Eastenders - Christian and Syed still upset the masses - or some of them at least.

[marshlander]

It's not a secret I enjoy watching the BBC's soap opera, "Eastenders". I've mentioned the ongoing relationship between Christian Clarke and Syed Masood in previous threads. Despite great advances in the law in the UK, cultural attitudes have yet to catch up. A recent episode which showed them together in bed brought in a "flood" of complaints (whatever constitutes a flood).

The full Guardian article is here, but this was the interesting conclusion

...the explicitness of a romantic scene is too often dependent on which genders are in it. A man eating a woman's face will go undetected, but if it happens to be another man, the BBC must brace itself. It's like maths for homophobes. One heterosexual heavy petting equals one gay peck. Or is it a cuddle? A brisk handshake? The EastEnders characters in question were simply holding each other in bed, but for some an act otherwise seen as harmless, romantic even, was seen as harmful and perverse. It wasn't, it was said, an appropriate image for children. In contrast to the naturalness of straight relationships, it was something it needed to protect the innocent from.


These are not their children's thoughts of course but entirely their own. They, who deem noticing the existence of homosexuality as damaging, when it is in averting their child's gaze that they cause harm. Some of their children will be straight and left (at best) battling the confused ignorance their parent's special brand of "censorship come outrage" have bestowed them with. Others will be gay and, sunken within the tragedy of an unaccepting home, will be deprived the smallest escape of another world, of seeing a part of themselves on screen and knowing they are OK.


The snob may dismiss mainstream television as drivel but the power of it should not be. What we see on screen has an effect, and the more popular and widespread the programme, the greater this is. The complainers are right. What their children see does matter. This is the very reason the BBC should keep its nerve and refuse to pander to them.

[zeon]

Hello,
I think people need to get a grip... Did they stop to think about the younger generation which will grow up to be gay??? Did they pause for a moment whilst it was a mild scene yet in some soaps they go round killing one another and it never gets mentioned... I think as a country and being british the only thing i can say as a british male is BOLLOCKS

that sums up this so called unfified country we live in

zeon x

[Synaesthete86]

that sums up this so called unfified country we live in

zeon x

I completely agree. It is a joke, an illusion, this false pride and patriotism we have, that we "love" ourselves for being British, and such events as the royal family "bringing the nation together" for their wedding. Yet this response we get when two gay people are shown loving each other, highlights the real lack of unity in this country.

[zeon]

I completely agree. It is a joke, an illusion, this false pride and patriotism we have, that we "love" ourselves for being British, and such events as the royal family "bringing the nation together" for their wedding. Yet this response we get when two gay people are shown loving each other, highlights the real lack of unity in this country.

l am not a patriotic type.... l dont celebrate st georges day nor do i do anything british... l try to not critise people but at times find myself having to do it... the royal family only undone what their ancestors done and that was give us our bloody rights back.. Victoria took em away and elizabeth gave em back... Yet in the UK it was never illegal to be a lesbian... Even in victorian era