By: Kristin Kite
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (UATV) – GLAAD is an acronym for Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, an American non-governmental media monitoring organization originally founded as a protest against defamatory coverage of gay and lesbian demographics and their portrayals in the media and entertainment industries; it has since included bisexual and transgender people.
NATIONAL ANGLE
GLAAD is one of the many media organizations that shines light on the LGBTQ+ community as an emergence of different types of characters of every gender, sexuality and race hit the screen.
Some other nonprofits include GLSEN, It Gets Better Project, and Point Foundation. A full list of LGBTQ+ nonprofits can be found on The Hollywood Reporter website.
These types of nonprofits do various services to the LGBTQ+ community such as releasing high-profile annual reports on LGBTQ inclusion in film and television through GLAAD; supporting LGBTQ students and working to end bullying in grades K-12 through GLSEN and uplifting, empowering and connecting LGBTQ+ youth — wherever they are — through positive, inclusive storytelling and community building through the It Gets Better Project.
GLAAD has made remarkable points in its research this (2021-2022) year. The full research for these points can be found here.
This year’s study found that for the 2021-2022 season on scripted broadcast primetime programming, 11.9% of characters are LGBTQ. This number went up 2.8% points from last year and marks a new record of LGBTQ series regulars on broadcast.
On primetime scripted cable series, GLAAD counted 87 series regular LGBTQ characters and 51 LGBTQ recurring characters, totaling 138 LGBTQ characters on primetime scripted cable originals this season.
GLAAD uses data to create a clearer picture of the stories and images being presented by networks and to work alongside content creators to tell fair, accurate, and inclusive LGBTQ stories on screen. Read GLAAD’s annual film report, here.
LOCAL ANGLE
Northwest Arkansas Equality is a nonprofit organization providing programming, education, and advocacy to serve, connect, and empower the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community. Northwest Arkansas Equality provides free HIV/STI testing services, various support groups, resources, and social and community outreach events. Each summer Northwest Arkansas Pride runs through NWAE and is the state’s largest LGBTQ celebration.
“It’s funny I’ve been here long enough I’ve been to the first pride here.” Trevor Cooperescue Fayetteville Highschool’s theatre teacher of 10 years says. “It was so small in the parking lot with our Mayor Lioneld Jordan standing on the back of a truck with a megaphone. That was it. It was so tiny. It went from like 100 people to what it is this year which is emotional, like so awesome.”
Cooperescue is married to his husband, Bobby, and they have twin boys. Trevor commends NWA (Fayetteville) area for the friendly environment that he educates, celebrates, and raises his kids.
Cooperescue is part of the Fayetteville High School Drama Department. This is his 10th year of teaching theatre. He is a graduate of the University of Arkansas with a Bachelor of Arts in Drama and a Master of Arts in Teaching.
“NWACC has a group called PRIDE.” Kimberly Bertschy co-advisor for PRIDE says. “It is made up of anyone on campus that’s a student who identifies either with the LGBTQ plus community or is an ally. We have this semester about 70 registered members and that goes kind of across the whole spectrum of allies and members of the community.”
PRIDE at NWACC is a student club where all sexes, gender identities, gender expressions, sexualities, and asexualities are welcome and celebrated. It is a place where the diverse LGBTQIA+ students and their fellow student allies or supporters can find connection, friendship, and support.
Bertschy also says leaders of the group called PRIDE Pals are Safe Zone Trained and have experience with effective ways to communicate and welcome LGBTQ+ members.
NWA equality has a list of local businesses on their website that are LGBTQ+ friendly. These are supporters of NWA Pride as well in June.
LATEST MILESTONES
In the last year, there have been many featured characters of the LGBTQ+ community. This is a wrap-up of a few within the 2021-2022 year.
JoJo Siwa on Dancing With The Stars was the first competitor in the show’s 30 seasons to dance with a same-sex partner. Siwa and her dance partner, Jenna Johnson, finished in second place.
This year’s Tokyo Summer Games was dubbed by some as the “Rainbow Olympics” for its record number of LGBTQ competitors.
Actor and singer Demi Lovato came out as nonbinary, and said they would be changing their pronouns to they/them.
RuPaul’s Drag Race crowned a transgender winner. Kylie Sonique Love took the crown of the sixth season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars.”
When Marvels’ “Eternals” hit theater, superhero fans got to see the first openly queer superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Phastos.
Rapper Lil Nas X released a cover performance of Dolly Parton’s 1974 hit “Jolene.” Dolly Parton even tweeted in response.
With television being a presence in most lives, statistics show there has been an influence of viewers’ attitudes, beliefs about themselves and also about people from other social, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. It influenced the way that people think about such important social issues as race, gender, and class.