Lesbian, gay and bisexual representation on Australian entertainment television: 1970–2000

Abstract

With the exception of a small number of contributions to the study of gay and lesbian representation in Australia, the queer history of Australian entertainment television has been left unexamined. This article seeks to address this gap through analysis of lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) characters in Australian entertainment television over a 30-year period from 1970 to 2000. The article examines the rise and fall of LGB representation on prime time Australian television from 1970 onwards in order to understand how key shifts in the politics of Australian cultural life have come to influence Australian television broadcasting. Charting the representation of LGB characters on Australian entertainment television, this article seeks to understand the politics of inclusion and exclusion of LGB characters and provides the basis for further research into Australian queer television history.