~ pink magazine - reflective crit ~

- Is a printed magazine the most appropriate form of media?

- Could you produce both a physical and digital version of the magazine?

- Creating an online blog and digital magazine would be a good way of creating a 'modernised' version of the lesbian newsletters seen in my primary research (FAN archives).

~ Essay so far ~

Level 6 - Graphic design - Dissertation

By Izzie Glazzard

How does visual culture (graphic design, film, advertising etc) affect the LGBT community?

Introduction

This essay will explore the growth in acceptance of queer culture and the LGBT+ community; particularly focusing on the media and creative outlets in western society’s role in these changes. It will explore the ways in which graphic design, advertising, propaganda & activism, mainstream and underground publishing etc. have affected the viewpoints of society regarding the queer minority. Within society we find ourselves slotted into categories, often separated by age, race, religion and sexuality. These categories have a direct impact on the way we feel comfortable acting, talking, socialising & doing throughout our lives. This essay targets the category LGBT (lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual and queer)+.  It will focus on both reactive visual culture in times of LGBT crisis and the more contemporary visual representations of queer culture. The exploration of this topic will draw upon related theoretical writings, more focused case studies and first hand statistics & opinions via a specifically designed survey. In recent years TV, film and advertising are becoming more inclusive with their equal representation. Despite this increase in diversity, contemporary campaigns highlight the lack of healthy lifestyles and relationships of such characters. In a time where anti LGBT attacks such as the Orlando shooting (12/06/2016) and the presidential election of questionable homophobe Donald Trump are hitting headlines and causing media controversy; this is a topic which is appropriately relevant. The purpose of analysing such progressions and inadequacies of positive representation is to both celebrate prior accomplishments and address issues that are still to be resolved.

Literature review

Discussion of when the queer identity became ‘different’ to the heterosexual one varies: Alan Bray's ‘Homosexuality in Renaissance England’ categorises the 17th century as the beginning of the gay subculture. He discusses how visually homosexuality became recognisable by ‘clothes, gestures, language, particular buildings and particular public places - all could be identified as having specifically homosexual connotations’ (Marinucci, 2010). This historical visibility of difference between the gay and straight communities is one that has developed through time and currently displays itself within advertising, media, fashion and visual culture as a whole. Many publications and articles discuss the idea of the LGBT community being a ‘goldmine’ market. Cherkassky (1997) identified 3 motivations of advertisers in creating gay themed material; “(1) creating and promoting our public identities as ‘queer consumers’, (2) targeting our consumption choices to influence corporate policies and media images of gay people, (3) developing separate gay/lesbian/bisexual markets, or ‘queer capitalism’.” - these tactics are often referred to as going after the ‘rainbow dollar’(Advocate, 2015). ‘Research indicates that gay consumers are affluent, well educated, and in possession of disposable income’ (Um.N, 2012); this generalisation of the queer market being active consumers has lead to many brands targeting the community specifically within advertising campaigns. The AIDS epidemic negatively affected this visibility of queer representation in the advertising sector but once lifesaving medication and educational clarity ‘stopped’ it, things improved again; ’This dark cloud over gay marketing lifted in the 1990s. Gay consumers were once again the target of the trade press and national advertisers’ (Tsai 2006). The gay market further became a specific area of interest for companies; for example, in 1993 Advertising Age, put out an issue called, ‘Special Report: Marketing to Gays and Lesbians’. It explored the attributes of gay consumers and the marketing strategies for the gay target market (Advertising Age, 1993). Many since have discussed the do’s and dont’s of advertising towards a gay audience; “Marketers must always be very careful to approach gay men and women with the utmost sincerity,” in other words ‘Don’t just market to me, but also support the causes that are important to me’”(Cherkassky, 2016). In their research article DeLoizier and Rodrigue (1996) discuss how lucrative the gay market could be due to the large amount of well educated, home owning and greatly prosperous gay population; also noted “this consumer group is predominantly white and male. Its smallest sub-segment is black and female”. They also make a point that the lack of capitalisation of this market is often due to the concern that specific queer targeted advertising could alienate other consumer sectors (heterosexual consumers). A research journal by Dotson, Hyatt and Petty Thompson (2009) found that ‘homosexual consumers have a stronger preference for ads that display more explicit gay and lesbian imagery as compared to those that simply include subtle gay and lesbian themes or sub cultural symbolism’; examples of subtle gay symbolism being the rainbow flag and the pink triangle. This shows that bravery, clear messages and the obvious support of the community is appreciated much more than those that can be interpreted as non-homosexual or passive by other audiences. Grier and Brumbaugh (1999) explored how target and nontarget markets understand and make meaning of targeted ads. The research showing the influence of targeted advertising is varied but often shows it has mixed reactions; often representation is appreciated but if badly executed it can fall to criticism. The main issues people have surround unequal representation and lack of community support. Often adverts just showing male, white, cis individuals (this is down to them being richest sector of the target market) and the lack of support some of the actual brands behind the adverts show the community, charities and related causes. “The market-mediated depictions of gayness lack diversity and may serve to propagate the gay sartorial stereotype that has come to be aphoristically accepted as the public face of gayness” (Ginder and Byun, 2015). The discussion of marginalised representation of the queer community is also discussed in referral to the TV show Queer as Folk (aired 1999 on Channel 4), ‘Queerness became fashionable. Queer as Folk’s beautiful, healthy and wealthy characters portrayed queer as a trendy, sexy way to be.’ (Morland and Willox, 2005). The show is a distinct example of LGBT+ being predominantly represented as male, white, healthy and rich. Richard Dyer goes on to discuss the particular portrayal of the gay male persona as feminine and submissive. Although this stereotype could be accurate for a percentage of the community it also represents an ideal of gay men that young individuals could feel they need to fit into; this could be a damaging factor. Despite this Dyer discusses how almost paradoxically to this notion, gay men in western society have historically used campness as their way of outwardly expressing pride in their sexuality; ‘To have a good camp together gives you a tremendous sense of identification and belonging’(Dyer, p49). It’s a recognisable ‘tell tale’ of the queer male persona and an easy option for a director or brand looking to show their support of the LGBT community; the argument being is marginalised stereotype visibility better than no visibility?. This commodification and generalised personality of affluent, fashion conscious and ‘feminine’ gay men is something that Tim Edwards considers to be an influence on the male fashion market. His book ‘Men in the Mirror’ is an exploration of the representations of masculinity within fashion advertising. He identifies gay advertising and lifestyles to be a template for the men’s fashion brands; in commodifying the male body and previously inherent homosexual appearance ideals, advertising turned to displaying men in a hyper ‘perfect’ and sexualised way to sell clothing.

More current research into the buying power of the LGBT community by eMarketer, shows how technological advancements have changed the way the market is visually influenced. The use of social media sites such as Facebook has been recorded showing that, 88% of US lesbian and bisexual female internet users said they used Facebook for personal communications, and 79% of gay and bisexual males reported the same.; this targeted research into newer platforms of advertising gives brands the power to fully understand the market. Further statistical studies show that ‘Data indicates that GLBT Internet users spend significantly more time online than their heterosexual counterparts,’; this information tells the advertisers that communication with the LGBT community will be more effective via online and social media platforms rather than other forms. This niche target market could even show more packback success than heteronormative themed counterparts. The success of targeted advertising has also been statistically studied as a 2006-07 study showed 94% of LGBT internet users would me more likely to purchase products or services, that were advertised using gay themes (eMarketer, 2016). US Census Bureau (2005). also recorded that 52% of gay consumers had bought something online at least once a month (2003) this figure considered to be large in comparison to only 32% of overall users doing the same. All such related statistics surrounding the buying power of the gay market suggests they are a market worthy of targeting specifically; but there is still little to be known on the most effective ways of doing so.

In the late 1980’s gay-themed ads (mainly for alcohol, travel, clothing and automobiles) were published almost exclusively in just queer publications. With wider acceptance of homosexuality, has come a more extensive publishing and broad visibility of such adverts. From the 1990’s to current day more major companies have published gay-themed adverts and made them visible to their entire customer base (not just directly gay people). Notably IKEA was the first to air a gay TV ad in 1994, ‘the commercial from IKEA received high marks in terms of positively representing homosexuals’ (Borgerson et al. 2006). It’s also considered to be the first time gay culture was publically depicted as style conscious and prosperous. “It should be noted that the commercial was not applauded from all quarters. IKEA and its advertising agency did receive hate mail” (Elliot 1994).

The increase in research and also physical marketing tactics specifically targeting the gay community has undoubtedly risen since the 90’s.  ‘In 2006, over 183 of the Fortune 500 brands were actively marketing to gay consumers. The most popular product categories were travel, financial services, automotive, fashion, and entertainment. These product categories, apparently, ‘well reflect the gay consumers’ demographics as well as their psychographics.’ (Um, 2012) This increase saturation seen in advertising can also been seen in queer representation in film and TV;  "In recent years, the number of shows with leading or recurring gay characters has varied from 16 in the 1997-1998 season to 29 in the 2000-2001 season (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, n.d.). Although these numbers represent an increase compared with the past, they are still quite small compared with the overall number of characters appearing on television shows broadcast each season." (Fisher et al., 2007).

TV channel branding

In 1967, The Advocate and other LGBT press thrived as a gay magazines broke stories of specific queer audience interest. This increase in publicly visible queer design and discussion then lead to the launch of the TV channel LOGO in 2005; airing queer themed shows such as Ru Paul’s Drag Race. The demand of gay themed television and film is high. The branding and aesthetic values of such targeted content is all considered to directly appeal to the audience; often a focus once again on the status of ‘camp, white, young male’ becomes a strong influence on the visual semiotics of the shows/films promotion.

Much of the film and TV branding aimed predominantly at LGBT audiences is remarkably simple and un-symbolic of the specific target audience itself. The generically legible, functional sans serif typefaces used doesn't show contrast to that of its homosexual counterparts. This indifference could be due to broadcasting of such shows becoming more integrated within popular culture rather than underground. It also drawn upon advertisers and marketers concern with the possible alienation of the larger heterosexual market when using ‘explicit’ representations of homosexuality; ‘Although marketers generally consider homosexuals to be a desirable market segment, they are not targeted using mainstream media because it is expected that heterosexuals will react negatively to homosexual advertising messages’ (Oakenfull, Mccarthy and Greenlee, 2008).

Certain isolated examples of shows aimed at an LGBT audience embody examples of visual components considered to be iconically homosexual.

The branding for the (2014) film GBF (stands for Gay Best Friend) is an example of stereotypically gay characteristics and visual semiotics in use. Iconic gay male characteristics represented in the media include; glamour, flamboyance and androgyny. The use of glittery, bold type is a visual personification and adoption of commodity fetishism within design for a queer audience. Commodity fetishism is a topic that applies to the representation of the gay male persona evidently. Contemporary colour theory associates pink with femininity; GBF's use of pink is a reflection of the feminine and flamboyant attributes of queer males. This is often a very stereotyped veiw of the gay community historically used to insult. The marginalised representation of gay men could damage the opinions of society and the young community. On the other hand, the film itself is directed by Darren Stein who is openly gay, this information suggests the film is a proud representation of gay expression. This idea of using ‘negative’ connotations placed upon homosexuals by claiming the characteristics historically used as insults towards them isn't new. This idea previously seen throughout history as the queer community has used visual associations of them as a sign of pride and a tool to break stigma.

AIDS poster - case study 1

Historically graphic design and creative practice has played an influential part in the driving force of LGBT activism. The 80’s was a pivotal time for gay rights with a large emergence of queer culture in the media, politics and arts; unfortunately this was mainly due to hardship. The AIDS epidemic of the 80’s impacted the LGBT community and the acceptance of homosexulity greatly as, ”The greatest impact of the epidemic is among men who have sex with men (HIV and AIDS—United States, 1981-2000, 2001). There was a huge amount of pro and anti gay reactive propaganda that surrounded the epidemic; mainly due to the lacking in outward discussion and honesty shown by the government at the time.

In reaction to the epidemic status of AIDS the Gran Fury collective emerged in New York. They were a creative collective fighting against opposing social and government institutions; with the aim of stopping the AIDS crisis, its negative connection to gay men by provoking honest discussion and education for prevention. The group started life as ACTUP NCY and were initially most well known for their iconic silence = death campaign.

The poster design was their attempt to show the crisis as a political scandal and express their views on the fact the government were almost suspiciously silent in their approach. The group felt that the president at the time, Reagan wasn't saying anything and neither was the department of disease control and this needed to be spoken about. Visually the poster was simple and bold in its execution; using the iconic pink triangle as a symbol of the fight. The pink triangle originated from Nazi camps where ‘suspected homosexuals’ were labeled with this symbol as a mark of shame. In more contemporary uses of the symbol it has been used on flags at activism protests and this Gran Fury poster campaign; as an attempt to turn the stigma into a mark of pride and change. ACTUP used this poster to declare the connection between silence around AIDS and the suspected government lead ‘annihilation of gay people’ (Actupny.org, 2016) ‘In a lot of ways this poster became a location for people who had a lot of rage or a sense of despair about the aids crisis, and this in turn led to the formation of act up’(Bradley and Esche, 2007)

The second Gran Fury campaign used yet again a very simple yet substantially relevant image of a red handprint. Previously this image has been used and once again to represent wrongdoing and death caused by the higher powers of society (governments, presidents ect). The design read “The government has blood on its hands. One AIDS death every half hour”. Gran Fury eloquently stated, ‘It was a beginning of our recognition of the ways in which activism could use the media to put our agenda forward, if we presented a demonstration that was legible in a compact fashion’. The simplicity in design was key, they had a bold statement opinion to make and they did so in plastering the posters everywhere possible and creating a t-shirt out of it. The aim was to plant a seed of doubt in the minds of as many people as possible in order to provoke an end to the silence and change for the community.

3 years into their campaigning they held a visual, informational and creative protest called the ‘New York Crimes’. One article around the time of this described them as ‘Fueled by the imperatives of the epidemic, and armed with a healthy knowledge of advertising’s insidious strategies’(Gober, 2016). Discussion about the group's motives were talked about in the article, their clear response being ‘We want the art world to recognize that collective direct action will bring an end to the AIDS crisis’(Gober, 2016): it was clear an end to the epidemic was the purpose of their fight but creativity and visual culture was the ammunition. The genre of social graphics activism for the queer community was created by ACTUP; ‘ACT UP’s strong graphic identity has helped the network to ‘connect’ nationally and globally’ (McQuiston, 1993). While slogans and signs have always played an impactful role in protest, their emblems and visual authority previously associated with corporate establishments has paved the way for a visual future in LGBT activism.

Since the recognition of AIDS by the government a solution was still yet to be found, as life saving drugs weren't FDA approved until 1987. Due to the lack of a prevention drug the world looked towards educating people on practicing safe sex and ways to prevent contracting the disease. The abundance of government lead education tools lead to further reactive design emerging to vocalise the importance of safe sex; ‘Consequently, the best AIDS education is shouldered to a great extent by grassroots campaigners and organisations’ (McQuiston, 1993). The community sector produced campaigns specifically targeting the gay community to provoke reaction and discussion; their disconnection from the government meant they had no worries about offence or political embarrassment. Therefore the imagery used tends to be bold, humorous, shocking and targeted at the right audience. The Swedish Federation for Gay and Lesbian Rights (RFSL) produced a poster campaign that perfectly demonstrates the importance of LGBT+ aimed campaigns being produced by an informed gay collective (as opposed to government). They used their personal knowledge to specifically target groups and locations most at risk of spreading aids to LGBT+ individuals.

The visual semiotics of each poster design are drastically different depending on location and target audience; it’s a perfect example of informed consideration into the effectiveness of the visual campaign.

The first; ‘for sex clubs and other places where men meet for occasional sex’ (McQuiston, 1993). This poster was aimed at gay sex clubs and places known for sexual hook-ups; also considered to be the most vulnerable and prolific locations/audience for contracting AIDS due to the casual nature of sexual activity. The importance for visibility and education lead to this poster being bold and evidently sexual in order to instantly grab the attention of passers by. The audience being mature, sexually experienced and presumably under the influence makes the daring nature all the more appropriate.

The second; ‘for use in nurses’ offices and surgeries in schools and similar contexts’(McQuiston, 1993). In contrast to the conspicuous nature of the previous poster this is designed to be a toned down portrayal of the same message. It still depicts sexual activity but does so in an illustrative way; this ensures if the image is seen by a younger audience it is not deemed inappropriate. The bright colours and still pronounced message makes the poster translate well to the varied and less sexually exposed audience.

And lastly the third; ‘mainly for schools’(McQuiston, 1993). Once again despite being aimed at children and teenagers the poster takes a sexual tone; this is a guerilla advertising tactic causing shock to the audience, in turn ensuring the message is heard loud and clear. The appropriation of such images has been done by creating an illustrative, almost child-like approach to the posters aesthetic. All three posters translate perfectly to their specific audiences, using aesthetic, illustration, photography ect. To direct the message appropriately and successfully. It’s fair to assume that if the government had decided to produce their own educational posters they would be much less sexually explicit in order to cause less controversy. A lack of shock in this case though causes a lack of effectiveness; the issue of AIDS was based upon a lack of sexual education, making a bold approach the best and most successful.

After the AIDS crisis defined the use of gay and lesbian rights in the 80’s, the 1990’s saw a new direction for activism. 1991 saw the collaboration of artist Carrie Moyer and photographer Sue Schaffner who came together as Dyke Action Machine (DAM!); ‘together they defined a decade of lesbian visibility and assertiveness through their graphic campaigns’ (McQuiston, 2004). Their overall approach to visual activism was to take well known images and brand advertising and ‘insert’ lesbian imagery; often this approach is referred to as culture jamming.

Their first campaign saw a subversion of GAP’s advertising; iconically known for their family values and ‘inclusive’ slogan ‘For every generation there’s a GAP’. The campaign boldly represented lesbian couples, allowing visibility of lesbian reality to be seen in society. The images used were honest representations of lesbian life and contrasted the standard use of the nuclear family template used by most adverts at the time.

Interestingly 21 years after the DAM! campaigns release, GAP themselves produced a pro-gay advertisement featuring a gay couple within a t-shirt. Their is no suggestion that this campaign has any relation to the prior, but the backlash against it was great. Anti-gay activist group One Million Moms branded the campaign as ‘immoral advertising’ and urged their following to email GAP expressing their opposition; ‘let them know you are offended by their disrespect for family values and common decency’ (OneMillionMoms.com, 2012). It highlights that even over 2 decades after the initial activism, homophobia, a lack of understanding and lacking representation is still a huge issue for the LGBT+ community. Opposition to gay rights activism has been just as commonplace as the activism itself; particularly within Christian groups arguing the bible is against homosexuality, therefore as are they too.

Sian Cook (2001) a volunteer for the charity Gay Men Fighting AIDS produced a leaflet design for the prevention of AIDS and discrimination against those living with the disease. The leaflet was cleverly designed using the aesthetic of iconic church symbolism as an overthrow of the discrimination shown by such establishments. The leaflet takes the format of church windows, typeface is a traditional church themed serif and the images depict stained glass windows illustrated with condoms; all used to provoke thought via the use of visual satire.

Link Donald Trump and new forms of reactive activism

The surge of reactive visual activism that emerged during the AIDS epidemic and surrounding homophobia gives us an idea of future events. As of January 20th 2017 Donald Trump will be the newly elected president of the United States. This will undoubtedly affect the rights, lives and design activism surrounding the LGBT community. Since confirmation of Trump’s presidential success discussion has turned to the protective rights of homosexuals in America. While Donald Trump has been aloof in his personal opinions on the topic his secretary of state/vice president Mike Pence has had a lot more to say. EXPAND

Underground press - case study 2

My personal exploration of the queer magazine industry lead me to question changes between historical and contemporary examples of such. The publishing and editorial design (magazines) industry is one in which homosexuality has been featured since the mid 60’s, just not in a mainstream sense. The underground press is a term referring to a period of time in the 1960’s when younger generations began to produce their own publications. The publications were mostly opposing the views of mainstream media & politics and often controversial and satirical in their approach. Despite this opposition to the power figures of the media, many feminists and homosexual individuals still felt unrepresented as they were still answering to their straight male bosses and publishers. ‘By the end of the decade, women working in the underground press reacted against this male/female hierarchy.’ (Rowe.M) From this rebellion underground publications ran by feminists, homoseuxals and people more willing to discuss homosexuality emerged; such as Oz, Gay Left and Spare Rib magazine. These publications were open in representing the voices of homsexuals, the issues they faced in society and also tackled some of the misrepresentation and stereotyping present in 60’s society. Modern day LGBT+ publishing contrasts the activism and equality based themes of such historical queer magazines. ‘The most complete list of lesbian and gay periodicals contains more than 7,200 titles published worldwide from the 1890’s to the 2000’s’ (Downing, 2011); it is undoubtable that the queer publishing market is large and needed alongside heteronormative magazines.Contemporary examples (the most popular being Curve and OUT; discussed in Nam-Hyun Um’s research) find much more focus on fashion, apperance, selling products and celebrities and do not tend to discuss the modern day struggles of gay life. This transition between a need for change to an idolised style based tone of voice is one lesser researched.

To make comparison and explore the reasons for this change of tone I have conducted an observational case study.  This case study is a comparative visual analysis between historical and contemporary editorial design for an LGBT audience. The case study aims to see changes and connections between content, tone and aesthetic. This comparison made is between The Body Politic - historical example (a monthly LGBT publication that ran in Canada from 1971-87) and OUT magazine - contemporary example (monthly US, LGBT publication first published 1992-current). The comparison will question the differences in content & aesthetic and what changes in society caused these differences.

With visual analysis of The Body Politic you can see it is informal in print, but this is likely due to the publications context within society at the time of production. The underground press operated below the realms of popular culture publishing and often didn't have the same access to high quality print methods as mainstream media. In contrast to this the overall composition, aesthetic and tone of voice is informative and serious. In the 70's the purpose of magazines aimed at LGBT audiences was to; spread news that wasn't being covered in mainstream press, provoke activism & change and create a form of mass communication for the community. This content informs the design decisions made within the magazines themselves; for example the implicit imagery showing a gay rights protest on the cover, it is emotive and empowering in its nature.

Type content was pushed to a maximum; with informative photography of activist marches and emotive visuals appearing when needed and taking up minimal amounts of space. This focus on information over image is due to the serious need for the information to be fully disclosed, discussed and distributed. Unlike contemporary magazines the discussion of equality was considered much more important than stories of celebrities, fashion and product advertisement. This caused the aesthetic of the magazines to be less considered; their focus was on being informative rather than attractive. These historical examples did so much more than simple present the news; they were the drivers in political change. The Body Politic itself was prosecuted twice by the state for obscenity and had to defend itself in court. An example of the magazines success is when in Toronto late 70’s-80’s the police reacted to gay visibility by arresting gay men in bathhouses; in reaction to this the magazine fought back by organising large demonstrations, via the magazine itself. It sold out about 10,00 copies, an impressive number considering this was produced and accomplished using mainly volunteers and some small paid staff.

In contrast to the informative, text heavy design of the magazines & newsletters of the 70-80's; the contemporary aesthetic of LGBT publications such of OUT magazine differs massively. Much of the aesthetic opposition between the two can be accounted for in terms of technological change and style trends. But other changes are due to social change within the LGBT community & society as a whole.

The cover designs of OUT magazine (and similar contemporary examples) rely heavily on celebrity endorsement, glamorous photography and large ‘grabbing’ headlines often gossip based in nature. Zipporah and Mberia’s 2014 study explores the effects that celebrity endorsement has on advertising. Results and reflection clearly shows the positive effects of celebrity backing include; brand credibility, ensured attention from an audience, associative benefit, ‘psychographic connect’ dedicated fans will by a product purely due to idolisation of the figure, demographic connect and mass appeal (Zipporah and Mberia, 2014). The most key of such in terms of advertising specifically to an LGBT+ audience is the idea of physiographic connection and mass appeal that the appearance of celebrity creates; for magazines it enlarges their audience beyond just the niche queer market and opens up potential for more sales; as opposed to more activism and rights based topics/imagery appearing on the cover which would directly appeal to a much smaller audience. Their study also recognises the disadvantages of celebrity endorsement. One key disadvantage noted being ‘The reputation of the celebrity may derogate after he or she has endorsed the product- incase the celebrity used has a tarnished name; the behavior of the celebrity reflects on the brand thus affects the audience attitudes towards the product that they endorse.’ (Zipporah and Mberia, 2014). This idea is one that could concern the celebrity community greatly when offered contracts with queer publications; could their appearance on such effect their own name. Similarly the use of certain celebrities could tarnish the magazine's name specifically when it is known a queer audience is more appreciative of those who boldly show support rather than half heartedly in the name of commerce. Another influential negative point made is ‘the vampire effect’ - this is when the celebrity appearance overshadows the brand itself. Therefore the audience may remember the celebrity but not the product or magazine in this case. In the case of OUT magazine who repeatedly use heterosexual celebrities to endorse their magazines, this idea of the figure overshadowing the content and brand itself is huge. Speculation states that straight white males are getting even more coverage in gay magazines than queer people of colour; ‘When Vogue and Vanity Fair are more progressive than your gay magazine, that’s a huge problem’ (Walker, 2016). Fusion.net produced a quantitive study anylising the diversity of the individuals shown on the covers of OUT, Advocate and Attitude magazines between 2011 and 2016. The results showed that 85% of the overall representation were white and 84% cis male; staggeringly 40% were straight, male, white and cis in comparison to 1% visibility of transgender or nonbinary people of colour. Yet again the magazine industry is an example of gay culture that is very non-inclusive and centralised around the white, affluent, young male demographic; it turns discussion to not just the lack of gay representation being damaging but the lack of race and gender inclusive representation further damaging the minorities within the subculture. It’s a triangulation seen in advertising from the 60’s, film/TV representation and now seen in contemporary publishing all supposedly aiming themselves at a ‘niche’ market with the aim of promoting equality. The centralisation around the popular culture and heteronormative theme of the magazine may risk be off-putting to the LGBT+ audience and certainly differs massively from the bold, controversial matters faces in the underground press issues of The Body Politic. It raises the question of what these magazines are hoping to achieve, if magazines specifically aimed at the gay community are not boldly representing the queer minority itself what hope can we have for equal representation in general ‘all inclusive’ forms of advertising and publishing.

(INSERT example of gay slang and gay stereotype illustrations found in Gay Left)

‘Since the gay movement began we have insisted on the centrality of the media (understood in its widest sense) as a carrier, reinforcer or shaper of our oppression.’ (Dyer.R,  1976, pg.8)

Discuss the role celebrity plays in gay advertising

Link to studies into contemporary gay magazines

One text ‘The appearance potent’ (Jankowski et al., 2014) discusses the theory of gay men being more greatly dissatisfied with their body image than straight men. The study analysed 32 issues of the most read gay and straight magazines in the UK. The basis of the study was ‘Gay men consistently present greater body dissatisfaction and related health consequences in comparison to straight men. For example, a meta-analysis of 20 studies comparing these two groups found that gay men reliably report greater levels of body dissatisfaction’ (Morrison, Morrison, & Sager, 2004; Smith, Hawkeswood, Bodell, & Joiner, 2011). ‘Gay men also report higher levels of disordered eating, sociocultural appearance pressures and other related health outcomes’ (Jankowski et al., 2013; Marino-Carper et al., 2010; Smith et al., 2011); the central question of the study being why is this? Each image within the selected issues was given a code for physical characteristics, objectification, nudity and the frequency of such throughout each magazine. Studies show that although both gay and straight men’s magazines show a body ideal of young, white, facial symmetry, full head of hair, minimal body hair and muscular; ‘gay male culture places a greater importance on appearance and objectifies and reveres the male appearance ideal to a greater extent than does straight male culture’ (Silberstein, Mishkind, Striegel-Moore, Timko, & Rodin, 1989). The difference occurs partially due to advertisements aiming to capitalise on homosexual and heterosexual markets in different ways. Another study conducted by Lanzieri and Cook (2013), assessed comparatively the degree of body fat seen in men featured in gay and straight adverts. Finding that images of men found in the gay targeted magazines had a lower body fat average than their straight equivalents; ‘Given body fat and muscularity are both important components of the cultural male appearance ideal' (Tiggemann et al., 2007) The appearance potent used the findings of this study to base their exploration; ‘these results offer partial support to the proposition that gay men’s subculture (at least as displayed in these magazines) is more appearance potent than its straight counterpart.'(Jankowski et al., 2014) Objectification theory (Fredrickson and Roberts, 1997) also argues that social body image pressures in the form of sexual objectification gradually causes individuals to begin to look at themselves from an outsider's perspective (self objectification); this can then lead to potential psychological issues and body dissatisfaction. Although this study was carried out on straight men it is a theory that is extended to the homosexual community. Sexual objectification is something more frequently and explicitly seen in gay men's magazines than straight; showing the damaging effects this targeted advertising could have. The results of Jankowski’s potency coded study showed a number of interpretable results. ‘analyses of the standardized residuals revealed that there were more images of men in the gay genre magazines coded as very young, as having symmetrical and unblemished faces, as being mesomorphic, as having full heads of hair, as having none-or some- chest hair visible, as being shirtless, in underwear only and naked, and as subtly- or explicitly sexualised compared to the images of men in the straight genre magazines.’(Jankowski et al., 2014) This result shows an undoubtable connection between the high levels self objectification and body dissatisfaction in gay men and the sexual and body image perfect potency of adverts aimed at homosexual men; all comparative to that of heterosexual men.

The appearance of lesbians in magazines is not mirrored in potency to that of gay men. It has an oppositional effect, in that gay women are stereotyped as dressing more manly and categorised as ‘butch’. EXPAND

Nam-Hyun Um devised a body of research into the differences between advertisements aimed at heterosexual and homosexual audiences and also how gay themed ads differed from each other. The author analysed all OUT (gay magazine) and Curve magazines (lesbian magazine) that were published in 2007. ‘Of the 238 ads in Out, less than half (116 out of 238, 48.7%) displayed gay-specific content. Compare this to Curve’s much higher 70% (52 out of 74). This divergence represented a statistically significant difference, suggesting that lesbian magazines are likely to run more gay-specific content ads than gay magazines.’; this result however is confined to Curve and OUT magazines so cannot be definitively said to be the same for all.

(Um, 2012)

Case study 3 - Questionnaire

The purpose of LGBT community representation in both TV and advertising is questionable. Some claim equal representation has the intention of spreading inclusivity and acceptance in wider society. This is where the lack there of has an effect on people; ‘We are the first generation in human history to have our lives shaped - not by nature - but by the beguiling images of electronic media.’ (Lasn.K, pg.154). If we as a society are becoming increasingly affected by the visual depictions of personas seen on TV, film and in advertising; the portrayal of queer people seen should also be more important. The influence of visual culture on the mindset of younger generations is undeniable; ‘In fact, as many as one in five teens reports that “entertainment” is their most important source of sexual information’ (Gibbs, 1993 as cited in Brown & Steele, 1995).  

Survey

Contemporary research into the full effect of both positive and negative representations of the queer community is limited. To fully understand and collect the first hand opinions of those affected, I devised an all inclusive survey surrounding the topic. The survey was designed to collect both quantitative and qualitative information to fully comprehend the extent and the influence queer inclusive and specifically targeted design has.

Research Method

The survey was written to collect both quantitative and qualitative results regarding the representation and feature of gay themes in TV, Film and advertisement. Six questions were posed; all of which were unbiased and objective to ensure no participant was swayed to answering in a certain way. The survey had 100 participants, predominantly students.

Result analysis

Some questions were skipped by certain members of the survey so not all statistics are based on 100 people surveyed. The first question, “How do you identify? (Multiple can be selected)”; recorded that 38.64% of participants identified as cis (the gender which you were born), 12.5% transgender, 6.82% gender fluid, 2.27% heterosexual, 37.5% heterosexual, 35.23% bisexual, 12.5% queer and 6.82% pansexual. This question was to ensure the survey was all inclusive across all identifications within the LGBT+ category and to analyse any differences seen between respondents who identify in certain ways.

The second was a definitive quantitative question; “Have you watched any film/TV with LGBT roles/characters?”. Of which 100% of people answered yes; this result shows that even though entertainment is considered to be lacking in queer characters it still has enough that everyone is familiar with it in some way. This is positive for the LGBT community as it suggests that those who either, don’t personally know any LGBT people or are looking to see LGBT people on TV can see such representation on screen if explored.

The third question; “Are you more likely to watch a film/TV programme that includes LGBT representation? (gay characters etc.)”. To this 73% of respondents answered yes, 15% no and 12% had no opinion. Within the 27% of participants answering either no or no opinion 69% of which identified as either bisexual or pansexual. Although this statistic isn't staggering it could suggest that those individuals who are attracted to both/multiple sex’s are less likely to look for LGBT representation when choosing things. This could be due to them already being partially represented in heteroseuxal media outlets avidly. It evidences that being more segregated and not being able to ‘pass’ as heterosexual in any situation changes the preference of individuals. It then also suggests that the participants that were more likely to choose a TV show/Film due to its LGBT representation were homosexual or transgender; it reiterates the importance of queer representation as the gay audience definitely finds it more appealing than fully heterosexual themed shows.

The fourth question simply asked for a follow up of the previous; “why?”. This was posed in order to collect qualitative information regarding the opinions of LGBT+ individuals on the topic of TV/film representation. The most frequent opinion was that the featuring of LGBT+ individuals within shows was a positive thing as it would make the characters more relatable; in a society where so much of our lives is influenced by what we see on screen it's undoubtable effective to see characters the queer community feel more connected to. Another common comment was that representation is important in informing the rest of the world about queer people as it normalises homosexuality and gender non-conformity and reduces the prejudices surrounding the ‘unknown’. Alongside the positive connotations of inclusive portrayals, criticism was made regarding the informed and inclusive nature of such. Much alike research showing the focus on white, cis, male personas in advertising; this is something also mirrored in film. One participant stating representation is positive “Only if its an accurate depiction. And it's still a rarity to have gay characters in TV and film that aren't just stereotypes.”. Many others were unhappy with the depictions of stereotypes that had clearly not been informed by any knowledge of the community; wanting to see a more inclusive range of representations and focus on particular issues gay people face throughout their lives due to homophobia. Nevertheless there was an overall feeling that gay representation is important for personal viewing pleasure but most importantly for the visibility of the community within society and to increase acceptance and care about gay rights issues. A notable comment being, “If you don’t care about representation, it’s because you’re already represented”.

The fifth question was; “Are you more likely to find a brand more appealing/buy a brand that directly appeals to an LGBT audience?”. The result of this being that 53% said yes, 20% said no and 27% had no opinion. This result interestingly contrasted the 76% more likely to watch a programme due to the appearance of queer characters. This outcome shows that figures and presumptions related to TV and film cannot be also reliably true when assessing the appeal of gay representation for brands and the selling of products.

The sixth, once again being a qualitative expansion on the previous question; “why?”. Many expressed their loyalties regarding buying certain brands were due to quality, attractiveness ect. The indifference suggested that specifically gay content within advertisements was often took with mixed opinions; “Maybe 'more appealing' is the wrong term, but I'd certainly be heartened by it, and consider it to be a 'safe brand', which I know I can trust. In the same way that Absolut Vodka has supported LGBT+ issues for decades. And it might make me more likely to buy it, in the context that I know I'm not funding hate.” The general opinion is that brands often don’t advertise towards an LGBT+ audience for the purpose of visibility and pride but rather to capitalise on the market. So if the inclusivity of queer was more meaningful it could potentially be more effective. Despite this un-certainty regarding representations in advertisements many also expressed how it was always nice to see, “brands that support a positive attitude towards my sexual preference with my money rather than support brands that are derogatory to our community”. This suggests that while the representation of LGBT+ people within TV/film has a direct impact on both the queer watching community and and wider society. The benefits of portrayals in advertising brands may be more influential in terms of visibility, eradication of taboo, acceptance and knowing that brands are supportive in making change happen. Once again participants also mentioned the visual focus on cis, white, men; “I think most of the time, brands "appealing" to LGBTQ+ folks is just corporate pandering primarily to cis white gay people, with no real policy or action behind it. It's nice to see in advertising, but again the "representation" in the ads seems to be primarily composed of cis, white, gay people--largely men. The example ad used above is actually a perfect example of what I'm talking about-- two wealthy looking, presumably cis, white, gay men used to sell a very expensive corporate brand.” and how this is tiring to see and shows a lack of real interest and consideration.

The seventh question “What examples of LGBT representation in the media and advertising are you aware of? (List below)” allowed an insight into the diversity of brands, companies and shows representing queer people. Most answered with a vast amount they were aware of, it suggests that people are aware of what brands are being supportive. Even if the brands are not directly receiving capital benefits from the community in their direct approach; they are definitely creating awareness and positive visibility.

The survey shows conclusively that the visibility and representation of LGBT+ people within both film and brand advertising does have an effect; not just on the sub-culture but the wider community which are equally as important. It’s clear that representation of queer characters by un-informed sources can often lead to negative portrayals and these stereotypes are much less appreciated than the inclusive and well considered examples. In terms of brand representation this is much less impactful when appealing towards the queer community as a product's appeal is dependent on such a large range of factors. But the visibility of gay people and change this causes in society is the importance behind ‘trusted’ and well known brand names supporting gay people. For me the questionnaire has further highlighted the issues in gender and race inequalities within the community and portrayals; this can be seen through all general media. It’s also supported the idea that people (particularly younger generations, students mainly in this case) are hugely influenced by visual media, just more so by TV and film than advertising. It suggests that positivity, accuracy and a morally/socially good gay role models are important in forming a society of mentally healthy individuals.

It was also interesting to see a correlation between the likelihood to express indifference and how people identify; bisexual individuals being less concerned with LGBT+ representation than gay, lesbian, transgender + participants. It shows that there's some truth in the idea that if you are already in part or thoroughly represented you are more likely to consider it to be an issue. The results of this survey also partly differed from those collected by the similar one by eMarketer. eMarketer recorded a higher percentage of LGBT+ being more likely to purchase a product when directly advertised towards; there's no conclusive reason for the difference it could be age difference, the bigger influence online shopping and advertising has on consumers in comparison to 2007 or just the preferences of the participants. One interesting factor within their study is that the male participants were more likely to be influenced than females; this could be due to the figures seen within such adverts were more likely to be male themselves. It could suggest that in turn direct advertising in terms of gender, sexuality, race is more successful than just targeting the LGBT+ bracket freely as a fully inclusive term.

In conclusion it is clear to see that visual culture in the forms of graphic design, film, television, advertising ect. Has an influential effect on the LGBT+ community. The effect takes forms in a multitude of ways both negative and positive in nature. Substantial evidence shows how failings in diversity within the representation and portrayal of queer individuals is staggering. With multiple studies into TV and magazine based gay representation showing the focus on celebrity, ‘perfection’, affluence, males, being white and even the use of straight celebrities for endorsement being 40x more likely than trans people of colour being featured. The effects of such include lack of self esteem and healthy role models for LGBT+ individuals, particularly younger generations looking towards visual culture as an aid to the discovery of their own personalities and sexuality. Also the lack of overall representation (more-so accurate non stereotypical forms of such) leaves the wider community more oblivious to the presence of the community; leaving it more open to homophobia purely down to the lack of visibility. Graphic design particularly has played a huge role in activism and education throughout the history of gay rights; visual culture has always been a tool used by the gay community to provoke speech and change. This is something that will continue to influence the driving forces of activism and revolutionary transformation indefinitely; graphic design has proven to be a powerful device for the gay rights community.

Underlying issues within the equality and accuracy of LGBT+ representation.

Those considered successful in targeting the LGBT+ community via visual culture are those who do so in an informed way. Considerate of diversity, community issues and the human rights principles within their establishments.

The real concern is seeing these issues both within general media and design targeted at the LGBT+ community specifically.

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