I'm kind of curious - what do you consider to be a positive vs. negative portrayal of queer (LGBTQIA) characters in books, or in other media (such as TV shows or movies)? I've seen some interesting discussions about this on feminist and LGBT sites, but I was wondering about this from the perspective of writers.
Just looking at one TV show I know very well, Glee: I've noticed that Kurt has gotten a lot of acclaim as a positive portrayal of a gay teenager, even being called "the most important character on TV right now" once (I forgot who said it). But I've also seen him criticized as being yet another stereotypically flamboyant, musical-theatre-loving gay boy. And Brittany and Santana's relationship is something that I've seen a lot of squeeing about on lesbian sites but also has been criticized for furthering the idea of bisexual women "not being serious" or something.
What do you personally consider to be a "positive" vs. a "negative" portrayal of a gay/lesbian/bisexual/trans/intersexed/asexual person in fiction? Is there a blueprint for how to write "respectful" characters? Which specific characters/plots either deserve a standing ovation or disgust you?
(Mainly looking for input from my fellow queers, but straight allies can feel free to weigh in, too.)
Just looking at one TV show I know very well, Glee: I've noticed that Kurt has gotten a lot of acclaim as a positive portrayal of a gay teenager, even being called "the most important character on TV right now" once (I forgot who said it). But I've also seen him criticized as being yet another stereotypically flamboyant, musical-theatre-loving gay boy. And Brittany and Santana's relationship is something that I've seen a lot of squeeing about on lesbian sites but also has been criticized for furthering the idea of bisexual women "not being serious" or something.
What do you personally consider to be a "positive" vs. a "negative" portrayal of a gay/lesbian/bisexual/trans/intersexed/asexual person in fiction? Is there a blueprint for how to write "respectful" characters? Which specific characters/plots either deserve a standing ovation or disgust you?
(Mainly looking for input from my fellow queers, but straight allies can feel free to weigh in, too.)