#10 Lesbians in the Media

As a fan on the hit television show ER, I found it interesting that the show's writers chose to bravely incorporate a lesbian doctor in such an intense hospital environment where traditionally, doctors are heterosexual and the expression of sexual preference is not openly discussed. Also, most lesbians were given "masculine" roles such as a truck driver or firefighter. Dr. Weaver (Laura Innes) who debuted on ER in 1994, was not only a lesbian, but also had a physical walking handicap. Fearful to be close to another sexually and emotionally, Dr. Weaver did not "come out of the closet" until later in the season, which was well received by most of her co-workers, but not all. Being a unique character for her sexual preference, Dr. Weaver also had an African American partner who was a female firefighter (Lisa Vidal). Together the union decided to have a child, an idea rarely portrayed even in our current media. From the outside looking in, the homosexual nuclear family was no different than that of a heterosexual couple until tragedy occurred with the death of Dr. Weaver's partner. Viewers were brought back to reality when Child Protective Services took away the child since the couple was never a "legal" union. Dr. Weaver's sexual preference was never an issue until the government stepped in, reminding the public that homosexuality was illegal and socially unacceptable. Thus, Dr. Weaver's lesbian character was a pioneer in the media, yet in the end, did not come out on top because of her differences in sexual preference.
Overall, I believe the After Ellen website feels the acceptance of lesbians in the media is growing, but slowly. In most cases, lesbians are viewing in a positive atmosphere, but may have too much of a sexual portrayal at times. Hopefully over time the public will further appreciate various sexual preferences portrayed in the media.