Homosexuality in the Media

In a day and age when everything has to be politically correct, the media and pop culture have to be very careful. Gender, sexual orientation, race, can be touchy subjects but America tends to ignore the issues all together. By disregarding anything that is different from the norm or exploring stereotypes no further than skin deep, we are only feeding into the heterosexual privilege. When it comes to discretion, Will and Grace exceeds all boundaries. Instead of shying away from the idea that society is eclectic with both heterosexuals and homosexuals, this sitcom makes light of something that many people refuse to discuss: homosexuality. Sometimes it is hard to ignore the stereotypes that society has jammed into our brains but in Will and Grace such a stereotype is not neglected. Between the four main characters, no Gaydar is needed to figure out that two of them are gay. After watching an episode I realized that the show is not about the characters and their sexual orientation but rather that it’s just a part of who they are as people. Will and Grace is a similar to many other sitcoms aired on television. Every episode begins with a conflict and concludes with a resolution. This is something that every person can relate to; it is human nature. Will and Grace complements the two gay protagonists with other characters who have even bigger “problems”. Karen, another main character is a rich drunk, and her character pros and flaws evolved from stereotypes. It is hard to ignore stereotypes because sometimes there is truth behind them. Will and Grace illustrates that whether straight or gay, that is not something that should define a person. In many other shows that I have watched, the topic of homosexuality is comparable to a 600-pound gorilla everyone notices but will not acknowledge. Will and Grace explores deeper than just the stereotypes and shows that all characters are human.