
GLAAD, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, have released their annual tally of gay characters in leading or supporting roles on network television, and they're not pleased with the results. They've counted nine gay, lesbian, or bisexual characters out of a total of eight shows. Meanwhile, the Eskimo Coalition is reporting much smaller numbers than GLAAD. Honestly, I don't know how to feel about this. I like to see everyone represented fairly, and for shows to represent the diversity that exists within these groups, but I'm not sure how realistic that is. It seems the content and themes of television programs are driven by the market more than anything. Once in awhile a show will manage to break through and set a new standard, but the notion that eventually everyone will be represented equally across the board seems a tad naive.
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