Homosexual/bisexual characters?

[ShadowMaat]

Replace TPTB and I'd welcome a gay/bi/omnisexual character on Atlantis. I might even volunteer Lorne as the guinea pig.

[g.o.d]

Too much?

unfortunately too much(I have nothing against gays). It will be a same situation when TPTB will say the Jesus is the Ancient or the God is an ascended being...I hope you know what I mean

[Trek_Girl42]

It's already taken risks.

Spoiler:

They replaced Ford with Ronan, made Beckett a regular and killed him off later on, and now they're replacing Weir with Carter. These aren't risks? Look at the Atlantis fans freaking out over the cast changes. The show takes plenty of risks.

I think that by "risks" it's meant that Stargate has never been very socially progressive.

[PG15]

It's already taken risks.

Spoiler:

They replaced Ford with Ronan, made Beckett a regular and killed him off later on, and now they're replacing Weir with Carter. These aren't risks? Look at the Atlantis fans freaking out over the cast changes. The show takes plenty of risks.

It doesn't mean the show has to stop taking risks now.

Look, what I said basically applied to your statement that, if they do this, it'll drive some people away. I'm just saying that this reason alone is not enough of one to stop TPTB from making certain creative decisions.

[Trek_Girl42]

unfortunately too much(I have nothing against gays). It will be a same situation when TPTB will say the Jesus is the Ancient or the God is an ascended being...I hope you know what I mean

They are never going to say that Jesus is an ancient or that god is an ascended being. I promise you that right now.

[Skydiver]

guys, this is not the time or place for a debate on the 'rightness' or 'wrongness' of homosexuality.

the topic is whether or not one could/should be in the show. Thus let's keep it that way and let's not venture down the morality road.

It's a topic that folks have very passionate feelings about thus it's a topic that will implode in 20 posts or less

[immhotep]

That has nothing to do with it. Most people who are against homosexuality are against it because their beliefe system declares it immoral.

Please, don't try to belittle those of us against homosexuallity by calling us homophobic.

I think you belittle the overwhelming homophobia within your own religion, the persecution gay and lesbian couples recieve due to religious intolerance is absurd and IMHO a fundemental transcression of human rights. Your religion is openly homophobic, but saying your holy text, an openly homophobic text, a text which you live your life by doesnt mean you are a homophobe either means that you are being hypacritical or are ignorant to the interences that come with religion regarding homoesexuallity.

SGA can have a Bi or Gay character, some of the best shows ever IMO have had them, Torchwood, Dr who, buffy, shows i grew up with and loved. The PTB are capable of doing this, why they havent is something we cannoy answer, but there is definately potential within the show for there to be such a character.

[g.o.d]

They are never going to say that Jesus is an ancient or that god is an ascended being. I promise you that right now.

I know that

[Buba uognarf]

It's immoral behavior.


It's cruel to think homosexuality and bisexuality is immoral? I'm not saying homosexuals should or should not do stuff. I just don't want to see it in a Stargate episode, that's all. I don't care if it's not sexual or overly flaunted. Gay is gay, and I don't want to see it. If they do a gay episode, hey, look at that... I changed the channel!


By my standards, Stargate: Atlantis is a family friendly show. If I were a kid, my parents would watch it with me.


I don't watch the show, so no comment. As for a show aimed at 8-year-olds featuring gay characters... ew.


Wow, what an overreaction! Look, I believe homosexuality is immoral and unnatural. Don't like it? That's fine, I don't expect you to believe as I do. However, how dare you attack my beliefe system! I don't go telling you what to believe! As for suicidal gay teens, here's an idea... teach them to be straight, duh! ...and don't tell me it can't be done. Whom you have romantic/sexual feelings for is a choice. Anyone who says otherwise is just looking for an excuse to have a good time.


People might stop watching. That'd be a good reason not to have a gay character.


Look, I'm a Christian, and I use the Bible as a guide for life. The Bible makes it clear that homosexuallity is a sin. If you have a problem with that, take it up with God, not me. I don't go telling people what they should or should not believe. I ask that you do the same by not demanding me to accept your lifestyle. Thanks.

Despite what your TV set might have you think, Christians do NOT hate homosexuals. We do NOT condemn homosexuals. We do NOT think we are better than homosexuals. We simply consider said lifestyle sinful and therefore wish not to be around it. I hope you can understand.

I totally agree. I have nothing against gay people but I don't agree with the lifestyle and I believe that some viewers would find it uncomfortable to watch being acted on or in some cases referenced.

Now I understand that in this day an age my views may be considered narrow minded and I mean no offense but I think adding a gay character is unneccessary.

[g.o.d]

like it or not, there are many people who think the homosexuality is a sin. I don't like those people, but it's a reality and when they bring a gay character into Stargate there will people against it

[prion]

I think that by "risks" it's meant that Stargate has never been very socially progressive.

Stargate, like many action/adventure shows, isn't going to push agendas. They're making a show that will appeal to the widest audience possible. Good guys battle alien bad guys. It sells. And it sells worldwide, and you have to take into account foreign sales as well.

Plus they want to sell products - dvds, etc. off the show, and you can lose potential sales if you suddenly decide to turn say, an obviously heterosexual character gay. That can work in a show like ER, or a sitcom, but you don't see it done in action/adventure shows like Stargate.

besides, if you think about it, the key things that can tick people off are rarely mentioned on shows like SG: a) salary, 2) political affiliation, 3) religion, and 4) sexual preference, although the latter is usually easy to figure out by how scripts are written - all evidence points that everyone on Shep's team prefers the opposite sex.

[ShadowMaat]

It's a topic that folks have very passionate feelings about thus it's a topic that will implode in 20 posts or less

*counts* We're around post 38 right now. But anyway, on topic...

There are risks and there are risks. Personally I don't think having a gay character is any more "risky" than killing off a beloved character. But PG15's point- and it's a good one, IMO- is that if TPTB lived in constant fear of offending their audience then the show would probably have been canceled long ago. If it ever aired at all. Heck, SG-1 would probably never have taken off if the writers had been afraid to imply that some gods weren't real. Just the fact that the shows imply that their are aliens could be deeply offensive to some people. Where do you draw the line?

Storytelling is all about taking chances, to some extent. Atlantis would be dull if all they ever showed were safe, harmless and completely inoffensive stories and characters. Granted, that might have spared us Lucius, but it also would have denied us characters like Baal. It has to balance out somewhere and on the grand scale of things I'd say having a gay character on the show would be inoffensive compared to some of the things they've already done.

[Daniel Jackson]

guys, this is not the time or place for a debate on the 'rightness' or 'wrongness' of homosexuality. the topic is whether or not one could/should be in the show. Thus let's keep it that way and let's not venture down the morality road.

That's not a fair request, Skydiver. I don't put my morals aside when I watch Stargate. I don't want to see gay characters, because it violates my morallity. If I'm not allowed to bring morality into the discussion, then you're effectively censoring me.

[Trek_Girl42]

Stargate, like many action/adventure shows, isn't going to push agendas. They're making a show that will appeal to the widest audience possible. Good guys battle alien bad guys. It sells. And it sells worldwide, and you have to take into account foreign sales as well.

I'm not talking about pushing an agenda, I'm talking about taking the risk of putting forth an issue- making it something morally grey that the viewer is going to think about- and I'm not talking about doing this all the time, but it would be nice to get the occasional episode with a meaty issue to go with the fun and adventure. And they started to go there with things like the wraith retrovirus, but I think they could have taken it to another level that I don't think would have compromised what the show is.

The point is, Stargte tends to sit back on it's haunches- so why not try to move forward by introducing a gay character.

And who knows, maybe Atlantis isn't the right place for this- maybe the third series will be the perfect vehicle?

[g.o.d]

let's end this debate. We're a very young race to accept human differences. It sounds really bad, but it's a true..unfortunately