WGA Panel on Black LGBT Characters in Hollywood

"Heterosexism is like racism," said Jasmine Love, a writer on The District, who dislikes the term homophobia. She was one of nine panelists at Tuesday's WGA forum Flipping the Script: Beyond Homophobia in Black Hollywood. Love's assessment of institutionalized bias affecting jobs and advancement may be familiar news but a recap of the panel has provoked much angry comment on Deadline Hollywood. The majority complain about the "whining" on the "idiotic issue" because "the fact is no one would go see a black gay comedy -- except Sean Penn." Many commenters, while professing respect for everyone, argue that because lgbt people comprise such a small percentage of the population we shouldn't expect visibility. I repeat them as a reminder of what agents of change are up against. Happily, the panel attracted a capacity crowd. WGA described it as examining "issues involving African-American gay and lesbian characters on the big and small screens. Discussion of both the positive and negative portrayals of such characters; the recurring homophobia (within black society as well as among black filmmakers and producers) that has limited or informed such portrayals; stereotyping controversies and contradictions; and the positive gains that have been made — and need to continue to be made."