PGA Diversity Blog

Opinion

Rickie Vasquez. Justin Taylor. Kurt Hummel. They are three of a growing list of gay teens in mainstream television shows. Rickie (Wilson Cruz) hung out with Angela Chase in My So-Called Life, Justin (Randy Harrison) was fiercely political on Queer as Folk, and Kurt (Chris Colfer) is currently one of the stars in the Glee ensemble. All three characters have storylines dealing with familial pressure, violence, and bullying as the result of homophobia. Colfer’s Kurt is a standout because of his voice, style, and storyline, which has been one of the more deeply explored ones in the series, such as the bullying that he experiences in school and his relationship with his father Burt Hummel (Mike O’Malley).

Opinion

As filmmakers, artists, and producers of original content, we have many responsibilities -- a responsibility to our craft, our goals, our team, and our audience--whether we are in film, television, or new media.  We are responsible for continually producing fresh, cutting-edge, and even diverse content for a variety of audiences.  The content we produce is motivated by personal and/or social factors, but whatever those may be, we cannot deny that we are responsible for the process and the end product.

Opinion

At the dawn of a new decade, we have arrived at a moment unlike any other in the history of our beautiful nation. We have endured the brutality of slavery, we have survived the pain of Jim Crow and we have overcome segregation to declare our dignity and equal rights. We witnessed and participated in one of the greatest achievements in the history of our country when we elected our first black president, Barack Obama. And here we stand, with great opportunity, this year, this decade, to once and for all, emancipate ourselves from the mental slavery that is limiting our society and our people from moving forward.

Opinion

Even if you've never seen Glee, the Fox dramedy with show tunes in its veins and opera in its nervous system, you probably know that it's TV's gayest product since Richard Simmons. Last week's episode centered on a singing contest of "Defying Gravity," the anticonformity anthem from Wicked, every tween girl's favorite musical. The contestants: Rachel the glee-club diva vs. Kurt the, um—what's the male version of diva? Kurt (Chris Colfer) wears fluffy Alexander McQueen sweaters and sings notes high enough to make your fillings hurt. He can belt Beyoncé's "Single Ladies" and thrust his hips better than Ms. Knowles herself. Yet he can also melt your heart with his fortitude and frankness, especially during his fraught talks with his dad, a mechanic who still remembers when his son wore high heels—as a toddler. That's the thing about Kurt: he can be endearing, but he's also confusing. In one episode, the glee club split into a boys' team and a girls' team. Guess which side Kurt went for?