Shame/pride dichotomies in Queer As Folk

Abstract

Queer As Folk, an eight-part gay drama scheduled in February, March, and April 1999, was seen by Channel 4’s Chief Executive Michael Jackson as a signature show that would help to develop the channel’s distinctive place in British broadcasting for radical, experimental, minority television. The programme has subsequently developed iconic value for Channel 4, appearing on much of their publicity material and mission statements, signifying the sincerity of their liberal credentials. The shorter, two-part sequel, Queer As Folk 2, screened in February 2000, similarly received significant pre-exposure in a number of media domains. This essay will explore the encoding of gay identity within the series. Queer As Folk was a huge hit with gay, lesbian and straight women audiences; it functioned as a popular cross-over text carrying complex enjoyment to some diverse viewing positions. My point here is not to poison those pleasures but to unwrap some of the paradoxes of the narrative dichotomies inscribed.