Afraid to speak out.

Gwyneth is absolutely right. And when I previously said "we" can't say what we like anymore, it's obvious I meant people in general. I know a lot of people with certain views who would not voice them, myself included.

Coronation Street was created by a gay man so I guess it’s always had a gay following.
Maybe they’re just writing storylines for a large part of their audience?

If you said something you're not "supposed" to say Skydancer, what do you think will happen?

People will disagree with you?

The Stasi will come and cart you off?

I notice that the majority of adverts include Asian or African people. So if we are being diverse where are the Chinese and Japanese ?

If there is say 13% of the population from ethnic backgrounds why do they not feature that same percentage in adverts, tv etc?

I’m all for fairness and being friendly with all my neighbours of any nationality, sexuality, but the tv/film coverage has swung away from the majority of the population.

A number of you have said we can say what we think without fear, so that is what I have done.

Wait, what?

There are too many ethnic minorities and there are too few?

If you don't agree with the 13% take it up with the Office of National Statistics, you might still be quick enough to influence the 2021 census. There's probably still time for you to do a survey of adverts, just to make sure.

p.s. - China and Japan are both in Asia. HTH.

grannyrebel7

Yes agree too many in one soap. However I love it when Sean spins round on his heel, head held and does a huge flounce! Always makes me laugh.

Although don’t watch Corrie now, got bored with it, loved Shaun and his flouncing. One of the more appealing cast members.

I thought there was about 15% of ethnic minorities in the UK, but perhaps I’m wrong. I remember there being about 10-12% nationally when I was teaching, and my school was bang on with about 10-12%. Obviously individual year groups varied slightly between the two figures. Anyway if it is 13% nationally now, that surprises me because of my experience in the school I taught in. I have no idea how many possible gay or trans children there might have been as the children ranged in age from 2 to 7 years.

Why is the OP afraid to speak out? what will happen if she says there are too many gays/ non white people/ women / whatever/ on TV? Well she’s obviously spoken out - so isn’t afraid, The police aren’t going to come round- but a lot of people will disagree with her- is that what’s she’s afraid of? I think she’ll find the world has changed since the 1950s.

at what stage does an 'ethnic minority' individual stop being one once British? Forever .... how many generations?

What about ethnic minorities who just don't 'look it'?

Maybe part the reason why these cereal boxes and soaps look forced in their depiction of disabled people, ethnic minorities and same-sex couples, is down to the world depicted in our primary school readers - Janet and John, Peter and Jane? The proportion of ethnic minorities has risen since the 60's but not of those disabled or gay. I don't remember any representatives in my school reading books. I'm glad this has changed.

There are plenty of ethnic minorities depicted in children’s reading books these days. Janet and John etc have all long gone.

And when I previously said "we" can't say what we like anymore, it's obvious I meant people in general. I know a lot of people with certain views who would not voice them, myself included.

But in general people on this thread are mostly saying that you can say what you like, which you have done, with no consequences. Also your friends with 'certain views' must have voiced them to you, or you wouldn't know that they hold them. How did that happen if they weren't able to express their point of view?

It’s all out of hand, it’s being forced down our throats, the agenda has the opposite effect on me. The family bought into the street, to show a black family with a gay man are all terrible actors. Who is casting these people? Everyone on the street has been married or involved with everyone else’s partner! As for the murders, how many can a street have. Tyrones affair with that squeaky voiced temptress is ridiculous, Gail has become a caricature, the best of the lot is little Sam and his mom. That’s the only reason I watch it now.
Emmerdale, the same, different format. Kim , Caine and Eric are good and that’s about it.

It is extremely offensive to compare this subject to Hitler and Germany.

"Whatever you say - it's not the way the majority of the population behave (though many do) and although I'm content for people to follow their natural inclinations in this department - why do TV programmers force feed it to us?"

You mean, like the TV programs that have been imposed to non heterosexuals for decades?
It is very easy to turn the tables to see the other side

The family brought into the street to show a black family with a gay man are all terrible actors

This is very true, and is the biggest disservice to the story line. As has been talked about before, none of them can act, which is a shame as they have all become caricatures and left the viewer with the distinct feeling of unreality.

A good well acted soap has you believing in the characters, no matter how far fetched the storyline. Think back to the killing of Sarah’s awful boyfriend Callum. Brilliant acting by David, Kylie and Sarah, all youngish actors, had you thinking it really could happen.

Then we have the Baileys…..

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.

And very long overdue.

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

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.

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.

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 !!!

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

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.

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.