Visible: Out on Television

The compilation of archival footage and interviews offers an informative and entertaining look at LGBTQ television history. From the homophobic McCarthy hearings in the 1950s to nonbinary characters created for TV shows like Orange Is the New Black, this series discusses how American LGBTQ portrayals have evolved from caricature-type figures that reinforce stereotypes to contemporary representations of openly gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals. A long list of celebrities and activists like Rob Reiner, Janice Mock, Lena Waithe, and Margaret Cho share their thoughts about these changes, as well as the political and social climates that helped induce them. Some folks, like Project Runway's Tim Gunn and comedian Ellen DeGeneres, also share poignant stories that underscore the influence these TV representations can have on people's journeys toward self-acceptance. But while it offers many narratives of struggle and survival, it sometimes oversimplifies the political, social, and economic factors that contribute to the way the LGBTQ community is negotiated on the small screen. It offers little discussion about bisexual representation, and also glosses over some key points in order to fit the entire historical presentation into five installments. Nonetheless, Visible: Out on Television remains an important and robust series that we can learn a lot from.