On Wed, 4 Mar 1998, Donald Larsson wrote:
 
>
> I also don't recall anyone mentioning the all-too-short-lived MY
> SO-CALLED LIFE, which featured a gay high school student who was thrown
> out by his family when he came out.  He eventually was taken in by a
> teacher--relunctant to do so because he too was gay and still in the
> closet.  The show ended not too long after that story arc developed,
> though.
>
 
Which reminds me that there was a peripheral gay character who emerged
through a coming out storyline in *Degrassi (Junior) High*--the older
brother of one of the regulars. As I remember it, this character was not
particularly stereotyped (which is not all that surprising, given the
series). But might it be worth considering the construction of gay
characters in peripheral vs. regular roles in TV series?
 
Helen.
 
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Helen Kay
Department of English
University of Queensland, St Lucia QLD 4072
email: [log in to unmask]
 
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