Afraid to speak out.

Since its creation in 1985, Eastenders has amassed a higher child mortality rate than all of the worlds developing nations combined.

I think we can accept the realism of a few gay folk in Weatherfield on that basis.

I truly did think long and hard before I posted the thread which, to me personally, indicated I'm wary of my own perceived "Thought Police".
The comparison to Hitler's Germany was not helpful I admit, my excuse is that it was the only example I could come up with at the time. Perhaps modern day China would have been better.
The recent rally in Tianamon (spelling?) Square made me feel quite ill.

There’s only five current gays in Corrie surely we re not going back 30/40 years to count them all
Nina and Asha can hardly be counted they had a very vague friendship that ended in a brief experimental fling but both ended with lads surely that was just that an experiment and I certainly wouldn’t count Tracy’s drunken fumble
Can’t remember a Ted at all must have missed that period of Corrie
But does it really matter how many…. it’s a SOAP

Everyone dies at the hands of a doctor in Holby ……they are fiction at its worse but entertaining in some bizarre light hearted way ?

Oh do come on how many gays are there in Corrie ? the vicar and his lover plus his ex lover and the footballer not a huge proportion at all …… have I missed any out ?

Quite a few. Grannycool52 listed them earlier. And she missed out Nina and Asha (both bi) and Tracy, who had a one night stand with Paula. My favourite was Ted (known in the Tilsley family as Gay Dad/Grandad).

I agree with Baggs though - the idea’s to try to stop gay relationships being seen as unnatural by some viewers. That can only be a good thing, imho.

Not watching it, don't engage in it, but there is a connection with some groups in society.

Robron is the greatest storyline on Emmerdale since Charity and Cain were revealed as Debbie’s parents. I hated Robert since I myself was a schoolchild because of all he did to Andy, and his transformation as a character into someone I actually cared about was brilliant. Also the lad who plays Aaron is an absolute belter of an actor. Robron forever!!!

Also, Manchester historically has a large and vibrant gay community. It would be less realistic for Corrie not to have a notable LGBT presence. It would be like Eastenders being rammed full of only white characters.

They are soaps! From what I remember most of the residents of Corrie have been either in prison or the victims of crime, it exaggerates real life and is not supposed to be a social documentary.

The same sex couples that I know are not badge wearing or banner waving. They're just living life.

Oh do come on how many gays are there in Corrie ? the vicar and his lover plus his ex lover and the footballer not a huge proportion at all …… have I missed any out ? compared to how many go to hospital every week and how many go to prison and how many find jobs as soon as they lose one How the heck does this equate to Hitler blimey a jump and 6 there

It was a slow day on GN peasblossom

Nobody's is preventing anybody from speaking about anything. The jump from "too many gays on Coronation Street" to "its like Hitler's Germany and free speech is in danger" is just too much to take seriously.

Absolutely this. I am sick of hearing that we 'aren't allowed' to say whatever it is. We are. We have free speech in this country, so long as it doesn't contravene laws against slander, libel, terrorism or hate speech.

The same applies to 'I'm scared to speak out about' whatever. Again, we can speak about whatever we like, but equally, we can disagree with views we find offensive - it's called discussion.

If someone has views that would break laws if they were expressed publicly, or if they are so offensive to others that they will cause public disagreement, maybe they should re-examine those views? If they feel that they are unable to defend their POV in discussion, then again, maybe the views are indefensible.

As for Corrie, as others have said, it is unrealistic in many ways. As it's been running for 60 years and is aired for 3 hours a week, it would be very difficult to come up with something new every episode. Also, drama is about 'suspension of disbelief', as watching film of life in most streets would be very boring.

Life in Doodledog Towers is pleasant enough, but who wants to watch the Dogs getting up, pottering about a bit, me working from home some days, Mr Dog going about his day, us reading books, a bit of telly in the evening, then going back to bed? Just reading that is boring, never mind watching it in 'real time'. Spice it up with one of us going to jail for a game of pool with the neighbours, being run over by a speeding car on Accident Corner, or one of our children getting involved in an adulterous triangle and already it's got more viewing potential.

The gay footballer story seems to me a bit forced given the timing, but as a story it's got a bit more 'legs' than the usual 'coming out' ones, as that is less of a big deal than before. Soaps do give people a chance to discuss things at a remove, so if a troubled teenager or young adult is struggling to speak to their parents about their sexuality, a gay storyline might be the impetus they need. From my own perspective the gay storylines are just love stories (or not, as the case may be), the same as heterosexual ones.

I don’t even know what “the kink thing” is.

What are you watching??

Why are you watching it?

I think you are mixing up two things, the kink thing is very different to having a gay relationship in a soap opera.

Agree. It's everywhere, even teen vogue which is targeted at very young girls. . Everyone pushing anal sex too, which is not healthy for girls. Or anybody really. I resent this pushing of alternative lifestyles, and as for kink! Unspeakable and disgusting. Moving this overtly into Pride marches now. Nothing to be proud of there!

People can get on with their lives without interfering in the freedom of others.

I have met some smashing lesbian and gay people in my lifetime. All of them have enhanced my life by being friends, and ordinary (sometimes flamboyant) people. Difference adds spice, colour, and interest to life, yet they are being harassed, and specially targeted. Nasty.

We do not need it pushing at us. Just to accept they are there, have fears and joys like us. We do not need details of what they do and how, or to be given the impression they are the majority voice in the world.

This is not doing gays and lesbians any favours.

Pretty much everyone on Coronation Street has either murdered someone or been involved in serious crime. Are they trying to send us the message that we should all do this. I will need help with the gory stuff if that's the case.

Yes, sorry ExD. I don’t watch either so I suppose I can’t really comment.

Is it that it seems out of proportion to “real life” proportions?
But, like I said, soaps are totally out of proportion in all kinds of storylines.

Storylines need things to exaggerated. People watch for the drama.

I actually think they try and over do things too much. I imagine it is really quite difficult to be a vicar and be openly gay and have rather a lot of relationships. I imagine a lot of parishioners would be quite upset about it. This is re coronation street btw not the pigeons . Of course Jack used to keep pigeons and not once did I hear him say 'they are always at in hole 7 our Vera' not once

Sorry, ExD

What I said earlier is relevant.

Peasblossom

At least one of our pairs probably isn't, as one parent brought their baby to the garden last week.
They both sat there for ages, not moving as Mummy (or Daddy) surveyed the garden and said "this, son (or daughter) is your kingdom. Ignore the humans, they think it's theirs but it's not".

TBF, I think we have undermined ExD's OP.

I personally don't have an issue with gay people on TV, irrespective of how many there are or what program they're on. I don't think there is a "policy" to shove it down our throats.

But it is a problem if people think they can't speak out about things, and me (us?) making fun doesn't help.

JaneJudge

Interesting re the pigeons and the correct conditions btw. Ours favour a particular fence at 4pm and they even seem to invite friends

We’ve got a constantly bonking pair on our front fence. I sit on the sofa and watch them at it??

They might be gay, of course.

Leave in taxis and never come back, even for close relatives' funerals.

Pigeons in our garden are always at it.

They never go to the toilet either.

Oh let’s have a list of everyday stuff that people in soaps never do.

Interesting re the pigeons and the correct conditions btw. Ours favour a particular fence at 4pm and they even seem to invite friends