Fans Protest Gay Discrimination On 'As The World Turns'

[Brian Damage]

Fans of As The World Turns have launched a campaign against the soap opera, claiming the producers portray a pair of gay lovers differently than heterosexual couples on the show.

In a recent Valentine's Day episode of the show, gay couple Luke and Noah were the only two characters who didn't kiss - prompting fans to protest the restriction on physical contact between the pair, who have only been showed hugging since they got together last September.

But Damon Romine of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Discrimination (GLAAD) has commended the show for its "thoughtful writing of both characters' individual journeys", noting that "Luke and Noah's relationship is the first gay male love story portrayed on daytime in 60 years".

Jeannie Tharrington, a spokeswoman for As The World Turns, says, "Everybody at (the show) is committed to this groundbreaking story line. (Since it started) we've heard from a lot of people - some of whom like it, some of whom don't. We want to tell the story the best way we can, and also want to be respectful of all the people who watch the show."

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)

[friendsfan77]

But Damon Romine of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Discrimination (GLAAD) has commended the show for its "thoughtful writing of both characters' individual journeys", noting that "Luke and Noah's relationship is the first gay male love story portrayed on daytime in 60 years".

I honestly cannot believe GLAAD is not on their ass for this. This is discrimination plain and simple.

If the Christmas show wasn't bad enough where they panned to the mistletoe, the Valentine's Day episode REALLY pissed me off. Every couple kissed on the show except them. Every single one.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=xMRs9v_U5Tc

And the video does not highlight it, but even people who WEREN'T couples kissed. Brad and Carly being one. And if you are a fan of either Paul and Meg or Paul and Emily, then you were satisfied because Paul kissed both of them.

PGP is so full of it. It's funny though too, because you'd think people would be more offended by Gwen's attempted rape (by her brother-in-law whose character was completely destroyed by the writers), Carly's attempted rape and then being turned on when she was re-enacting it with her ex, Emily being a whore, Craig looking up ways to induce a miscarriage on the internet, or Allison being a porn starlet and druggie. They have no problems not censoring that stuff. But when a couple who's actually in love should show affection for a mere 5 seconds tops, they want to stick to the "artistic" route.

And it's not just about them not kissing, it's the principle behind it. When Luke was walking again after being paralyzed and into Noah's arms, he made it and their mouths just stared at each other like they didn't know what to do next. And whenever they do get close to kissing something interrupts them. Katie and Brad go at it like bunnies and other couples are shown embracing with no trouble at all. Noah kissed his beard Maddie than his actual boyfriend Luke. That is just sad.

It's also sad because the actors Van Hansis and Jake Silbermann have no problem with affectionate scenes and want to portray it right, and the ratings have went up because of them, especially after the first kiss. A lot of people are invested in them and the story. This shouldn't be a big deal anymore. They know they're successful as a couple. Procter & Gamble is just chickening out now when it comes to affection and it's about time someone called them on it.

[Sterling Holobyte]

I have a solution for them - take the homosexual couple off the show. Maybe those fans would like that better.
What a bunch of crybabies, really.

[JT]

Both sides of the argument are spouting all kinds of BS. PGP is full of **** if they really think they're doing a fair job with Luke and Noah. I saw the Christmas episode, and their little way of panning up to the mistletoe just as the two characters kissed was ridiculous. It was a blatant slap in the face to the couple and their fans. When I stopped watching the show, I'd tune in here and there for good scenes between Holden and Lily, Luke and Noah, and whenever there'd be episodes that heavily featured characters I like (Barbara, Lucinda, Kim and Bob, Lisa, sometimes Will and Gwen), but the stuff with Luke and Noah is moving SO slow, it's barely even moving. Any other couple would have jumped out of the paralysis storyline into something else and then something else, but nope, Luke and Noah are portrayed the same way the older veteran characters are portrayed: they trot the characters out two or three times a month and get mad when the fans aren't satisfied.

BUT, on the other hand, GLAAD is full of **** is they truly thought that Luke and Noah's initial storyline was thoughtfully written. We endured a summer of homosexual son with a disapproving father in 2006, with Luke and Damian. Why did we need to see the same damn thing with Noah and the Colonel in 2007? Not to mention, the coupling of the two characters came out of left field and I *still* don't know why they were ever even drawn to each other in the first place. How did Luke go from being annoyed by Noah one day and then "falling for a straight guy" the next day? It made no sense. And as they got closer and closer, we never ever saw Noah's attraction to Luke build. All we got was a kiss out of nowhere. And then bam, they're a couple, Maddie's out the window, and we're supposed to believe they're the next Jeff and Penny.

After going through the coming out drama with Luke and his family in 2006, the show really did not need to cook up another story just like it, with a cartoonish villain to match it. I actually stand on my feet and commend them for the amazing, incredible twist of having Noah be Cheri's son. But it's a complete and total shame that the show didn't follow through with that. Cheri and Noah could have moved to town together, and with a mother like Cheri, Noah would have been already out of the closet and proud of who he was. And then he would have met Luke, and it would have been Luke confiding in Noah about coming out to the world and being comfortable in his own skin. And then, their relationship could have been built on something, they would have already had something between them before the kiss and it would have been more than just really juicy. It would have had a purpose.

But eh, what am I talking about? Since when has anything on ATWT had purpose? I am so glad I switched over to "One Life to Live."

[Ireneparalegal]

I don't watch ATWT so I can't see what it is that fans are all up in arms abt. Just from reading what has been said it appears that ATWT is probably not sure themselves what to do either. They probably are fearful of throwing these two characters together and showing them kissing and portraying them as they would any heterosexual couple and causing an uproar with loyal fans who might find offense. On the other hand, they are causing loyal fans who do want to see this couple portrayed like any other couple, to be offended because it almost seems like ATWT is telling their fans, "the world is not ready to see two gay people kiss." It's a double edge sword. You are going to offend someone somewhere out there. I think ATWT should have thought long and hard what they were ready to show and NOT SHOW when they decided to incorporate these characters into the show.

[Dean Winchester]

I don't watch ATWT either, but I can understand the debate. I do think a lot of middle America still has a double standard when it comes to homosexuality. It's fine to see someone get hacked in a million pieces or a guy rape a woman, but two guys kissing is too much. Reminds me years ago when Christina Aguilera released the Beautiful video, people were grossed out by the two kissing guys, but had no qualms about the scenes with bulimia. If viewers can handle seeing rape on ATWT, why is that okay and two people of the same sex expressing love isn't?

[Ireneparalegal]

Just like when I tell my boyfriend, "Hey, if you can handle watching two women kissing, then by golly, you can watch two men kiss too."

[friendsfan77]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

Just like when I tell my boyfriend, "Hey, if you can handle watching two women kissing, then by golly, you can watch two men kiss too."

true that!

I do agree that the writing in the beginning was awkward and it got off to a very rocky start. And it wasn't necessary to make Noah's father so whack job. I thought that the storyline started to improve after Maddie left. One of the biggest problems that the regular writing team has is that they do not know good pacing, either things move too slow or too fast. There's no really good medium. And details are not paid attention to. Soaps are a type of series where every little detail counts.

It makes me wish that the scabs would stay because they actually made the regular head writer's storylines watchable with decent day to day dialogue. Fans are watching the show out of habit for the most part nowadays. It makes me wonder how much better the show would be if Douglas Marland was still alive to do the head writing. The show was at one of its best periods when he was around.

[JT]

Marland would rock the show, of course. He tried to do a gay storyline back in 1988, but it didn't set to well with PGP.

In a way, I can't really blame PGP for being so cautious. The company's been around for years upon years and literally put the "soap" in "soap opera." Their shows have always been a lot more conservative and much more traditional and old-fashioned. Hell, it was part of the reason why Agnes Nixon left PGP in 1968; she wanted to do more envelope-pushing stuff. But still, PGP's got to realize that all they have to do is present the more controversial stuff. They don't have to go the way of ABC and promote, promote, promote. All they have to do it put out there. Most of the soap watchers I know (older relatives in their 40s-60s) watch mainly out of habit, so if some of the utter crap that's been infesting ATWT and GL lately haven't gotten them to tune out, I don't think two guys kissing would.

I think I'm so desensitized about things that I don't even care about the kissing anymore. I'm waiting for a hot and heavy Noah/Luke love-making scene. Of course, it'll never happen, but it should!

[Ireneparalegal]

Damn it!!! I want to see two men going at it hot and heavy too!!!!! Why should I be deprived because of some old lady in Kansas who can't take the heat?

[Dean Winchester]

I think if Brothers And Sisters and Desperate Housewives can present two men kissing, why not a soap? Soaps are generally more shocking than prime time anyways.

[friendsfan77]

Originally Posted by Dean Winchester

I think if Brothers And Sisters and Desperate Housewives can present two men kissing, why not a soap? Soaps are generally more shocking than prime time anyways.

I agree. They could really learn something, especially from B&S. They're handling it so right.

[Dean Winchester]

Originally Posted by friendsfan77

I agree. They could really learn something, especially from B&S. They're handling it so right.

Six Feet Under (which starred one of B&S' stars too, Rachel Griffiths) also did it that way. Both shows treated it's gay and straight characters with the same respect, they never treated one more "special" than the other, and while maybe both shows failed to win over an evangelical audience, you never saw much complaining in either case.

[Buffyboy323]

Originally Posted by friendsfan77

If the Christmas show wasn't bad enough where they panned to the mistletoe, the Valentine's Day episode REALLY pissed me off. Every couple kissed on the show except them. Every single one.

They're constantly cutting away from them kissing. Or you have Luke's little sister's coming in the front door of the farm and the dudes separate, as if they were kissing. The part I find most annoying is that the producers and writers of the show are constantly praised for the Luke/Noah relationship. Don't get me wrong, they should be praised. They've done a great job with them, but what's the big deal if there's a smooch here and there? It's understandable that some (or maybe a lot of) viewers wouldn't be comfortable with it, but there's times when they just have to shrug it off and accept what's happening on the show. I don't know if maybe the writers are afraid of a backlash from longtime fans, but they too have to do what's right, and more importantly what's natural for the characters. The scene in the basement on Christmas Eve was the best scene Luke and Noah ever had together, IMO. If they were only going to have them kiss once, then they should have not done the kiss last Fall. Instead, they should have held it until Christmas.

[Dean Winchester]

^ Robby, why don't you tell the board that you're BFF's with Van Hansis (Luke)