What is prompting inclusion of LGBT characters on television series isn’t so much a need for programmers to represent diversity, rather it is that it makes good business sense. It’s a simple equation: Gay Viewers + Gay Dollars = Gay Programming. According to the 2006 Report on the Gay & Lesbian Market from Packaged Facts/Witeck-Combs Communication, the 2007 buying power of LGBT American adults is estimated to be $690 billion. They also concluded that, based on U.S. Census projections, there’s a population count of 15.3 million adults self-identified as LGBT (6.8% of all adults).

"Equally important to advertisers is the high educational level and affluence of the LGBT audience," the GLAAD report continues. "According to Planetout.com Partners, LGBT people are twice as likely to have household income over $250K and over 60% are college graduates. The fact that LGBT people have fewer households with children means greater discretionary income and more time for leisure activities. Planetout.com’s studies have also shown that 87% of LGBT people are highly likely to actively seek out brands that advertise uniquely to them. The advantages to LGBT inclusiveness to the television industry are clear, yet not fully embraced."

With this in mind, it is advantageous for Hollywood producers to green light projects with LGBT characters. "It certainly has not been a network mandate that their shows be inclusive of the LGBT community," said Romine. "What has happened is that certain producers know that great stories can come from being inclusive of LGBT characters. And in the case of ABC, we’ve seen the network push to make sure these characters, like Kevin on Brothers & Sisters, are treated just like all the other characters on the show.

"There’s not one program that couldn’t benefit from being LGBT inclusive and all the story potential that goes along with that. Ugly Betty and Brothers & Sisters are great models for how networks can reach a broad audience and include LGBT representation."

While cable programming was not factored in the grading system, the report noted how cable channels "remain leaders in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) representation, seamlessly weaving our stories and relationships into the fabric of shows that have broad and mainstream appeal." It acknowledged the success of gay-networks Logo and here!, but also pointed out how NBC-owned Bravo has become something of a mini-gay network with an array of programs (Queer Eye, Boy Meets Boy, Top Chef, Work Out. Project Runway, and Kathy Griffin: My Life On The D-List) with strong gay representation and appeal. CBS-owned Showtime (run by openly gay network president Robert Greenblatt) received kudos for The L Word, the Brotherhood, The Tudors, and Weeds; similarly Time-Warner’s HBO was cited for its past programming (Angels in America, The Laramie Project, Six Feet Under, Sex and the City) and for its current hit Entourage with its openly gay Lloyd (Rex Lee), the tireless gay assistant to egomaniacal agent Ari Gold, and a pair of gay character on the Wire, lesbian detective Shakima Greggs and gay criminal Omar Little. MTV’s Comedy Central with such gay-friendly shows as The Daily Show, the Colbert Report, and Reno 911. And here with a new season of its cult occult series Dante’s Cove, its spin-off The Lair, and a provocative new series called the DL Chronicles tells the stories of men of color who by consequence and by choice, live sexually duplicitous and secret lifestyles.

"The premium networks like HBO, Showtime and now here! have raised the bar for how LGBT characters are seen on television, and by doing so, this kind of multi-dimensional storytelling with LGBT characters is now being told on basic cable programs and making its way to the broadcast networks.

"Cable has long presented multi-dimensional representations of LGBT people and now we’re starting to see ourselves presented on the broadcast networks in ways that are increasingly fair, accurate and inclusive."

As for the upcoming season, does Romine see any trends or new characters of note?

"A year ago we were looking forward to shows like The Class, Ugly Betty and Brothers & Sisters to fill a void left by Will & Grace. Ugly Betty and Brothers & Sisters will return for their sophomore seasons, Cashmere Mafia will feature what appears to be a bisexual leading character among its ensemble cast, and Dirty Sexy Money has a transgender story arc which I hope they will continue to develop." (On the show New York transgendered personality Candis Cayne will play a transsexual that Presidential candidate Billy Baldwin is secretly having an affair.)

"Right now, one of the most exciting developments is happening on daytime television on As the World Turns, "Romine said. "This show was already notable for being the first daytime drama to introduce a gay male character who is part of the core family. Luke Snyder came out a year ago and now the character is moving closer to having a relationship, or in soap speak, a ’love triangle.’ Let’s not forget that Brothers & Sisters was the first broadcast network series to show a gay male character having the same kind of romantic relationships as the other characters, so this is still new for the networks, and now we’re beginning to see this kind of inclusivity on daytime television as well."

What brings Brothers and Sisters to the next level, which was developed by out playwright Jon Robin Baitz, is how it captures every dimension of Kevin’s character, including his sexuality. His kiss with his Scotty (Luke MacFarlane) was an example of an incident that pushed the social envelope by seeming perfectly natural.

"Brother & Sisters is a great example of a show that is breaking new ground by treating the gay brother, Kevin, just like all of the other characters, giving him a personal life and relationships just like all the other characters," Romine observed. "This is the FIRST time we’ve seen this on a network television drama-and it’s 2007, ten years after Ellen came out on TV. That series also is introducing the fact that Uncle Saul is either gay or bisexual. How often do we see ANY gay characters on network television over the age of 60? This may be the first.

"Presenting the sexuality of an LGBT character is new on the broadcast networks and not only are we seeing it on Brothers & Sisters, but it was evident on Passions when it aired on NBC and we’re looking forward to what’s to come on As the World Turns."

Article by Robert Nesti, courtesy of EDGE Magazine