Why LGBTQ+ Movies and TV Shows Matter

Happy Pride Month, everyone! June is the time in the year to recognize and celebrate the various positive impacts that the LGBTQ+ community have contributed to society. It’s amazing to see how far the public perceptions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals have progressively advanced since the Stonewall Riots in 1969. Currently, seventy-two percent of United States citizens state that homosexuality should be accepted by world at large. And the numbers keep climbing. Personally, I believe this positive trajectory is in part due to the increased representation of LGBTQ+ individuals in books, movies, and television shows.

LGBTQ+ Characters in Movies and Television

Over the last several decades, LGBTQ+ characters have transitioned from being background and inconsequential bystanders to the headline characters of their respective novels, movies, and TV shows. In the early 2000s, movie characters in the popular X-Men series were viewed as symbolic representations of the LGBTQ+ community because they hid their authentic selves from the world out of fear of prejudice and persecution.

Around this same time, Will and Grace also rose in popularity. President Barack Obama claimed that Will and Grace were monumental in helping the American public learn more about the daily lives and personal struggles of LGBTQ+ individuals.

Last year Schitt’s Creek, a show all about acceptance and inclusivity, swept the Emmys. And just last month Heartstopper, a coming-of-age romantic comedy about two male adolescents falling in love with each other, was released to critical and audience praise. LGBTQ+ characters are undoubtedly becoming more and more popular. And they’re here to stay.

Why Representation Matters

So… Who cares? Why is it such a big deal for the LGBTQ+ community to see their personal stories portrayed on both the big and small screen? They are, after all, just movies and TV shows. During my Master’s degree, I took an intense class focusing on trauma and PTSD where I learned about how people from minority cultures are taught to hate and resent themselves.

A core tenet of the class was that marginalized individuals are more likely to experience PTSD when they are treated by others as less than human. Corrupt individuals in power justify their actions to hurt others by dividing groups of people into distinct categories of “Us” vs. “Them.” By doing so, they provide reasoning to scar and wound individuals simply looking for a place to belong.

However, by introducing LGBTQ+ characters into the popular media, people can see every person in society as a “We.” Oscar-winner and gay rights advocate Dustin Lance Black has said that stories are the most powerful method in helping people learn how to respect and empathize with one another. Thus, it should come as no surprise that a majority of his work focuses on deeply moving and touching stories of LGBTQ+ individuals such as Harvey Milk and Cleve Jones.

Does Increased Coverage Mean Better Representation?

One of the fallacies when it comes to media representation of the LGBTQ+ community is that increased coverage automatically correlates to better representation. However, it is important to evaluate the kind of content that is presented in the media rather than just celebrating the fact that there is more coverage of the community. It greatly matters how mainstream media highlights the individualized perspectives, motivations, and aspirations of LGBTQ+ characters presented in movies and television programs.

Importance of Representation to Children and Young People?

Children are immensely influenced by what they see around them. For this reason, LGBTQ+ representation in popular media projects such as movies and television can have a profound effect on young people. Negative stereotypes of LBGTQ+ people can create feelings of isolation and loneliness among children, especially if they are part of this community.

The opposite is also true. When children and young people see themselves properly represented in the media, it can lead to the development of a healthy self-perception and esteem. This in turn helps to ward off many mental and social problems that may present in their childhood and their adulthood.

My Personal Experience

As I am writing this, I think back to 2018 when I decided to come out to my friends and family. At the time, I was terrified of what people would say when they learned the truth, and whether or not I would ever be able to be happy. And during those times when I felt lost and alone, I turned to stories with characters with whom I could relate on a deep and personal level.

Let Me Help You

I truly believe that we are all in this together. Every person in the world simply wants to live a life of happiness and fulfillment. My work as a professional counselor at Coltharp Counseling is specifically designed to help people learn how to love themselves and create their ideal lives. I can help you get to where you want to be.

And I can’t wait to help you find your community that will love and accept you just as you are.

Schedule a free 15-minute consultation with me so we can talk more about what you need and how I can help.