‘Queering’ TV, one character at a time: How audiences respond to gender-diverse TV series on social media platforms

Abstract

This article builds further on research in gender/queer TV studies to understand how interpretive communities form around gender-diverse TV series on social media platforms, while questioning the influence a broadcaster/content provider may still have on the reception of LGBTQ characters. Since recent technological innovations have deeply upset normative definitions of television and of its ‘identity’, this article seeks to understand whether the inclusion of LGBTQ characters in TV series has a similar potential to encourage viewers to queer or challenge normative knowledges about human sexualities and identities. To this end, the article provides a qualitative analysis of discourses that have been published on the official Facebook page of two US serialised dramas: Sense8 (Netflix 2015–2018) and Billions (Showtime 2016–). This research reveals that conversations around Sense8 and Billions differ significantly, ranging from a tendency to deflect criticism and promote progressive readings of the show ( Sense8), to more aggressive debates and frequent attempts to ‘solve’ gender ambiguities ( Billions). Through a detailed analysis of comments and interactions on a popular social media platform, this article, therefore, argues that the nature of a particular content provider might still affect – though never determine – the formation of interpretive communities online, and the nature of comments published around a series featuring LGBTQ character(s).

El cuerpo político, la contrasexualidad, la dildotectónica y los nuevos placeres en Las hijas del Fuego (2018) de Albertina Carri

“…Atendiendo a la Teoría Queer y a los productos culturales catalogados como queer, el punto de partida es entender que la "queeridad" supera la cisheteronormatividad e incluso las etiquetas de gay y lesbiana, problematizando los "discursos normalizadores que promueven etiquetar identidades y sexualidades" (Boisvert, 2020). Para Warner (1993), lo queer es todo aquello que se autodefine como contrapuesto a lo normal o heterosexual, aquello que va contra el imperativo moral de la normalidad como su principal objetivo.…”

When Is Masculinity “Fragile”? An Expectancy-Discrepancy-Threat Model of Masculine Identity

“…Considering therapists’ role, the American Psychological Association recently issued guidelines for mental health practitioners to challenge and resist “traditional” masculinity beliefs in their work with boys and men (Barber et al, 2019). At a broader level, media might consider the extent to which they encourage gender norms resistance by “queering TV” (Boisvert, 2020) versus perpetuating gender stereotypes that influence children’s thinking about gender categories (Lamer et al, 2022).…”

La representación de identidades queer adolescentes en ‘Sex Education’ (Netflix, 2019-)

“…Asimismo, el enfoque interseccional (Crenshaw, 1989) tomará en consideración las dinámicas existentes entre identidades coexistentes (por ejemplo, homosexual y negro) y los sistemas conectados de opresión (por ejemplo, heteropatriarcado y supremacía blanca). Así pues, el análisis no podrá limitarse a analizar la inclusión de personajes que subvierten la cisheteronorma en la serie 'Sex Education', también abordará su posicionamiento en la narrativa en la medida en que, a su vez, invita a los espectadores a problematizar discursos normalizadores que buscan etiquetar identidades y sexualidades (Boisvert, 2020).…”