Afraid to speak out.

No that wasnt what I was saying. I was pointing out that Larry Grayson was only acceptable on TV because he wasnt open about being gay, whilst at the same time being very camp, it's always been a very odd contradiction. So he and others like him had to hide who he was (whilst not hiding at all) because people cant cope with reality.

So gay men will only exist if they’re in Coronation Street? Played by straight men in at least 2 cases btw

Listen, I personally couldn’t care less, but I thought muffinthemoo post was actually quite insulting.

Yep only closeted gay men are acceptable. What a way to ask people to live their life.

jeanrobinson

I believe in the principle: 'I may not agree with what you say,
but I will defend to the death, your right to say it.'
Democracy depends on such beliefs.

Do you remember the court case where a street preacher was charged with ‘inflammatory language’ against homosexuals.
Peter Tatchell defended him.

Not at all Lucca.
Of course there’s always been gay people on TV, the vast majority openly gay, but we’re talking about a soap where gay men are kissing, that crosses a line for some people.
So trying to compare the wonderful Larry Grayson to gay men kissing in soaps is a bit crass.

No sorry point spectacularly made

muffinthemoo
They weren’t snogging each other on a 7.30pm family soap though were they.
So point spectacularly missed.

Well i never Muffinthemoo and the sad part of it that so many have had to keep quiet about who they are.

muffinthemoo

There are so many gays on television now. It never used to be like this. Prime time light entertainment used to be full of strong heterosexual types like Frankie Howerd, Charles Hawtrey, Kenny Everett, Julian Clary, Eddie Izzard, Graham Chapman, Kenneth Williams, Michael Barrymore, Stephen Fry, Stanley Baxter, Larry Grayson, Gordon Kaye, Dustin Gee, John Sessions, Tony Slattery, Rosie O’Donnell, Ellen DeGeneres, Sue Perkins, Sandi Toksvig, Graham Norton, Paul O’Grady, Derren Brown, Clare Balding, Philip Schofield, Andi Peters, Christopher Biggins, Mark Curry, Alan Freeman, Dale Winton, Richard Wilson, Eddie Mair….

???? great post

muffinthemoo. I applaud you, finest GN comment ever.

There are so many gays on television now. It never used to be like this. Prime time light entertainment used to be full of strong heterosexual types like Frankie Howerd, Charles Hawtrey, Kenny Everett, Julian Clary, Eddie Izzard, Graham Chapman, Kenneth Williams, Michael Barrymore, Stephen Fry, Stanley Baxter, Larry Grayson, Gordon Kaye, Dustin Gee, John Sessions, Tony Slattery, Rosie O’Donnell, Ellen DeGeneres, Sue Perkins, Sandi Toksvig, Graham Norton, Paul O’Grady, Derren Brown, Clare Balding, Philip Schofield, Andi Peters, Christopher Biggins, Mark Curry, Alan Freeman, Dale Winton, Richard Wilson, Eddie Mair….

I believe in the principle: 'I may not agree with what you say,
but I will defend to the death, your right to say it.'
Democracy depends on such beliefs.

GillT57 a property developer could make a killing

After all, Midsomer surely wouldn’t have that many murders in real life. What must it do for house prices?

When Coronation Street first started in 1960 homosexuality was still illegal. I haven’t watched it for years but I’m glad it’s moved on since then. The sexual offences act 1967 decriminalised home sexuality but the age of consent for gays was 21 until 1994, and 18 until 2001, when it was finally brought in line at 16. It sounds to me as if these storylines are reflecting real life and the changing nature of society, albeit exaggerated to make good television. After all, Midsomer surely wouldn’t have that many murders in real life.

If anyone disagrees with the law maybe they should write to their MP, though why anybody would disagree with it is beyond me. I’d find an ‘anti gay’ political movement far more frightening.

As you were.

I don’t watch soaps anymore but used to be a fan of Corrie in the Jack and Vera days. Brilliant characters and believable. However, I do get frustrated when they try to ‘tick all the boxes’ when commenting on sports. I am a rugby fan and the six nations was a prime example. On one occasion the half time pundits were made up of the usual quota of women, black, white and gay people and they were awful. Not only was their grasp of the game poor but they also appeared uncomfortable in the role. So I just switched off.

I don't watch any soaps so can't comment on them but I think there is a tendency in some programmes to try ticking too many boxes. "Lets have a new character - a single mother, black, lesbian, with an underlying health issue and at least one child with special needs" To make life more interesting there can always be an abusive ex partner in the background. It's far more effective and thought provoking if a "normal" character is suddenly affected by just one of these issues.

ExD, I think you really need to question what makes you feel so 'uneasy'.

We only have statistics on those who 'identify' as gay (many don't) so, obviously, a large proportion of the population have been unrepresented in TV dramas/soaps in the past:

www.theguardian.com/society/2015/apr/05/10-per-cent-population-gay-alfred-kinsey-statistics

Alegrias1

I know I'm going back a bit but was Uncle Albert the token WWI soldier? Was Elsie Tanner the token woman "no better than she should be"?

They were characters representing the society of the day, same as the Baileys are.

But the Baileys are such appalling actors !!!

Coronation Street’s hey day has long since past - ( the Jack & Vera days ) so I don’t think it matters much anymore what they do. They haven’t got half the viewers they used to have.

I know I'm going back a bit but was Uncle Albert the token WWI soldier? Was Elsie Tanner the token woman "no better than she should be"?

They were characters representing the society of the day, same as the Baileys are.

I quite like how the Dad is like a car starting up though. He sorts of revs up and shouts at the end. My husband says when I am angry I start off quiet and end up higher and higher pitched and very very loud...so I wonder if I'm the same

And very long overdue.

I agree that the Baileys are not good actors, and some of their storylines are rubbish too. But what I don’t understand is why people think that they have ‘been brought in’ as a ‘token’ black family.

Are the Platts a token white family? Or the Barlows? The scriptwriters may have wanted to explore racism, so cast a black family, but that’s not tokenism - it’s just casting.