TV’s Young Gays Go Straight

Heroes and Ugly Betty skirt the issue

by j. brotherlove

Days after gushing about how much I love the TV series Heroes, AfterElton.com reports that NBC now claims obviously gay Zach is now straight.

A few things are clear, and can be backed up by evidence from interviews with the show’s creators and in the show’s official publicity materials: Zach was conceived as a gay character, he was developed as a gay character, and as of the November 20th “Homecoming” episode, he was a gay character. And yet a decision was made by someone — be it studio execs, talent management, or otherwise — to “straighten him out”.

Um, what? That’s an even worse position than the one ABC is taking by keeping vague about Ugly Betty’s Justin:

“I think to make that proclamation, that he’s gay or not, I think he’s too young to know,” [Executive producer Silvio] Horta says of the character. “I think he’s just right now a kid who’s different than other boys. He’s into stuff that other kids his age aren’t into. And there’s this wonderful sweetness and optimism in him, similar to Betty. He sort of guides her and gives her advice.”

While I understand the sunny outlook of that premise, you cannot tell me that the writers/creators don’t know the sexual orientation of their character. We’re not asking for Justin to come out; only the creators of the show. It seems to me the network is afraid to make a formal declaration about it. But this is the kid who dressed as Gene Kelly for Halloween. Just more reason why I don’t watch much network television.

I think most gay people know they’re gay way before the age of 12, and certainly by high school — even though we may not know what to call it. The network’s refusal to address that just reinforces that there’s something wrong with being gay, tying it to a sexual act. Being “gay” involves a lot more than what we do with our bodies. Network television had a chance to help young gay and questioning kids with these two characters. Looks like they blew it.

Zach’s mind was wiped, remember? So I think this latest revelation/switch is a by-product of that. Still, it’s a nasty, dark little by-product of the mind wiping.

Hmmm… Now in a pinch I’ll buy that rationalization (it’s science fiction, after all). But I think you’re smarter than the creaters, C. I don’t think they’ve thought of that.

Let’s hope the anti-gay bigots don’t get their hands on this mind-wiping technology.

Wait a minute… they’d have to befriend a Haitian first. How likely is that?

Just shows what I know. According to Afterelton.com and the Ask Ausiello column at TVGuide.com, the actor’s “people” are the ones who ordered the switch, because the character who plays Zach has been slated to star in a new Terminator spin-off for TV. I guess they just expect us to completely disregard the laundry list of gay characters this actor has played before ‘Heroes’.

Being “gay” involves a lot more than what we do with our bodies.

Well said. In fact, that’s one of the things I really liked about these characters… they actively participate in the storylines beyond their sexual identities.

Now I’m just waiting for a gay character to be added to Battlestar Galactica, and I will be in gay-geek heaven!