Promoting Sexual and Gender Diversity through the Portrayal of Sexual and Gender Minority Youths in Media

Authors

Yuki Amaki

Publication Date

2022

Abstract

As one social phenomenon, television drama series depicting sexual minority youths, particularly gay male couples’ everyday lives, have become popular in Japan as well as East Asia. Consciousness and awareness of prejudice and discrimination against sexual and gender minority people may gradually be changing among young people thanks to the increased portrayal of sexual and gender minority youths in romantic TV drama series. The purpose of this research is to assess how much these TV drama series influence people to improve their awareness and knowledge of the prejudice and discrimination faced by LGBTQ+ people in society. My target population for this study was current college students in Tokyo, Japan. 167 students were asked to write comments about whether or not Japanese society appears to be growing increasingly tolerant and accepting of sexual and gender minorities because of the wave of popular dramas. From the views of college students, the results of this study have revealed the positive and negative aspects of broadcasting romance TV drama series depicting sexual and gender minority people. Further research is needed on how college students in Thailand and other East Asian countries see sexual and gender minorities and how much they understanding they have.

First Page

23

Last Page

48

Recommended Citation

Amaki, Yuki (2022) "Promoting Sexual and Gender Diversity through the Portrayal of Sexual and Gender Minority Youths in Media," Asian Review: Vol. 35: No. 2, Article 3.
Available at: https://digital.car.chula.ac.th/arv/vol35/iss2/3