• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Towleroad Gay News

Gay Blog Towleroad: More than gay news | gay men

  • Travel
  • Sports
  • Law/Justice
  • Celebrities
  • Republicans
  • Madonna
  • Books
  • Men
  • Trans Rights
  • Royals
  • Monkeypox
  • Sophia Bush’s girlfriend ‘proud’ the actress has opened up about coming out as queer
  • Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!
  • Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

Matt Baume Looks at How ‘Designing Women’ Made History in Advancing the Perception of Gay TV Characters: WATCH

Towleroad October 2, 2018 Leave a Comment

designing women gay

Matt Baume examined the 1990 episode of Designing Women, “Suzanne Goes Looking for a Friend” which featured “an unusual southern and conservative take on having queer friends.”

Baume noted that the episode “marks a halfway point on TV between gay characters as crisis and gay characters as stars.”

The episode, which leads off with a conversation about gender roles, soon gets into its main plot: Suzanne Sugarbaker, who never learned to make friends, has an extra ticket to a gala banquet and nobody to go with her, so she looks up an old friend Eugenia, who has come out as a lesbian since the last time they saw each other.

Baume notes that the set-up is familiar: the straight person who fails to be able to recognize a gay person in their midst.

But Designing Women parts from sitcoms past because it's the first time that several other characters on TV express the sentiment that it's silly for Suzanne to reject her friend just because she's gay. Suzanne is presented as the problem rather than Eugenia.

“That puts Designing Women at a unique midpoint in the way gay characters are depicted on TV.”

Watch:

video
play-rounded-fill
Link

Topics: History More Posts About: Designing Women, Entertainment, Matt Baume, Playing Gay, tv

Related Posts
  • Federal judge dismisses Disney’s lawsuit against DeSantis
  • Chase Chrisley Posts Cryptic Message About ‘Getting Through’ Tough Situations After Todd Allegedly Paid Blackmailer
  • ‘RuPaul Drag Race’ Finale Finally Crowns a Winning Season 14 Queen
  • Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

    Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Mel B will “always be open” when it comes to her sexuality. The Spice Girls singer, 48, who reunited with her bandmates including the group's ex-singer Victoria Beckham for the fashion …Read More »
  • Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

    Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Megan Thee Stallion is being sued for allegedly creating a hostile work environment and forcing her cameraman to watch her having lesbian sex. The 29-year-old ‘Savage' rapper faces the salacious claims …Read More »
  • Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

    Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Jonathan Bennett's life was “changed forever” by his role in ‘Mean Girls'. The 42-year-old actor starred as heartthrob Aaron Samuels in the 2004 cult classic – which followed Lindsay Lohan, Rachel …Read More »
  • Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

    Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass a gift basket after he came out as gay. The 44-year-old NSYNC star revealed the legendary singer showed his support when Lance decided to reveal …Read More »
Previous Post: « Seth Meyers Slams Trump for Demeaning Female Reporters: ‘How Much More of a ‘Sexist D**k Could You Possibly Be?’ — WATCH
Next Post: ‘Single Parents’ Actor Jake Choi Comes Out as Sexually Fluid »

Primary Sidebar

Most Recent

  • Sophia Bush’s girlfriend ‘proud’ the actress has opened up about coming out as queer

    Sophia Bush’s girlfriend ‘proud’ the actress has opened up about coming out as queer

  • Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

    Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

  • Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

    Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

  • Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

    Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

  • Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

    Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

  • Relationship status influences heterosexual women’s sexual prejudice towards lesbians

    Relationship status influences heterosexual women’s sexual prejudice towards lesbians

  • JoJo Siwa had a challenge transitioning to new grown-up image

    JoJo Siwa had a challenge transitioning to new grown-up image

  • Liz Hurley defends lesbian sex scene in new movie that was directed by her son

    Liz Hurley defends lesbian sex scene in new movie that was directed by her son

Partner Links

  • “Somebody Somewhere” star Jeff Hiller reflects on his long road to success in new memoir
    Best known for Somebody Somewhere, actor Jeff Hiller opens up about […]
  • Night Of The Long Knives
    On June 30th, 1934, Hitler ordered the SS, his personal elite […]
  • Tennis Tuesday
    Did I say I have a thing for "musclebound cat dads"? […]
  • 80 Candles
    Impossible to even imagine that Debbie Harry, who has been my […]
  • Mario Cantone on the day on-screen husband Willie Garson died filming “And Just Like That” 
    Comedian and actor Mario Cantone joins Melissa Rivers on Melissa Rivers’ […]

Most Commented

Social

Twitter @tlrd | Facebook | Instagram @tlrd

About

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy
[towleroadmr] [towleroadtn]

Footer

Ptown Hacks 2018

Read

  • Travel
  • Film
  • Law – LGBT Rights
  • Columns
  • Specials

About

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2025 · Log in

×
×