User:Tea2015/sandbox

Article Evaluation

 * 1) REDIRECT Black Twitter


 * Introductory Paragraph contains sentence fragments
 * Neutral Article - provides a lot of historical context
 * Lots of quotes, not a lot of paraphrasing of quotes
 * Reviewed sources come from reputable sources
 * Some sections can be added to such as the section: #IfIDieInPoliceCustody
 * Provides opposing viewpoints
 * With the talk page, there is a push for more neutrality in the article which seems to be adjusted for to this day.
 * Also with the talk page, there are a couple of comments that do not lend any help to the article and were not addressed which I feel is appropriate.

Representation of Black/African American LGBTQ Characters in the Media
The 1990s had an increased representation of queer characters in film and TV. Since this period of time, there has also been an increase in representations of queer characters of color. But the majority of queer characters are still gay white males.

GLAAD, which is an organization that focuses on queer discrimination in the US media, has tracked the appearances of queer characters and people in television and film over the last several years. They have published an annual “Studio Responsibility Index (SRI)” and “Where We Are On TV (WWAT)” which reports on LGBTQ representation in film and television, respectively. The 2013 SRI report found that of the 101 films released by major studios in 2012, only 14 films had queer characters and, in those films, only 31 different characters could be identified as LBGTQ. Of these 31 characters, only 4 were Black/African American (12.9%) in comparison to 26 white characters making up 83.9% of queer representation in films for this year. In 2016, there were 125 films released with only 23 containing LGBTQ characters. Of the 70 LGBTQ characters, 9 were Black/African American (13%) in comparison to 48 white characters (69%). According to the 2013 GLAAD’s “Where We Are on TV” annual report, there were 112 LGBTQ characters that were announced for broadcast and cable. Of these 112 characters, 15 of them were Black making a 13% representation compared to 71% representation of white queer characters. The 2017 report found that there were 329 LBGTQ characters on television. Black LGBTQ characters made up 12% of this representation with 40 characters compared to 65% for white characters.

Throughout media history, representations of black lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender characters have been portrayed within a Caucasian lens. While white queer characters have been represented by different story lines and personalities, black queer representations seem to only portray a singular stereotypical perception. Media outlets rely on one-dimensional, stereotypical images of Black characters rather than providing dynamic and complex portrayals that reflect the complexity and authenticity of Black people’s lives around the country. Usually, black characters are incorporated within “hegemonic white worlds void of any hint of African American traditions, social struggle, racial conflicts, and cultural difference.”

Black gay men are usually portrayed in the media as “swishy queens” or overly aggressive. One example of this is the character Keith Charles in Six Feet Under. Keith, a gay black man in the show, is portrayed as overly masculine, aggressive, and powerful which reinforces stereotypical characteristics of African American men. This is in comparison to his partner, David Fisher, a white gay man, who is portrayed as more feminine as he is in charge of household duties. Lafayette Reynolds of True Blood is another black, gay man who is very flamboyant in presentation. Additionally, even with the “swishy queen” personality, he still has an athletic, muscular build and can be very aggressive. Another example includes The Wire’s Omar Little who has a very masculine and intimidating personality. Moonlight, breaks from the stereotype of the over-masculinity of black queer characters, as the main character, Chiron Harris, is physically abused for being gay and not fitting into the ideal definitions of masculinity.

Black lesbians are typically associated with aggression, eroticism, extreme attractiveness/desirability (femme), and occasionally butch. In Set It Off, Ursula, a black lesbian character is represented by only being an erotic object. Most of her scenes are her sexual interactions with her girlfriend Cleo. Cleopatra "Cleo" Sims, also a black lesbian, is seen as being aggressive and butch. In The Wire, Shakima Greggs is portrayed as overly masculine and part of the Baltimore police department’s “old boys club.” Felicia Pearson is seen as extremely masculine/butch to the point where her gender presentation is blurred between female and male.

Transgender women are typically portrayed as passing as women making them seem artificial or fake. Transgender women of color are also disproportionately represented as victims of hate crimes. The character, Sophia Burset, from the Netflix series, Orange is the New Black is a black transwoman, who reinforces these stereotypes since she has used medical surgery and hormones to appear more as a woman. Other characters in this show constantly make comments indicating they view Sophia as not a real woman. Moreover, Sophia plays into the stereotypical hyperfeminization of transwomen in the media through her role of the hairdresser in the prison salon and knowledge of hair, fashion, and makeup.

Additionally, drugs, violence and low socioeconomic status are usually part of the identity of black LGBTQ characters. These stereotypical representations of black queer characters reinforce the cultural stereotypes in the United States that all black people are poor, extremely violent, and/or drug abusers.