Upon first glance, one might find it progressive that a TV show features a homosexual couple. These programs, however, are often inaccurate and unhealthy representations of such couples. While shows that are centered around inclusivity such as “The Fosters” are more likely to do the LGBTQ+ community justice, other shows that attempt to include homosexual relationships as a secondary storyline might resort to stereotyping, which gives viewers the wrong idea of what an acceptable relationship might look like.
A common portrayal of homosexual relationships on TV is the bully-turned-lover trope. One closeted character will be shown bullying an openly-homosexual character until one of their encounters becomes intimate and it is revealed that the bully was simply trying to repress their homosexuality. To the viewer’s surprise, the victim almost always ends up forgiving and falling for their bully in TV shows.
As ridiculous as this may seem, this trope has been used in numerous popular shows, such as “Shameless,” “Sex Education” and “Pretty Little Liars.” These relationships can last multiple seasons and eventually gain the support of viewers, even though they are toxic from the very start.
Putting a bully and their victim in a relationship sends horrible messages to viewers for reasons that should be obvious but are still overlooked. Firstly, it tells viewers of all sexual orientations that it is okay to enter a relationship with someone who has harmed you in the past, either physically or psychologically. I’m not saying that bullies will never deserve love, but I strongly believe they should seek help before pursuing any relationships. I have yet to see a TV show where the bully was encouraged to seek help.
Even after a bully presumably works through their issues, it doesn’t seem right for them to ever date their victim, since this would likely create an imbalance of power. Yet, when people see such relationships on TV and are not exposed to more realistic and healthy ones, they might be led to believe that this is a normal, acceptable relationship.
Viewers that are a part of the LGBTQ+ community are also given the underlying impression that they should enter relationships with whoever is interested in them. The casts of these shows contain hardly any gay characters other than the bully and victim, which tells us there are limited options for these characters. The victim might be more inclined to pursue a relationship with the bully since this is the only person to show interest in them, even if in a toxic way.
While it is true that there are less LGBTQ+ people in the world than there are heterosexual, this doesn’t mean anyone should settle for a potentially abusive relationship. Take the TV show “Glee,” for example. After David Kurofsky declares his interest Kurt Hummel, an individual he has bullied for a long time, Kurt does not pursue a relationship with his bully. He practices forgiveness and the two eventually become friends, but Kurt knows his worth, showing viewers a healthy way to react to this type of situation.
While the media is including more diverse types of relationships, the next step is to accurately represent them. In a world where exposure to the LGBTQ+ community is still limited, TV shows must take extra care in providing examples of loving homosexual relationships. In doing so, viewers will get the right impression of what a healthy relationship should look like.
Aliyha Gill is an English and psychology double major junior who loves to craft.