CMU School of Drama

Monday, July 03, 2017

A Reflection for Pride Through Queer Theatre

OnStage Blog: As we are reaching the end of Pride Month, it’s important to reflect as a community, looking at the theatre we have produced revolving around queer stories. This last season saw many complex LGBTQ+ stories being told on New York stages. While we still have a long way to go, these productions have opened the door to conversations about gay relationships, queer history, and sexual/gender identity.

1 comment:

Mirah Kozodoy said...

I think this article, in its discussion of the more positive examples of shows that feature queer characters, touches on some of the most pervasive problems in LGBTQ+ representation in the media. I think that one of the most disappointing aspects of LGBTQ+ representation is that the characters so often seem to be stereotypes; they are often used as plot devices and are rarely written as complex and significant characters. The shows mentioned by the author of the article are commendable because they feature characters whose main characteristics are not their sexual orientation but their personalities and stories. The author of the article also mentions that there is a lot more representation necessary in theater, especially of queer women and transgender people, as well as non-binary and gender non-conforming characters. The article strikes a good balance between acknowledging the progress made in terms of LGBTQ+ representation and not discounting the amount of progress that still needs to be made. I think very often, it is easier to focus on either only the negative parts of the world and ignore the positive or, at the same time, to praise the strides being made without recognizing the imperfection of the world. The article, however, manages to discuss the positive steps taken towards more representation without ignoring the flaws that still remain in the industry.