This media analysis will focus on two LGBTQ+ centered TV shows: currently airing Transcendent and 2003 Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. As it concerns Transcendent, the set consists of five transgender women working in the AsiaSF nightclub. Xristina is a social rights activist of Dominican descent who appears to be both resilient and vulnerable. Nye is an Asian transgender woman who takes over the management role; she is caring, supportive, and introverted. LA is another Asian female who can be characterized as a loving, shy, yet rising personality. Bianka is an African-American, and her three defining characteristics are race, volunteering, and ambition. Lastly, Bambiana is coming from a supportive family and seeks the spotlight in the nightclub; she is ambitious, cautious, and family-oriented.
Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, in its turn, presents the audience with another set of LGBTQs+ characters. Carson fulfilled the role of fashion and style expert, with his defining characteristics being critical, sarcastic, and flirty. Ted was a food and wine specialist and appeared to be intelligent, distant, and guiding. Kyan helped show’s guests to tackle their hair, grooming, and hygiene and was humorous, supportive, and compassionate. Thom covered the interior design and often expressed his criticism, disapproval, yet willingness to help. Jai was the only person of color who tackled popular culture, and his defining characteristics are his race, gentleness, and honesty. While Transcendent represents almost all the racial and cultural groups focusing on transgender people, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy cast dominantly white actors, with Jai serving as a diversity token.
Interpretation
As for the current Transcendent, the characters appear to be three-dimensional since the show dedicates significant time to explore their background, upbringing, and motivation. For instance, the ambitious personality of Bombiana is not limited by her nightclub aspirations; on the contrary, the show investigates her passion for animal rights, veganism, and supportive mother. These details expand her individuality and show the audience that there is more to her than her transition, gender, and career. However, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy’s cast appears to be shallow and one-dimensional, given that most of the show’s time is dedicated to a makeover of the straight person. The five helpers act as foils for the guest’s revelation and represent stereotypes that people associate with the LGBTQ+ community – overt fixation of style and appearance, constant flirting with straight actors, and oversexualized conversation topics. As Campbell et al. (2020) note, “Although bias is traditionally regarded as an intentional distortion of the facts, another form of bias results from unwitting ignorance” (p. 607). Although it was not the show’s intention to stigmatize the community, unconscious bias is present.
Evaluation
Generally, both shows support the notion of society and TV becoming more inclusive. For Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, it was a novelty to introduce a primarily gay cast with a narrative centered around their dynamic with a straight man. While it was revolutionary at the time in terms of LGBTQ+ representation, the modern look on the show unravels that it lacked racial, cultural, and gender representation. Jai, the only person of color, was interchangeable with another Black character throughout the episodes, making it seem like he was there only as a diversity token. As Campbell et al. (2020) claim, “news programming is what it means for the information industry to be dominated by straight white males” (p. 606). By the early 2000s, they were not necessarily straight but still dominantly white. Furthermore, females are visible on the show only as secondary characters.
However, the current show Transcendent proves that the inclusion progresses over time. The reality show focuses on a widely underrepresented group of people, transgender women, and does not stereotypically portray them. Conversely, all actors have a comprehensive backstory, making it easier to relate to them. In addition to racial and cultural diversity, the show tackles the male gender by showcasing the protagonists’ partners respectfully and honestly. Thus, it can be argued that both shows indicate that inclusion of TV increases over time.
Reference
Campbell, R., Martin, C., Fabos, B., & Harmsen, S. (2020). Media Essentials: A Brief Introduction. Macmillan Learning.