Abstract
This study investigates stereotypical portrayals of lesbians, gays, and bisexuals (LGBs) on Dutch television and whether these portrayals relate to people’s attitudes towards LGBs. Previous research shows that television programs in the U.S. contain many stereotypical portrayals of LGBs. These portrayals are both negatively and positively related to people’s attitude towards LGBs. Because the Dutch culture is relatively accepting of LGBs it is interesting to see if they are portrayed differently than in the U.S. A content analysis showed that there are stereotypical representations on Dutch television but there are also people who ‘just happen to be gay’. A survey among 272 participants showed that people who more frequently watch programs with stereotypical portrayals of LGBs do not have a more positive or negative attitude than people who do not. A mediation analysis showed that people who watch more television in general have a more stereotypical view of gay men, which is related to more negative attitudes towards LGBs.
Highlights
There are many stereotypes about homosexuality that gay men and lesbians are confronted with in their daily life and the media play an important role in forming these stereotypes
Multiple programs in the sample show gay men with feminine characteristics and multiple programs include lesbian and bisexual women with masculine characteristics. These programs contribute to the stereotypes: ‘lesbians are masculine’ and ‘gay men are feminine’
This effect is stronger for females than for males, because almost all lesbian and bisexual women were portrayed in a masculine acting way
Summary
There are many stereotypes about homosexuality that gay men and lesbians are confronted with in their daily life and the media play an important role in forming these stereotypes. Cultivation theory states that repeated exposure to a system of messages can influence people’s attitudes and views of reality. Media especially influence our view on subjects that we have little experience with (Morgan et al, 2009). Adolescents, for example, indicate the media as their top source of sexual information. Controversial topics like homosexuality may cause shame and discomfort when discussed with peers or parents. This provides reason to believe that people gain information and create attitudes about homosexuality through the media (Calzo & Ward, 2009)
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