Queer as Folk is a serial drama television series that ran from December 3, 2000, to August 7, 2005. The series was produced for Showtime by Cowlip Productions, Tony Jonas Productions, Temple Street Productions, and Showtime Networks, in association with Crowe Entertainment and Warner Bros. Television. It was developed and written by Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman, who were the showrunners and also the executive producers along with Tony Jonas, former president of Warner Bros. Television.
LGBT themes in speculative fiction include lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) themes in science fiction, fantasy, horror fiction and related genres. Such elements may include an LGBT character as the protagonist or a major character, or explorations of sexuality or gender that deviate from the heteronormative.
John Philip "Jack" McFarland is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Will & Grace, played by Sean Hayes.
In comics, LGBT themes are a relatively new concept, as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) themes and characters were historically omitted from the content of comic books and their comic strip predecessors due to anti-gay censorship. LGBT existence was included only via innuendo, subtext and inference. However the practice of hiding LGBT characters in the early part of the twentieth century evolved into open inclusion in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, and comics explored the challenges of coming-out, societal discrimination, and personal and romantic relationships between gay characters.
Justin Taylor is a fictional character from the American/Canadian Showtime television series Queer as Folk, a drama about the lives of a group of gay men and women living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Oscar Martinez is a fictional character in the US mockumentary-style television series The Office. He is portrayed by Oscar Nunez. The character Oscar Martinez appears in 176 of the 188 total episodes of The Office.
Justin Suarez is a fictional character on the American comedy-drama series Ugly Betty (2006–2010). Portrayed by actor Mark Indelicato, Justin is raised by his single mother Hilda, both of whom live with his aunt Betty and grandfather Ignacio. A musical theatre and fashion enthusiast, Ugly Betty follows adolescent Justin as he matures and navigates school, while exploring his sexual orientation. Although the character exhibits stereotypically gay interests and flamboyant mannerisms, the show does not address his sexuality until its fourth season, despite constant speculation and support from his family.
Lesbian portrayal in media is generally in relation to feminism, love and sexual relationships, marriage and parenting. Some writers have stated that lesbians have often been depicted as exploitative and unjustified plot devices. Common representations of lesbians in the media include butch or femme lesbians and lesbian parents. "Butch" lesbian comes from the idea of a lesbian expressing themselves as masculine by dressing masculine, behaving masculinely, or liking things that are deemed masculine, while "femme" lesbian comes from the idea of a lesbian expressing themselves as feminine by dressing feminine, behaving femininely, or liking things that are deemed feminine.
In American mainstream comics, LGBT themes and characters were historically omitted intentionally from the content of comic books, due to either formal censorship or the perception that comics were for children and thus LGBT themes were somehow inappropriate. With any mention of homosexuality in mainstream United States comics forbidden by the Comics Code Authority (CCA) until 1989, earlier attempts at exploring these issues in the US took the form of subtle hints or subtext regarding a character's sexual orientation. LGBT themes were tackled earlier in underground comix from the early 1970s onward. Independently published one-off comic books and series, often produced by gay creators and featuring autobiographical storylines, tackled political issues of interest to LGBT readers.
The first season of Queer as Folk, an American and Canadian television series, consisted of twenty-two episodes and premiered on Showtime on December 3, 2000, in the United States and on Showcase on January 22, 2001, in Canada.
The second season of Queer as Folk, an American and Canadian television series, consisted of twenty episodes and premiered on Showtime on January 6, 2002, in the United States and on Showcase on January 21, 2002, in Canada.
The third season of Queer as Folk, an American and Canadian television series, consisted of fourteen episodes and premiered on Showtime on March 2, 2003, in the United States and on Showcase on April 7, 2003, in Canada.
The fourth season of Queer as Folk, an American and Canadian television series, consisted of fourteen episodes and premiered on Showtime on April 18, 2004, in the United States and on Showcase on April 19, 2004, in Canada.
The fifth season of Queer as Folk, an American and Canadian television series, premiered on Showtime on May 22, 2005, and on Showcase on May 23, 2005. Consisting of thirteen episodes, season five served as the final season for Queer as Folk.
Theodore "Ted" Schmidt is a fictional character from the American Showtime television drama series Queer as Folk, played by Scott Lowell. Fellow show cast member Peter Paige, who plays Emmett Honeycutt originally auditioned for the role. Lowell was cast and he stated that he had an instant connection with the character. Queer as Folk is based on the British show of the same name and Ted is loosely based on the character Phil Delaney, played by Jason Merrells. Phil was killed off in that series, whereas show creator Daniel Lipman decided to develop the character into a full-time role for the US version.
The depiction of LGBTQ characters in Western animated series in the 2000s changed significantly from the previous decade. This included series such as Queer Duck, the first animated TV series with homosexuality as a predominant theme, The Boondocks, American Dad, bro'Town, W.I.T.C.H., The Venture Bros., Rick & Steve: The Happiest Gay Couple in All the World, Moral Orel, Lizzy the Lezzy, and many others would include LGBTQ characters.
