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Home and Away- Why are there no LGBT Characters?


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Old 26-08-2015, 06:25
vaslav37
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Home and Away is still failing to recognise LGBT people by failing to cast an LGBT character. The show unlike its rival soap Neighbours is failing to move with the times in my opinion but why is this?

Australian TV is more conservative than the UK but in the last few years Neighbours have broken through with this and now have two regular gay male characters and will possibly soon feature a bi or lesbian character.

The excuse that H & A is set in a beach resort in NSW where apparently there are no LGBT people is a cop out.

Home and Away producers need to get with the times and explain why they are ignoring this demographic.
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Old 26-08-2015, 07:29
Andybear
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How many times are you going to start a thread on this subject? A lot of regulars on this forum know you're furious there are no LGBT characters on H&A - you've done loads of threads about it over the last few years. And even on H&A threads you don't start you always go on about it on them.
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Old 26-08-2015, 07:31
vaslav37
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How many times are you going to start a thread on this subject? A lot of regulars on this forum know you're furious there are no LGBT characters on H&A - you've done loads of threads about it over the last few years. And even on H&A threads you don't start you always go on about it on them.
I have looked back at my threads and I can't recall any so if you can find one please do. The fact remains however, Why are they failing to do anything about it?
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Old 26-08-2015, 08:00
BadRomance
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This topic and these threads are getting boring
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Old 26-08-2015, 08:13
vaslav37
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This topic and these threads are getting boring
Why is it boring? It's a forum and the topic should be discussed!
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Old 26-08-2015, 08:22
GracieL
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Oh lordy, not yet another one of these threads.

A few years ago they did a gay kiss between Charlie and Joey, it caused a hell of a lot of outrage from viewers and I suppose H&A are to scared to try it again and it's probably not worth as it caused so much outrage (I'm in no way saying thats right but it is the reality) they had to sensor Joey and Charlie kissing as it got that bad!
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Old 26-08-2015, 08:24
vaslav37
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Oh lordy, not yet another one of these threads.

A few years ago they did a gay kiss between Charlie and Joey, it caused a hell of a lot of outrage from viewers and I suppose H&A are to scared to try it again and it's probably not worth as it caused so much outrage (I'm in no way saying thats right but it is the reality) they had to sensor Joey and Charlie kissing as it got that bad!
What decade are H & A Producers living in? It's 2015 not 1915!
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Old 26-08-2015, 08:26
sorcha_healy27
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There's about 3 or 4 threads about Ross from emmerdale but I don't see anyone moaning about that

I don't see what the issue is with starting threads discussing home and away's ridiculous lack of gay characters.
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Old 26-08-2015, 08:35
dee123
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I have looked back at my threads and I can't recall any so if you can find one please do. The fact remains however, Why are they failing to do anything about it?
Seriously? You need to see a doctor about memory loss if this is true.
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Old 26-08-2015, 08:35
gilesb
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Many years ago they also had Shannon who, when she left, went to live with a woman in France as a couple.

I don't think it really matters there are no LGBT characters in the soap, no need for a token character just put there to appease a few. It is also quite difficult for the relationship storylines. They either have to bring in an additional love interest or turn another character gay which is even more annoying.

I also don't think being gay or having a gay character is "getting with the times", perhaps surprisingly to some, gay people have been around before it was made "popular" in 90s (roll eyes smiley).

The casts of both show are predominantly white and always have been. That is probably less representative of the Australian population than the lack of LGBT representation.
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Old 26-08-2015, 08:50
MelSingleton
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This is a recurring thread. Plus the subject is also repeatedly raised in other threads not explicity on this topic. Like here http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showp...2&postcount=16 when the subject came up (a week before that, there had been a specific thread abou it.)

The problem is the thread is started, but it repeats the subject of earlier threads, and there's nothing new to discuss.

Charlie's lesbian kiss, by the way, did not cause a hell of a lot of outrage from viewers. In Australia there were just 15 complaints, as reported by The Age newspaper. That's the reality. Also, Channel Seven did not censor anything. Two same sex kisses did go to air.

I guess there's some value in these repeated threads in that at least one can correct these recurring myths.
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Old 26-08-2015, 09:04
vaslav37
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This is a recurring thread. Plus the subject is also repeatedly raised in other threads not explicity on this topic. Like here http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showp...2&postcount=16 when the subject came up (a week before that, there had been a specific thread abou it.)

The problem is the thread is started, but it repeats the subject of earlier threads, and there's nothing new to discuss.

Charlie's lesbian kiss, by the way, did not cause a hell of a lot of outrage from viewers. In Australia there were just 15 complaints, as reported by The Age newspaper. That's the reality. Also, Channel Seven did not censor anything. Two same sex kisses did go to air.

I guess there's some value in these repeated threads in that at least one can correct these recurring myths.
I am careful not to bump threads having been banned for doing so last week. I looked back at my history and could not find any old threads by me - they may have been closed though.
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Old 26-08-2015, 09:05
vaslav37
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Many years ago they also had Shannon who, when she left, went to live with a woman in France as a couple.

I don't think it really matters there are no LGBT characters in the soap, no need for a token character just put there to appease a few. It is also quite difficult for the relationship storylines. They either have to bring in an additional love interest or turn another character gay which is even more annoying.

I also don't think being gay or having a gay character is "getting with the times", perhaps surprisingly to some, gay people have been around before it was made "popular" in 90s (roll eyes smiley).

The casts of both show are predominantly white and always have been. That is probably less representative of the Australian population than the lack of LGBT representation.
I disagree about tokenism, the world is not 100% straight, I am passionate about this so forgive me if I keep raising it!
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Old 26-08-2015, 09:10
ravensborough
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I think they should get some decent characters first and pronto before the show continues to erode viewers!
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Old 26-08-2015, 09:16
Whedonite
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Oh lordy, not yet another one of these threads.

A few years ago they did a gay kiss between Charlie and Joey, it caused a hell of a lot of outrage from viewers and I suppose H&A are to scared to try it again and it's probably not worth as it caused so much outrage (I'm in no way saying thats right but it is the reality) they had to sensor Joey and Charlie kissing as it got that bad!
That's so depressing. I'm glad I don't watch the show anymore. It sounds pretty pathetic.
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Old 26-08-2015, 09:30
MelSingleton
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That's so depressing. I'm glad I don't watch the show anymore. It sounds pretty pathetic.
Don't get too depressed. Network Seven didn't censor a thing. There were only 15 complaints it wasn't a big deal.
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Old 26-08-2015, 09:33
Chester666666
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I like the series and I remember a male couple a few years ago
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Old 26-08-2015, 09:49
gilesb
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I disagree about tokenism, the world is not 100% straight, I am passionate about this so forgive me if I keep raising it!
There are many things that the world is not 100% of, doesn't mean they all have to be represented in a soap opera.
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Old 26-08-2015, 10:29
Whedonite
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Don't get too depressed. Network Seven didn't censor a thing. There were only 15 complaints it wasn't a big deal.
Ah, good.

There are many things that the world is not 100% of, doesn't mean they all have to be represented in a soap opera.
LGTB people are already underrepresented on TV and usually potrayed pretty poorly. I think there's a need for more LGTB characters on TV.
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Old 26-08-2015, 10:38
gilesb
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LGTB people are already underrepresented on TV and usually potrayed pretty poorly. I think there's a need for more LGTB characters on TV.
I am gay, I don't feel I need validation by a soap character.
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Old 26-08-2015, 10:45
starry_rune
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So what would these LGBT characters do anyway? Chop veg in the diner, give advice to other characters about their latest love angst, and then end up in their own love angst. The show is dull dull dull these days and while an LGBT character would be welcome, adding a novelty gay in because every other soap has had one isn't what the show needs right now. It needs a kick up the backside, some good storylines, and have another tidal wave to wash away all the boring deadwood.
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Old 26-08-2015, 10:48
Whedonite
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I am gay, I don't feel I need validation by a soap character.
No one is saying that you need validation.
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Old 26-08-2015, 10:49
Pink_Smurf
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Why don't you write to an Aussie newspaper and mention the programme is shown in the UK which has more gay characters in our soaps and tell them it's seen as unrepresentative here. You can also email the TV channels it's shown on both here and in Australia. Maybe write to gay newspapers both here and in Australia and tell them how you feel. There's one called the Pink Paper or something like that and they publish things like this. They might publish your letter or if you ask your partner or gay friends to write in too they might do an article saying fans are disappointed with the programme.
Maybe a petition?
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Old 26-08-2015, 10:57
Aura101
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this is actually a small part of the reason i stopped watching the show.
it just doesnt move with the times, they also axed a lesbian character a few years ago because of complaints. which i thought was absolutely disgusting.

anyway i caught an episode the other day and its just awful now, really bad, dreadful characters and acting. along with the same old cheesey rubbish.

breaks my heart as i used to love this show.
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Old 26-08-2015, 10:59
malpasc
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In real life how many gay people would be in a small Australian seaside town? Not a huge amount probably.

Summer Bay is supposedly "near" Sydney so the chances are any "local" LGBTs would be living in Sydney rather than in the Bay.

As a gay man I can't get that worked up about the lack of gay characters in Home & Away. I'm not an expert in demographics in Australia but I think what I say above about a small town is probably true.

As others have said, what would the token LGBT character do? They'd need a love interest which then either brings in another LGBT character because there are no existing ones, or a huge plot convenience has to occur where an existing character suddenly realises they're gay.

Australian network TV is more conservative than British network TV and the culture is more matcho so there is likely to be more controversy around particularly a gay male character rather than a gay female.

Australian cable/satellite is less conservative - look at shows like Wentworth which is pretty no holds barred when it comes to same-sex activity, violence, and swearing.

So a long answer, but really is it that much of an issue? Don't like it? Don't watch..
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