Bisexuality Still Feared on TV, Despite Gay-friendly Television Shows

Ten years ago, gay media was nothing like it is today. There was no "Queer as Folk" or "The L Word." Gay representations on television were few and far between, and what did show up was pretty stereotypical. Gay man and tough were antonyms, while lesbian and butch were synonyms. If they were on television at all, they were effeminate men in glittery costumes, tough women with shaved heads, or occasionally big-breasted porn-star-like lesbians who represented nothing beyond a straight male's wet dream.

Times have changed. Cable channels like Showtime offer shows that are gay all the time. "Queer as Folk" features a variety of gay men, ranging from the stereotypical flamboyant drag queen right over to the other side of the spectrum, including a manly professional football player who has stumbled out of the closet. "The L Word" is much the same, with some women who could pass as men and others who are as girlie and dressy as they come. Even broadcast television now has gay characters, and they go beyond the so-called token gay. "Will and Grace" had the stereotype in Jack, but also the much more average Will who did not meet the old description of what a gay man would look like. Likewise, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" had Willow, a sweet, nerdy high school student who fell in love with another sweet, nerdy girl her freshman year in college. LOGO, a basic cable channel devoted solely to gay and lesbian programming, recently launched. Gay television has come a long way.

So why is it, then, that bisexuals are portrayed so little on television, even now?