Discrimination Due to Sexual Orientation

• Author: Rebecca Ann Taylor
• Profession: Writer and attorney
• Pages: 151-162

151

The ght to be free from sexual orientation discrimination is not a new one,

but in the past decade the activists in this battle have covered signicant

ground. Television has played a huge role in pushing lesbian, gay, bisexual,

and transgender (LGBT) issues to the forefront, as a recent New York Times

article “Gay on TV: It’s All in the Family” explains.

1

Long gone are the days of

such public uproar as accompanied the reaction to Ellen DeGeneres coming

out on her 1990s television series.2 The article discussed how television has

become an important tool in shifting attitudes about sexual orientation kicked

off by providing abundant examples of LGBT culture in television today:

On “Glee” this spring, a transgender character named Unique is com-

peting in a sing-off. On “Grey’s Anatomy,” Arizona and Callie are

adjusting to married life, having been pronounced “wife and wife”

last year.

On “Modern Family,” the nation’s most popular television show,

Cameron and his partner Mitchell are trying to adopt a second child.

What’s missing? The outrage.3

1. Brian Stelter, Gay on TV: It’s All in the Family, N.Y. T, May 8, 2012, available at

http:// www .nytimes .com /2012 /05 /09 /business /media /gay-on-tv-its-all-in-the-family .html ? _r=0.

2. Id.

3. Id.

Chapter 6

Discrimination Due to

Sexual Orientation

Taylor CivilRightsLit_20131004_16-30_Confirmation Pass.indd 15110/23/13 10:43 AM