International Media Portrayals Shape Public Perceptions of LGBTQ Rights
Most people have never personally interacted with someone who identifies as LGBTQ, so they rely on what they see in movies, television shows, and news articles to inform their opinions. In many countries around the world, same-sex marriage is legal, but public attitudes toward homosexuality are still mixed due to negative portrayals in popular culture. This can lead to discrimination and violence against members of the community, even though laws say otherwise.
In some places, such as Russia, Turkey, Uganda, Nigeria, and Egypt, there has been an increase in anti-LGBTQ sentiments since national media began reporting negatively about them. This has led to a decrease in LGBTQ rights and a rise in hate crimes, especially directed at transgender individuals. Meanwhile, in countries like Canada and Ireland, where positive portrayals have become more common, tolerance for sexual diversity has grown rapidly in recent years.
The way that international media depicts LGBTQ characters matters because it shapes how people view this group as a whole. If all representations focus on "coming out" stories or tragedies related to being gay or lesbian, then audiences may think those issues are the most important ones facing the community.
If media coverage includes success stories or normalizes queer relationships without focusing on them exclusively, then viewers will get a fuller picture of the experiences of LGBTQ people.
Unfortunately, international media tends to show only certain aspects of LGBTQ life - usually white men who fit into traditional gender roles. People of color, trans people, bisexuals, pansexuals, and nonbinary folks are rarely seen on screen, making it seem like they don't exist at all. When these groups do appear in media narratives, their stories often revolve around struggle or pain instead of joy or fulfillment. As a result, many cisgendered heterosexual audiences come away with negative impressions of queerness in general.
One solution is to increase representation across the board - not just in terms of gender identity but also race/ethnicity, class background, age range, physical ability level, etc. By showing diverse examples of happy and healthy relationships between same-sex partners from all walks of life, we can create a world where everyone feels accepted regardless of their individual differences.
It's up to each person to decide what kind of story they want to tell about themselves and others - but having more choices available certainly helps!
How do international media portrayals shape public perceptions of LGBTQ rights and influence cross-cultural social norms?
The way in which international media portrayal shapes public perceptions of LGBTQ rights and influences cross-cultural social norms is an intricate and multifaceted issue that has been studied extensively by researchers across multiple disciplines.