Gay Characters

[atrus]

Yes, I agree - what year or decade it is has absolutely everything to do with what is right and wrong. I find it perpetually shocking just how far the boundaries of right and wrong have shifted even in my lifetime. And how far they shift as you move across the surface of the earth. And of course they will, being entirely subjective and malleable by circumstance. There's no more evidence for an objective, universal morality than there is evidence of a supreme being. So we can only really ever judge morality from our own standpoint in time and space. Hence in 2017, in Australia (or the UK), H&A's attitude towards depicting gay people sticks out like a sore thumb.

The odd thing about it is that, while most other comparable shows have modernised and embraced gay characters, H&A has slid backwards to the kind of level where most of those comparable shows were at the time of its relatively progressive depiction of Shannon, all those years ago.

[adam436]

I find it odd that Home and Away try to push the boundaries in so many respects (drugs, violence, sex etc.), yet they can't have a regular gay character. Having said that, a regular gay character wouldn't even "pushing the boundaries" anymore, not when shows such as Dance Academy and Neighbours have managed to do it.

 

If Home and Away had made Chris Fletcher a regular in 2003, then it would have been ground-breaking, particularly for Australia. I don't think long term fans would have accepted Pippa's son living somewhere else when she took in so many waifs and strays herself. I guess they could have him live with Sally and Flynn (his adoptive sister and brother-in-law) or made him a completely different character (perhaps one of Beth's sons or a cousin of Noah's or someone's), but it's still a moot point since they clearly didn't want a gay regular at the time.

 

I thought it might have been possible that Brodie was gay when he first arrived, as all the Morgans were quickly given a love interest but him, but it didn't eventuate.

[Skylover]

On 12 January 2017 at 8:15 AM, harrietjames said:

Actually morality is fluid not static - what is appropriate changes over time.

This is true. However, I do agree with the stance that homosexuality should always have been accepted, regardless of the era.

Much like Home and Away, society does seem to go forwards and backwards in terms of homosexuality. It was rife in Ancient Greece and pretty much accepted from what we know. Although many of the men who were involved with other men or boys eventually got married. But I think the Greeks were just very fluid with their sexuality. I foresee a time like that again not too long away in the future.

[beau_t]

On 14/01/2017 at 0:02 AM, atrus said:

while most other comparable shows have modernised and embraced gay characters, H&A has slid backwards to the kind of level where most of those comparable shows were at the time of its relatively progressive depiction of Shannon, all those years ago.

Couldn't agree more. The Shannon story has just aired on The Early Years and it's way better written (minus the odd niggle) than I'd ever expect the show to manage nowadays.