Media representations of bisexual and transgender people tend to either completely erase them, or depict them as morally corrupt or mentally unstable.
For example, in many forms of popular entertainment, gay men are portrayed stereotypically as promiscuous, flashy, flamboyant, and bold, while the reverse is often true of how lesbians are portrayed. 12 LGBT representation in children's mediaĪlthough lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals are generally indistinguishable from their straight or cisgender counterparts, media depictions of LGBT individuals often represent them as visibly and behaviorally different.8 Media portrayal of LGBT people of color.5 Media representations of non-binary people.2.1.4 Habitual death of lesbian or gay characters in media.2.1.3 1980s and the emergence of the AIDS epidemic.Gwendolyn Audrey Foster stated, "We may still live in a world of white dominance and heterocentrism, but I think we can agree that we are in the midst of postmodern destabilizing forces when it comes to sexuality and race." In her book Imitation and Gender Insubordination (1991), Judith Butler argues that the idea of heteronormativity is reinforced through socio-cultural conditioning, but even more so through visual culture which promotes homo-invisibility. The positive portrayal or increased presence of the LGBT communities in media has served to increase acceptance and support for LGBT communities, establish LGBT communities as a norm, and provide information on the topic. The LGBT communities have taken an increasingly proactive stand in defining their own culture, with a primary goal of achieving an affirmative visibility in mainstream media. Historically, the portrayals of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender ( LGBT) people in media have been negative, reflecting the cultural intolerance of LGBT individuals however, from the 1990s to present day, there has been an increase in the depictions of LGBT people, issues, and concerns within mainstream media in North America. ( August 2020) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message)
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