Course Description

At the core of the course is the question how feminism has become a demonized and ridiculed “F-word” in an age when issues of gender and sexuality are at the center of constant, often explosive political debates. These debates often connect media representation and political representation but tend to do so in simplistic ways that bypass or distort decades of sophisticated feminist theory and practice. We will trace back such representations through the decades around case studies that encompass film, video, television and new media practices. The case studies come from the United States and beyond, taking into full account the global interconnectedness of media production and consumption as well as the transnational travel of feminist ideas. The main goal of the course is to evaluate how useful feminist thinking is to understanding the relays between media and political representation; and to develop a lasting critical apparatus to analyzing the politics of gender and sexuality in the media.


Monday, November 18, 2013

Outline

Project question: Do gay characters in television serve any purpose other than being gay?

In my paper, I plan to explore how gay characters in television are portrayed as being virtually identity-less and serve the sole purpose of being a homosexual character. The character’s main struggle always has something to do with the fact that he or she is gay, no matter what the show’s storyline entails. I intend to draw examples from shows such as Glee, Ellen, and The Office. I also intend to argue that although shows may think they are being pro-gay by including these characters, producers are actually taking a major step back in the fight for gay rights by mentioning either directly or indirectly that the character is indeed gay. Straight characters in television face complex problems that can revolve around their financial status, issues in the workplace or with family, etc. It seems, however, that gay characters are only faced with issues that have something to do with them being gay. I want to explore why this is.


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