LGBT News Representation in the Media

While LGBT news may increase tolerance for homosexual men, there are other risks to the representation of these communities in the media. Inequality in media coverage can reduce the visibility of other groups. Lesbians with a voice are less likely to be blamed and more likely to appear in mixed news stories that stress equal rights. As such, overall differences between the outgroups remain small. Even if newsmakers are congenial to the LGBT community, their messages and frames may not reflect the true intentions of the authors.

This study examined television news stories about LGBT people in the country of Flanders. The study found that while attention has increased in recent years, LGBTs are still portrayed as victims and not as fully represented visually. The news remains negative, but the framing has changed from victimization to equal rights and acceptance. Gay men were more often represented. Overall, the tone and framing remained similar. And though the gender of the LGBT person was not stated in the news story, the tone of the stories remained similar.

However, this lack of visible representation is problematic. It reflects power relations. Consequently, unequal access to the news may prevent diverse viewpoints from spreading and consolidating group positions in society. Focusing on LGBT people in news stories can help the audience connect with them better, and serve as a means of increasing tolerance and mass-mediated contact. However, the absence of positive representation in news stories has its limitations. The lack of representation in the news also encourages the stereotyping of LGBTs.

PR Newswire is a great source of LGBT news. Its extensive coverage of the LGBT community includes stories, entertainment, art, and interviews. Despite the large amount of content, its content has an audience of engaged readers. Moreover, it can be useful for journalists to create their own newsfeeds. As a senior content specialist at PR Newswire, Maureen Beard contributes to @PRNlgbt and the Cision Blog.

Despite a lack of support from mainstream media, there is some positive LGBT news. The United Nations has reaffirmed its commitment to the LGBTQ community in Pride Month celebrations. The Trump administration has proposed to withdraw Obama-era protections for transgender people. The former gay conversion therapist, John Smid, has joined the fight to ban the controversial religious practice. The former prime minister has also urged his government to dump the Victorian candidate. In recent weeks, there has been controversy surrounding the alleged homophobia of parents.

Despite the growing acceptance of LGBT people in the US, the current administration is working to rescind policies that have made America more open-minded. For example, an administration proposal may define gender by the genitalia of a person at birth. And while the current administration may try to undo LGBT-friendly policies, a group in Massachusetts has been trying to repeal a law that allowed transgender people to use public restrooms. The World Health Organization recently recommended that LGBTQ+ pride parades not be avoided because of the risk of monkeypox spread.

Other recent headlines related to the LGBT community include a drag queen’s new book, a sexy gay man named to the White House as its next press secretary, and a transgender woman’s ban from women’s sports in Louisiana. Some politicians are drafting anti-LGBT+ measures. On a different front, a new gay charter school in Alabama has opened its doors to students of all orientations.