For generations, society has been building rigid ideas of what it means to be a girl or boy, what it means to be normal, and what is needed to be accepted. These strict roles are built upon sexism, that men being feminine means they are weak, or that masculinity is too much responsibility for women to carry. These ideas were not created by the current generation, but they are without a doubt affecting it. Set ages ago, the confines that bind the youth of today are no longer relevant, and are holding society back from equality. Concepts concerning gender identity and sexual orientation are two of the more oppressing factors that youth today experience, and in order to alleviate this stress, efforts should be made to promote change in society. Because the media is one of the most prevalent suppliers of information to the general public, appropriate representation of different gender identities and sexual orientations in media is crucial to society understanding and accepting those minorities.

Media and Sexual Orientation / Gender Identity
Currently, a majority of characters seen in television programs are designed to fit society’s view of what normal is. Straight and cisgendered (with a gender that matches their sex and what was assigned at birth) characters are a large majority of what is seen on television today, which is not surprising as most people are both straight and cisgendered. With that being the case, it is important to keep in mind that sexualities and gender identities should not be neglected just because they are uncommon. Though many are aware of the more common sexual orientations (gay, straight, bisexual), as they are the ones seen most often, there are also a number of other sexual orientations and gender identities that go without exposure. In both the media and the communities of today, those that are different are hidden from the view of the public. In the media, many production companies are hesitant to include less common gender identities or sexual orientations for the sake of audiences with conservative or traditional views. Hiding these minorities from the public eye shares a likeness to shunning them, and when that is done in the media, it is reciprocated in culture. It is important to recognize those that differ from the norm in order to teach the youth of today that there is nothing wrong with being different.

While representation of sexual orientations has increased in the last two decades with shows like Ellen or Will & Grace, they are largely comedic and often only reference the character’s sexual orientation. Though it is important that a character’s sexual orientation is not their most important characteristic, it is also important that their sexuality is not overlooked for the sake of maintaining heteronormativity. In addition, in instances of characters that are not straight and cisgendered, “these portrayals generally exclude children or adolescents,” even though identifying oneself is a critical part of adolescence (Gudelunas). It is important to provide role models for adolescence during this time. What better way to do this then demonstrate real life examples of less common gender identities and sexual orientations. The Netflix original Orange is the New Black is making strides in this matter, most notably by having a transexual actress play the role of a transsexual character. Seeing that there are others like them, both in fiction and in fame, will provide the support that these minorities require and deserve to become accepted in society. Studies suggest that “ the media's dissemination of traditional gender roles reinforces traditionally held beliefs,” with this being the case, it is likely that the media working to represent non-traditional sexualities and gender orientations into their productions would be affective in assimilating these minorities (Hust).

How it’s Affecting Individuals
Often, the only time children even begin to question what they identify as is when they see people that do not fit what they grew up seeing. An individual having been in contact with sexual and gender minorities in their childhood is a rare thing, especially with most couples and parents being straight and cisgendered. For this reason, an adolescent that is not straight or cisgendered, but is unaware of other sexual orientations and gender identities, may feel out of place or uncomfortable in their own body. Without being exposed to anything other than the most common orientations, teenagers that don’t associate with what they are exposed to assume that they are the odd one out, that there are not others like them, and that they should actively hide it. This is however, anything but the truth. Teenagers may face severe consequences when coming out to friends and family, and varying from one’s assumed gender, that which was assigned at birth, is seen as unacceptable. With the reality of varying sexual orientations and gender identities, no child should grow up thinking there is something wrong with them for differing from the most common of these.

As the individuals begin to explore their own sexuality or gender, they attempt to find others like them.  However, as these minorities are often not open about their orientation, it is difficult for them to find and be found by individuals in their communities that understand what they are going through. Those that identify with less common sexual orientations and gender identities often have nobody to go to because “unlike other traditionally under-represented groups...LGBT individuals assume their identity in late adolescence and largely apart from an intact support network,” (Gudelunas). As such, it is not uncommon for the only place these adolescence have to go to being the media, be it teen magazines, the internet, or their favourite television programs. Because they have nowhere else to go, the media being accepting of those that are not straight or do not identify with the gender they were raised as is critically important.

How it Affects Society
If boasting equality is to continue, society should begin making efforts to integrating gender identities and sexual orientations, even if they vary from what is traditionally accepted. American culture has come a long way in recent decades to end racism, and with it has come the acceptance of people that were born differently. However, in order for equality to truly be established, acceptance of others, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, is a must. One of the best ways to assimilate this idea into society is through the media, as it so broadly and heavily influences the lives of others.

As people become more familiar and comfortable with seeing different sexual orientations and gender identities, they will be more likely to be accepting of these minorities in their lives. This is already occurring, and research has shown that “parents and family members who are dealing with the realization that a family member may be gay use media stereotypes to find about a community they typically do not encounter” (Lemish). As many people do not have personal experience with LGBTQA individuals, the media’s role in providing a basis for these minorities is crucial. If the only place one has been exposed to these minorities is in television or the media, than it is important that those representations are accurate, as that influences the ideas that communities have on individuals that fit those descriptions.

Why Companies are Against it
Television production companies often exclude uncommon sexualites and gender identities from their shows in an attempt to keep the prejudices held towards those individuals separate from their stations. As some viewers hold more strict traditional values, keeping queer characters out of television can decrease the possibility of offending a viewing population. While producers focusing on money find this to be a valid reason for excluding characteristics from their shows, it is effectively supporting the discrimination of these minorities. The fact of the matter is, individuals that are not straight and are not cisgendered exist, and washing them out for the sake of making money is discrimination.

In addition, the media is heavily focused on commercial profit, and keeping the ideals of masculinity and more so femininity is crucial to profits of select companies. Studies have shown that the roles of genders demonstrated in television is linked to “the market's need to keep women in an insecure and subservient role” in order to promote consumerism (Kim). The rights of individuals are continuing to be compromised for the sake of commercial profits.

What Can Be Done
In order to stop this injustice from occurring, efforts should be made to support and promote accurate representation of gender identities and sexual orientations in the media. The public’s support of shows that are currently showcasing queer characters would lead to further acceptance of these characters by production characters. Tom Ascheim, president of ABC Family, is proud to be part of one of the companies that is taking strides towards accurate representation, stating that the company has received praise for representations of relationships  “based on valuing loving relationships, no matter the gender” (Elber). The media reflects culture, just as culture reflects on the media, and the only way to change them is to change them hand in hand, representation is critical in the fight for equality.

Works Cited
Elber, Lynn. "GLAAD Study: Gay Depictions Increase on TV." Public Opinion Local
News. Chambersburg Public Opinion, 1 Oct. 2014. Web. 31 Oct. 2014. 

Gudelunas, David. "Sexual Minorities, Portrayals of." Encyclopedia of Children,
Adolescents, and the  Media. Vol. 2. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Reference, 2007.
765-67. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 23 Oct. 2014.

Hust, Stacey J.T. "Gender Identity Development." Encyclopedia of Children,
Adolescents, and the Media. Vol. 1. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Reference, 2007. 362-64. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 21 Oct. 2014.

Kim, Janna L. "Magazines, Adolescent Girls'" Encyclopedia of Children, Adolescents, and
the Media. Vol. 2. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Reference, 2007. 482-85. Gale
Virtual Reference Library. Web. 27 Oct. 2014.

Lemish, Dafna. "Gender, Media Use and." Encyclopedia of Children, Adolescents, and
the Media.  Vol. 1. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Reference, 2007. 361-62. Gale \
Virtual Reference Library. Web. 21 Oct. 2014.