ABOUT A BOY

Media images help shape our view of the world and our deepest values (Kellner).  Media stories provide the symbols, myths, and resources through which we constitute a common culture and through the appropriation of which we insert ourselves into this culture (Kellner).

Many television shows today either intentionally or unintentionally include minoritizing discourses.  When we read from a minoritizing lens, we see categories in terms of black and white, or either/or.  However, to read from a universalizing lens, we don’t read categories as fixed or set in stone, but as fluid and open to interpretation.

              Many television shows feature heterosexuality as the norm, and this norm is always at the center.  This means characters are assumed to be straight unless they say otherwise.  The effect of this is that homosexuality is considered the ‘exception’ as well as considered deviant or freakish.  This minoritizing discouse on sexuality relies on categories and definitions of how society should be arranged around what works for heterosexuals, for example marriage, reproductive technologies, and medical rights. Situating heterosexuality as norm preserves privilege and denies resources to LGB.

Many television shows, for example Will & Grace, portray homosexuality in comparison to femininity.  Will and Jack are positioned within a narrative space that relies on familiar comedic conventions for addressing homosexuality— equating gayness with a lack of masculinity.  In Hollywood, homosexuality historically has been defined in opposition to masculinity; gayness is that which is not masculine (Russo, 1985, Epstein & Friedman, 1996).  Comedic conventions of film and television have historically reinforced and poked fun at this stereotype of the gay man (Fejes & Petrich, 1993; Dow, 2001).

            One television show that goes against this heterosexual norm is 90210. 90210 is a teen drama developed by Rob Thomas, Jeff Judah and Gabe Sachs, and the fourth series in the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise created by Darren Star.  The series revolves around several students at the fictional West Beverly Hills High, including new Beverly Hills residents Annie Wilson and Dixon Wilson.  Annie and Dixon struggle to adjust to their new lives while making friends and yet adhering to their parents' wishes.  During its first two seasons, 90210 featured cast members from the original series, including Jennie Garth, Shannen Doherty, Tori Spelling, Ann Gillespie, and Joe E. Tata. However, after the conclusion of the second season, there are no plans for any original stars to return.

I think that 90210 engages with universalizing discourse through the character of Teddy.  Universalizing discourse shatters the primacy of the norm.  In 90210, sexuality is fluid.  There are many characters that do not limit themselves to the norm of heterosexuality.  Instead of Teddy’s sexuality being the first and defining characteristic, the audience has already gotten a chance to know Teddy before he explores his sexuality. Teddy’s character is very unconventional, he is not a feminine character… he is a jock.  Teddy’s an athlete; he’s a typical California boy, as well as being a famous man’s son.  He’s blonde and hunky and yes, he also has a sexual orientation and that’s a huge part of his life.  I think the show gives the viewer a realistic view of someone coming to terms with their homosexuality, and focuses the characters’ connection to the larger social world, as well as their interpersonal relationships.  The feelings that come along with the realization and acceptance of one’s sexuality can be a very long, confusing and sometimes painful process.  90210 has done a great job with Teddy‘s storyline.  The February 7^,episode, “All About a Boy” featured Teddy coming out to his friends, who accepted him.  In contrast to Grace’s reaction to Will coming out, Teddy’s former girlfriend, Silver accepted him.  "There’s nothing about you that is bad," Silver explained, completely bypassing any opportunity to selfishly wallow in at the realization that her ex-boyfriend is gay. “I love you even more now that I know who you really are,” she added. Her words left Teddy with the confidence to show his friends that as well, and they welcomed him with slightly awkward albeit very open arms.

As gay characters become more common on broadcast and cable television, it will be tempting to equate this increased visibility with social acceptance and valuation of gays and lesbians.  Therefore, media critics need to continually interrogate the assumption that a quantitative increase in gay representations (increased visibility) signals a qualitative change in representational practices. Qualitative challenges to current representational conventions, which have the power to call into question normative cultural ideas,  serve as a more powerful indication of and contribution to social change.  Instead of looking at numbers as a sign of social progress, critics should look for ways in which gays and lesbians are represented in popular culture texts targeted to a broad audience, and how such representations conform to and challenge normative structures of our heterosexist society. Substantial percentage of our “knowledge” is through media, not direct experience.  I am glad there are shows out there such as 90210 and characters like Teddy that signal a qualitative change in representational practices.

Brown, Adriane. Transgenderation PowerPoint. Feb 2011.

Brown, Adriane. Hegemonic Femininity in Popular Culture PowerPoint. Jan 2011.
Lull, James. "Hegemony." Media, Communication, Culture:A Global Approach. New 
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