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User:Jasminegpaz/LGBT stereotypes

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Media[edit]

(ORIGINAL)[edit]

The media has moved forward in equally representing members of the LGBT community. While there may still not be many prominent LGBT characters in the mainstream media, the community has completed many milestones in the recent years. In 2016, the coming-of-age drama film Moonlight became the first LGBT movie to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.[1] In 2018, Love, Simon also became the first film from a major studio that focused on the hardships of being a closeted gay teenager.[2]

LGBT members continue to be underrepresented and typecast. According to GLAAD, of the 118 films released in 2019 by Disney, Lionsgate, Paramount, Sony, STX, United Artists, Universal, and Warner Bros, about 19% included an LGBT character.[3]

(EDIT)[edit]

The media has made some progress toward more equitable representation of members of the LGBT community. While there may not be many prominent LGBT characters in the current mainstream media, the community has achieved significant milestones in recent years. In 2016, Moonlight, a coming-of-age drama about a young African American man's struggle with his identity and sexuality, became not only the first LGBT movie to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, but also the first LGBTQ film with an all-black cast.[1] In 2018, Love, Simon was recognized as the first film from a major Hollywood studio that familiarized young male homosexuality and its accompanying hardships to a larger, non-specialized audience.[2]

However, LGBT members continue to be underrepresented and typecast. According to the 2021 GLAAD Studio Responsibility Index, 22.7 percent of films released by Lionsgate, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, STX films, United Artists Releasing, Universal Pictures, Walt Disney Studios, and Warner Bros. were LGBT-inclusive.[4] While the percentage of LGBTQ characters of color increased slightly in 2021, no transgender or non-binary characters were added.[4] In television, 12.5 percent of series regular characters on broadcast networks from 2021 to 2022 were LGBTQ with a significant increase in the percentage of LGBTQ characters of color but a decrease in the percentage of LGBT characters with disabilities.[5]

African Americans[edit]

(ORIGINAL)[edit]

African American gay men are often characterized as being dominant in relationships both sexually and emotionally.[6] This bias stems from a history of racism and characterization of African American men as brutish in addition to stereotypes which categorize homosexual men as either "top" or "bottom". These stereotypes can be observed in many forms of media, including pornography which depicts gay African American men as aggressive. African American members of the LGBT community also face discrimination and stereotypes from other African Americans who are historically likely to be religious and stereotype homosexuals as having loose morals. Religious stereotypes surrounding the LGBT community are especially prevalent in certain Black evangelical churches where gay and transsexual members are thought to be "damned to hell".[7]

(EDIT)[edit]

African American gay men are often characterized as being dominant in relationships, both sexually and emotionally.[6] This belief is rooted in the Mandingo stereotype, a popular stereotype among opponents of the Emancipation Proclamation that painted African American men as animalistic and brutish to deepen the existing divide between White and Black Americans.[8] In addition to traditional forms of racism, African American gay men are subject to sexual racism that expects them to assume the "top" role during anal sex due to stereotypes that depict them as sexually aggressive partners with large penises. [6][9] These stereotypes can be observed in many forms of media, notably pornography, which depicts Black gay men as sexual predators who are capable of satisfying fantasies of extreme domination.[10] African American members of the LGBT community also face discrimination and stereotypes from other African Americans who are historically likely to be religious and stereotype homosexuals as having loose morals. Religious stereotypes surrounding the LGBT community are especially prevalent in certain black evangelical churches, where gay and transsexual members are thought to be "damned to hell."[7]

With respect to the experience of African American lesbians, they deliberately construct their identities to protect themselves against intersectional forms of discrimination. Though Black feminine and masculine lesbians–femmes and studs–use gender performance to blend into a heteropatriarchal society, they continue to experience negative gender and racial stereotypes.

Black femmes are characterized as hypersexual, submissive women who lack substance and, in conformity with traditional feminine gender norms, are obsessed with outward appearance (i.e., clothes, hair, makeup).[11] As their visual identity allows them to pass as heterosexual women, Black femmes are shielded from potential homophobic violence.[12] However, due to their subordinate position in the dominant racial and gender hierarchy, Black women remain vulnerable to misogynoir–regardless of perceived or actual sexual orientation.

Studs are similarly identified through dress and appearance. In an attempt to imitate straight, Black men, studs incorporate stereotypical elements of "thuggish" style into their own, often covered in loose-fitting clothing and chains with their hair styled in braids, twists, tied up, or cut short.[13] To protect themselves against homophobia within Black and non-Black communities further, studs will exaggerate certain elements of traditional masculinity to become "one of the guys."[13][12] As a result, studs are stereotyped as having extremely sexist and homophobic attitudes towards feminine lesbians and gay men.[13]

However, deviation from heteronormativity has contributed to the rise of negative representations of all Black lesbians in media and popular culture.[14] In the 1920s, African American newspapers popularized the stereotype of Black lesbians as violent, sex-crazed individuals at the same time that the concept of "lesbianism" emerged in modern American society.[14] Largely owing to the Great Migration, newspapers sensationalized homicide cases involving women who loved women to criticize the immoral behavior of Southern migrants, who were perceived as a threat to the respectability of Northern residents.[14] While violence between Black women occurred at a lower rate than violence between heterosexual and other same-sex relationships during this time period, journalists' insinuation that Black lesbianism was inherently linked to extreme aggression and criminal behavior shaped public opinion for several decades.[14]

Hispanics[edit]

(ORIGINAL)[edit]

Hispanics generally have a difficult time within the culture of the Hispanic American countries, yet not in Spain, due to these cultures being more traditionalist (except for Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile). There have been some shifts away from these stereotypes in recent years, but it has been to different extents depending on the culture. The strong belief in "machismo" has caused these shifts in attitude to be so small. Machismo refers to the male dominant role in society that provides more social authority to men that are not experienced by women. Female homosexuality is less explicitly accepted in many of these cultures, while in certain countries and in certain social status it is accepted, they do not enjoy the acceptance similar to that of other Western countries.[15] Many Hispanics stray away[clarification needed] from coming out because of religion.[citation needed] The LGBTQ Hispanic community of faith helps people understand that they can be gay and also be religious without judgement.[16]

Hispanics and Latinos[edit]

(EDIT)[edit]

Hispanic and Latino gay men and women often experience difficulty coming out in their communities due to cultural values based on heterosexism or the presumption that heterosexual relationships and sexual behavior are the societal norm. As a result, coming out as homosexual may jeopardize the strong familial ties associated with Hispanic and Latino culture.[17] A dominant stereotype of Hispanic and Latino family structures is that they are centered on the "macho" man who determines appropriate forms of masculinity and femininity. A "good man," for example, is not only expected to provide for his family and protect women and children, but also to maintain a positive family image through abusive and oppressive tactics.[18] As such, a "good woman" is expected to assume a submissive and subservient position to both men and the family.[17] Due to their sexuality, gay men and women are perceived to be at odds with traditional Hispanic and Latino structures that assign gender roles and are discriminated against as a result. In addition to machismo, Hispanic and Latino communities are stereotyped as homophobic due to their religiosity. However, the emerging popularity of Latin American Liberation Theology has empowered young gay men and women to redefine religion and spirituality on their own terms, come out, and confront heterosexism.[19]

Like other gay men of color, Hispanic and Latino gay men are frequently reduced to racial stereotypes within the gay community.[10] Due to the overgeneralization of Hispanic and Latino men as hyper-masculine individuals, gay men of the same background are stereotyped as passionate and spontaneous lovers with an insatiable sexual appetite.[20][21] The continued presence of racial stereotypes within the gay community is harmful because it fetishizes and dehumanizes gay men of color to the point where issues impacting their intersecting identities––such as universal healthcare, homelessness, welfare, and immigration––are excluded from the political agenda of the gay movement.[10] Additionally, Hispanic and Latino gay men are subject to gender stereotypes within their ethnic community that largely influence their sexual behavior.[9] As gay men in Hispanic and Latino cultures are stereotyped as overly effeminate individuals due to their sexual orientation, their preferences in sexual roles are formed and reformed to prevent any negative perceptions of them being a "lesser man." They prefer to assume the active role during anal sex over the passive role because penetration is associated with traditionally masculine traits such as power and dominance while being penetrated is associated with traditionally feminine traits such as weakness and submission.[9]

Hispanic and Latina lesbians are similarly stereotyped according to their intersecting identities. As gay women of color, they are characterized as seductive and sensual individuals with a fiery or "spicy" disposition who exist to satisfy heterosexual male desire.[22] One example of the stereotypical representation of Hispanic and Latina lesbians in popular culture is the fictional character Santana Lopez from Glee. Throughout the series, Santana is depicted as a "straight-up bitch" who engages in verbal and physical altercations with others and has had numerous sexual and romantic relationships with male and female protagonists.[23] Within their communities, Hispanic and Latina lesbians are also impacted by gender stereotypes. Owing to the cultural belief that respectable women subordinate their needs to men and refrain from any sexual activity without the intention of procreation, Hispanic and Latina lesbians will "stay in the closet" or refrain from coming out.[17][24] Those who do come out will be received differently depending on their presentation. While feminine lesbians will be rendered invisible in Hispanic and Latino spaces, masculine lesbians will be the only "type" of lesbian to be recognized and, as a result, are more likely to be disowned by their families and shut out of communities.[17]

Asians[edit]

(ORIGINAL)[edit]

Asian American women who identify as lesbian or bisexual may face sexual fetishization by white men or women and are stereotyped as "spicy", leading to frustrations about Asian lesbians feeling they are not taken seriously by society, stereotypes about Asian women as "freaky", and yellow fever.[25] Gay and bisexual Asian men are stereotyped as "effeminate, submissive, and docile".[26] As both ethnocentric and heterocentric minority groups, LGBT Asian Americans face intersectional invisibility, which offers them some protection from stereotyping and active prejudice while also making it difficult for them to establish recognition or be recognized.[27] Asian Americans are typically overlooked in discussion of race, which focuses mostly on a white/black dichotomy and renders Asian Americans invisible.[28] Similarly, gay and lesbian Asian Americans are marginalized within mostly-white LGBT communities at large.[29]

Gay Asian American men in media are portrayed as both hypersexual (as gay men) and asexual (as Asian men).[30] Stereotypes of Asian women as either a "dragon lady" or China doll are dominant in mainstream media representation of Asian women, and butch Asian women are relatively invisible, giving way to more femme, or feminized, depictions.[31] GLAAD is working to have a fair depiction of the Asian community in the media by educating the public on language referring to Asian Americans, including refraining from phrases that are Eurocentric like "The Orient", "Far East", and "Asiatic", among other measures. GLAAD is also working to connect media networks with Asian and Pacific Islander LGBT leaders and organizations in order to create less biased media coverage.

(EDIT)[edit]

As a marginalized minority within gender and racial hierarchies, Asian members of the LGBT community experience intersectional invisibility.[27] While this form of invisibility may offer a certain degree of protection from active prejudice, it also makes it difficult for the negative experiences of the Asian community—such as racism and discrimination—to be recognized.[27] As a result, Asians are frequently excluded from discussions of race, which are generally framed around a White/Black dichotomy, and marginalized within the mostly-white LGBT community and movement at large.[28][29]

On the basis of sexual orientation and race, gay Asian men are categorized as either hypersexual or asexual individuals.[30] In particular, gay and bisexual Asian men are stereotyped as "effeminate, submissive, and docile."[26] Due to their perceived feminine qualities, Asian men are viewed as mere bodies to be dominated by other gay men, primarily white men.[10] The stereotype of the submissive and feminine Asian man is reinforced by additional stereotypes, such as the expectation that they will not only assume the passive role in anal sex or be the "bottom," but also that they will do this because they have small penises.[21]

Asian women who identify as lesbian or bisexual endure sexual fetishization by white men or women with yellow fever, a derogatory term with racist origins that is used to describe an Asian fetish. They are stereotyped as "spicy" and "freaky," which contributes to Asian lesbians' frustration about not being taken seriously by society.[25] Stereotypes of Asian women as either a Dragon Lady or China doll are dominant in mainstream media representation of Asian women, and butch Asian women are relatively invisible, giving way to more femme, or feminized, depictions.[31]

GLAAD is working to have a fair depiction of the Asian community in the media by educating the public on language referring to Asian Americans, including refraining from phrases that are Eurocentric like "The Orient", "Far East", and "Asiatic", among other measures. GLAAD is also working to connect media networks with Asian and Pacific Islander LGBT leaders and organizations in order to create less biased media coverage.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "LGBTQ Representation in the Media".
  2. ^ a b Lang, Brent (2018-03-09). "'Love, Simon' Stars Say Gay Teen Romance Will Save Lives". Variety. Retrieved 2019-08-03.
  3. ^ "2020 GLAAD Studio Responsibility Index". GLAAD. 4 July 2020. Retrieved 2021-02-10.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ a b "2021 Studio Responsibility Index" (PDF). GLAAD Media Institute.
  5. ^ "Where We Are on TV" (PDF). GLAAD Media Institute. 2022.
  6. ^ a b c Robinson, Russell. "LGBT Equality and Sexual Racism" (PDF). Fordham Law Review. 86: 2739–2754.
  7. ^ a b Andrews, Edwanna (2017-01-01). "Damned to Hell: The Black Church Experience for College Educated Lesbians, Gays, and Bisexuals". Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019.
  8. ^ Weaver Jr., Tony (2016). "Analysis of Representation of African Americans in Non-linear Streaming Media Content". Elon Journal of Undergraduate Research in Communications. 7 (2): 57–67.
  9. ^ a b c Carballo-Diéguez, Alex; Dolezal, Curtis; Nieves, Luis; Díaz, Francisco; Decena, Carlos; Balan, Ivan (2004). "Looking for a tall, dark, macho man...sexual-role behaviour variations in Latino gay and bisexual men". Culture, Health, and Sexuality. 6 (2): 159–171.
  10. ^ a b c d Han, Chong-suk (2007). "They Don't Want To Cruise Your Type: Gay Men of Color and the Racial Politics of Exclusion". Social Identities. 13 (1): 51–67.
  11. ^ Byrd, Ayana; Solomon, Akiba (2005). Naked: Black Women Bare All About Their Skin, Hair, Hips, Lips, and Other Parts. Penguin. pp. 80–84.
  12. ^ a b Brooks, Siobhan (2016). "Staying in the Hood: Black Lesbian and Transgender Women and Identity Management in North Philadelphia". Journal of Homosexuality. 63 (12): 1573–1593.
  13. ^ a b c Lane-Steel, Laura (2011). "Studs and Protest-Hypermasculinity: The Tomboyism within Black Lesbian Female Masculinity". Journal of Lesbian Studies. 15 (4): 480–492.
  14. ^ a b c d Woolner, Cookie (2015). ""Woman Slain in Queer Love Brawl": African American Women, Same-Sex Desire, and Violence in the Urban North, 1920-1929". Journal of African American History. 100 (3): 406–427.
  15. ^ Forsloff, Carol. "Gay Hispanics Struggle to End Sex Stereotypes." Gay Hispanic Struggle to End Sex Stereotypes. Digital Journal, 19 Jan. 2010. Web. 21 Oct. 2014.
  16. ^ "Human Rights Campaign". [full citation needed]
  17. ^ a b c d Espín, Olivia (1997). Latina Realities. Routledge. pp. 83–96.
  18. ^ Torres, José B.; Solberg, Scott H.; Carlstrom, Aaron H. (2002). "The Myth of Sameness Among Latino Men and Their Machismo". American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. 72 (2): 163–181.
  19. ^ Espín, Olivia M. (2013). "..."An Illness We Catch From American Women"? The Multiple Identities of Latina Lesbians". Women & Therapy: 45–56.
  20. ^ Bianchi, Fernanda T.; Shedlin, Michele G.; Brooks, Kelly D.; Montes Penha, Marcelo; Reisen, Carol A.; Zea, Maria Cecilia; Poppen, Paul J. (2010). "Partner Selection among Latino Immigrant Men Who Have Sex with Men". Archives of Sexual Behavior. 39 (6): 1321–1330.
  21. ^ a b Grov, Christian; Saleh, Lena D.; Lassiter, Jonathan M.; Parsons, Jeffrey T. (2015). "Challenging Race-Based Stereotypes about Gay and Bisexual Men's Sexual Behavior and Perceived penis Size and Size Satisfaction". Sexuality Research and Social Policy. 12 (3): 224–235.
  22. ^ Munoz-Laboy, Miguel; Acosta, Katie (2010). Latina/o sexualities: Probing powers, passions, practices, and policies. Rutgers University Press. pp. 117–136.
  23. ^ Parke, Michelle, ed. (2014). Queer in the Choir Room: Essays on Gender and Sexuality in Glee. McFarland. pp. 39–53.
  24. ^ Greene, Beverly (1996). "Lesbian women of color: Triple jeopardy". Journal of Lesbian Studies. 1 (1): 109–147.
  25. ^ a b Sung, Mi Ra; Szymanski, Dawn M.; Henrichs-Beck, Christy (2015). "Challenges, coping, and benefits of being an Asian American lesbian or bisexual woman". Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity. 2 (1): 52–64. doi:10.1037/sgd0000085. ISSN 2329-0390.
  26. ^ a b Callander, Denton; Newman, Christy E.; Holt, Martin (2015). "Is Sexual Racism Really Racism? Distinguishing Attitudes Toward Sexual Racism and Generic Racism Among Gay and Bisexual Men". Archives of Sexual Behavior. 44 (7): 1991–2000. doi:10.1007/s10508-015-0487-3. ISSN 0004-0002. PMID 26149367. S2CID 7507490.
  27. ^ a b c Purdie-Vaughns, Valerie; Eibach, Richard P. (2008). "Intersectional Invisibility: The Distinctive Advantages and Disadvantages of Multiple Subordinate-Group Identities". Sex Roles. 59 (5–6): 377–391. doi:10.1007/s11199-008-9424-4. ISSN 0360-0025. S2CID 35469591.
  28. ^ a b Sue, Derald Wing; Bucceri, Jennifer; Lin, Annie I.; Nadal, Kevin L.; Torino, Gina C. (2007). "Racial microaggressions and the Asian American experience". Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology. 13 (1): 72–81. doi:10.1037/1099-9809.13.1.72. ISSN 1939-0106. PMID 17227179. S2CID 7607812.
  29. ^ a b Greene, Beverly (1994). "Ethnic-minority lesbians and gay men: Mental health and treatment issues". Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 62 (2): 243–251. doi:10.1037/0022-006X.62.2.243. ISSN 1939-2117. PMID 8201060.
  30. ^ a b Russell Leong (17 June 2014). Asian American Sexualities: Dimensions of the Gay and Lesbian Experience. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-134-71778-1.
  31. ^ a b Sara E. Cooper (13 September 2013). Lesbian Images in International Popular Culture. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-317-99212-7.
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