I’m surrounded by gay and lesbian communications everywhere I look. Twitter, Facebook, Hispanic news portals, everywhere. I know a lot of this I’ve customized, or I am the “target” for, but the point is that as a consumer, there is a surround-sound effect set up for me to receive progressive messages. Our society is changing, and I am seeing these changes in new places I had not yet seen before, such as telenovelas.
If, as a multicultural communications professional, you are still unsure of what these are, I may be concerned just a little. Telenovelas (television novels) are Hispanic soap operas that actually come to an end; a combination of sitcoms and daytime TV. Telenovelas have launched international icons such as Ricky Martin, Shakira, Thalia and many others and usually portray traditional Latino families, challenges, etc. But now, there is an edge, a change within novelas. We are not only seeing permanent gay characters in these storylines, but the way they are being portrayed, and talked about is progressing as well.
Just several years ago, the very popular RBD novela included a gay character with no real depth to him. He was obnoxious, loud and dramatic. From what I recall and yes, I could be wrong here, his character was not very developed aside from knowing that his father rejected him for being gay.
In the current novela “Las Tontas No Van al Cielo” we see a similar set-up with the token gay character. His ex-wife disapproves of the fact he is gay and keeps their son from him. There are many conversations about him being gay but the messages are more along the lines of support, proper representation (GLAAD’s work here is apparent) characters correct one another when they use the word “gay” with a negative connotation, there is more tolerance, more explanation “gay is not a virus,” and messages of that sort. Also, the main female character of the show is his full supporter – this will resonate with the millions of viewers who identify with the heroine.
There is no doubt that the messaging around gay characters is changing for the best on Mexican, Latin American and US Hispanic television– it’s more educational. But, marketers should still be sensitive when reaching Hispanics because this culture remains very close to their traditions (religion, macho mind-frame) and is in its infancy in receiving positive messages about the gay and lesbian community.
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