How Television Representations of LGBTQ Youth of Color Perpetuate Constructions of Gayness as Whiteness

• In Event: Queering Educational Subjectivities

Abstract

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth of color are at greater risk of negative outcomes than both their white and their non-LGBTQ counterparts. One cause of this heightened risk is the perception that non-heterosexuality is a form of “acting white,” and is incompatible with racial authenticity. This paper explores the ways in which representations of LGBTQ youth of color on television may reinforce this perception due to the “cultural whiteness” of these characters. Investigating the ways in which television conveys the message that racial and sexual minority identity are incompatible is an important step for educators and researchers seeking to counteract this message.

Author

• Adrienne Marie Mundy-Shephard, Harvard University