Homosexual people's lives featured in just 38 minutes of 168 hours of peak airtime monitored on BBC1 and BBC2, according to research for the campaigning charity Stonewall.
Well - so what? When I watch TV, I don't particularly care whether the people on it are gay, straight or extraterrestrial. If the programme is interesting, then I watch it. If it's not - off it goes.
How is it relevant to cite examples from Lenny Henry and Porridge? Programmes made years ago?
Still. He who pays the piper calls the tune, I suppose. This is Stonewall's take on the whole thing.
www.stonewall.org.uk/media/current_releases/1267.asp
Stonewall said:
The report suggests eight key recommendations to the BBC. These include provision of urgently-needed "balanced and unsensational" coverage in its news and current affairs programmes, developing authentic gay characters throughout drama and soap outputs and including six per cent of gay contestants in game shows, reflecting the wider British population.
Sorry, but I don't get some of this. Six per cent of gay contestants in gameshows? Why? What relevance does anyone's sexual preference have to gameshows?
Never mind. At least we know now why the BBC doesn't dare to repeat Not The Nine O'Clock News.
>> Edited by SGirl on Thursday 2nd March 09:22
Why does there have to be a quota for everything? Be it x amount of particular people in a company and y amount of tv time devoted to certain groups and represented in a certain way.. life isn't like that, you don't pick people to be your friends because you have to have certain amounts of certain types of people.
I watched that Channel 4 programe the other night and was horrified to hear about that couple on Fleetwood that were in trouble for homophobia because they asked for an alternative (Christian) view to be promoted alongside a homosexual view, like the racisim problem, people want us to hear the other side, but have no toloerance for our views, just because I don't promote homosexuality does not make me homophobic. I don't have a problem what people do behind doors, but I don't want it pushing in my face everywhere I turn.
Anyway, the vast majority of tv is escapism from real life!
I watched that Channel 4 programe the other night and was horrified to hear about that couple on Fleetwood that were in trouble for homophobia because they asked for an alternative (Christian) view to be promoted alongside a homosexual view, like the racisim problem, people want us to hear the other side, but have no toloerance for our views, just because I don't promote homosexuality does not make me homophobic. I don't have a problem what people do behind doors, but I don't want it pushing in my face everywhere I turn.
Anyway, the vast majority of tv is escapism from real life!
I do have to agree that Chris Moyles is a moron with so little wit he seems completely incapable to saying anything but the most obvious, tired and usually offensive jokes. Gay people needn't take it to heart though, he does it with anyone or anything he can take a cheap shot at.
Thing is, ok stop the ridicule, but why do gay people need better representation? Why should a person's sexuality be important? Why do we need to be 'made aware' that someone is gay? Scott Mills is gay, but he doesn't make an issue of it and why should he? Gay people don't need to go around with a big sign saying 'I'm gay and you have to deal with that', their sexuality shouldn't define who they are.
Organisations like Stonewall would do a lot more good if they just figured out that you can't expect to be treated fairly and 'just like everyone else' if you keep telling people you're different and everyone needs to make special allowances for that.
Thing is, ok stop the ridicule, but why do gay people need better representation? Why should a person's sexuality be important? Why do we need to be 'made aware' that someone is gay? Scott Mills is gay, but he doesn't make an issue of it and why should he? Gay people don't need to go around with a big sign saying 'I'm gay and you have to deal with that', their sexuality shouldn't define who they are.
Organisations like Stonewall would do a lot more good if they just figured out that you can't expect to be treated fairly and 'just like everyone else' if you keep telling people you're different and everyone needs to make special allowances for that.
Telegraph said:
The study released yesterday said that homosexual people living in stable relationships were "almost invisible" on the BBC's two main television channels. Most of the images aired were "clichés and stereotypes", it added.
Oh come on...everyone in Eastenders, gay or straight, is clichéd or stereotyped!
Eric Mc said:
And Graham Norton NEVER pokes fun at gay people either?
Aha, but if you are gay or a Muslim (or belong to any minority) you are exempt. Disabled people can tell jokes about disabled people, but if I stand up and do it, they'll get cross.
Only straight white people can be racist or homophobic.
Seems a bit racist to me...
There would be a lot less humour about without stereotypes - humour is only funny if we can relate it to something with a "normality"which we're familiar - even if that "normality" is an unrepresentative, caricatured exageration i.e. a stereotype.
I agree with the comments here about groups expecting to be treated as special, and wanting to be an invisible part of wider society at the same time. It doesn't work that way. Plus, to my mind, why should 6% of the population expect the other 94% to change it's behaviour? Society's stability works best on a majority approach. Isn't the BBC and the arts in general, heavily populated by homosexuals anyway/ So why crticise an area of life in which they ARE a majority? i think it's generally accepted that, except in very rare instances, television and the performing arts reflect society's values and beliefs, rather than shape them.
I agree with the comments here about groups expecting to be treated as special, and wanting to be an invisible part of wider society at the same time. It doesn't work that way. Plus, to my mind, why should 6% of the population expect the other 94% to change it's behaviour? Society's stability works best on a majority approach. Isn't the BBC and the arts in general, heavily populated by homosexuals anyway/ So why crticise an area of life in which they ARE a majority? i think it's generally accepted that, except in very rare instances, television and the performing arts reflect society's values and beliefs, rather than shape them.
Jonna_Rex said:
It seems that homosexuality has become the new trend in tv
Absolutely. Anyone had a day off sick, sat in front of the TV feeling sorry for themselves recently? Nearly every day-time TV programme has at least one gay person on it, so much so I call it gay-time television...
I really don't think gay people need or want teams of busybodies coming up with figures for the number of gay references made in TV programs. In my opinion they are very well accepted these days (well maybe it's just in my age bracket because I'm young) and crap like this just serves to alienate and try to create issues which aren't there.
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