By accurately represented we are not referring to the issue of valid or invalid stereotypes but rather, stats.
A Gallup survey showed that U.S. adults estimate that 25% of Americans are gay or lesbian. This percentage represent one out of every four Americans which, as per the reported 2011 AD population in the USA, amounts to circa 77,897,979 personages.
Let us narrow our consideration of “media” to the news with regards to homosexual / gay / same sex marriage and in general ask whether homosexuals are grossly overrepresented on TV.
Consider that the actual percentage of homosexuals is 1-4%. Why, then, do so many think that so very many US citizens are homosexual?
In the past few years the news has been ablaze with reports covering homosexual / gay / same sex marriage and they are all alike. They all interview, and thus portray, homosexuals as educated, wealthy, healthy and happy people who happen to love a like-gendered individual. This is often juxtaposed with stats regarding heterosexual divorce rates. Also, when homosexuals are portrayed as parents a dichotomy is often employed to the effect of something to the like of asking: what is best for a child, to be raised by two educated, wealthy, healthy and happy people who happen to love a like-gendered individual or an ex-con, crack addicted, alcoholic, child abusing heterosexual couple?
They are not only favorably portrayed but scenes of them demanding equal rights make it seems as if a tiny minority in each state amounts to very many people.
Now, what about TV? Attempt to think of any show currently on TV, even just bunny ears broadcast TV, which does not feature a homosexual. Can you think of any? Just about every TV show, from daytime talk shows to dramas and comedies are replete with openly homosexual characters who are either educated, wealthy, healthy and happy or depressed due to prejudiced mistreatment by others.
At the launch of the 2010-2011 television season, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) examined the five broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, The CW, Fox, and NBC) and found that 41 characters on 84 programs were homosexual. An additional 53 homosexual characters appeared on 30 scripted cable programs. That’s a total of 94 characters on the 114 shows that were counted…
Of these 138 shows, 86% include at least one gay character. How many do you think include evangelicals or Catholics? Even though 76% of Americans identify as Christians I doubt you could find 90 openly Christian characters on all of television, much less on these 138 shows.
When the percentage of homosexuals in the USA is 1-4% but they are favorably and grossly overrepresented in the media, news and TV in this case, we see that the agenda is working just fine and should not be surprised that so many Americans think that 25% or 1 in 4 of their fellow citizens are homosexual.
Perception trumps reality and since a picture is worth a thousand words, each news story and TV show appearance equals a huge spike in perceived numbers.
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