Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Media: Key Narratives, Future Directions

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people have become a familiar presence on the media landscape. For more than half a century, scholars have examined the importance of this recognition. In this article, I extend the work of British sociologist Ken Plummer to argue that key narratives have endured in discussions of LGBTQ media. These narratives include the victim , the community , the militant/queer , and the assimilationist . In addition, this paper points toward new directions for analysis and discussion; I argue that future research should take a more nuanced approach by examining overlaps and tensions among these stories.