Questions, questions! Comic Con Glee panel edition
You have an opportunity to raise your questions and concerns about Glee’s treatment of its LGBT characters and couples with Glee writer & executive producer Brad Falchuk, who will be attending the Glee Comic Con panel Saturday.
Our top tips for asking questions
- Direct your question to Brad Falchuk, not the cast members
- Be polite & constructive rather than aggressive: you’re more likely to get an answer if the respondent doesn’t feel attacked
- Try to frame your question as a positive change you would like to see next season on Glee rather than as a complaint about last season
- Ask an open-ended question that requires more than a yes or no answer and encourages them to explain their plans
- Check out our talking points for question ideas on a whole range of equality issues but here are some sample ideas:
Question examples (for Brad Falchuk)
- In “Heart” you acknowledged the ‘insane double standard’ restricting how the LGBT couples could express affection compared with the straight couples, something obvious to viewers since “The First Time.” With the move to a 9pm timeslot, what positive changes can we expect to see in the writing for LGBT couples in Season 4?
- It’s noticeable that the vast majority of scenes for the LGBT couples are in a public setting. Outside of “The First Time,” the only time Kurt & Blaine were alone in private was in order to fight. Brittany & Santana didn’t have a single scene in private the entire season. Both couples were chaperoned. How will you be addressing this imbalance next season?
- Because of the negative way others have judged Kurt’s sexuality & gender presentation, he lost out on both a singing/dancing role in West Side Story & his opportunity for a big Nationals solo. How do you plan to show Kurt fighting back against harmful stereotyping in Season 4?
- Santana was first outed against her will & then blackmailed into coping on the terms & timetable of the straight male hero who accidentally outed her. What assurances can you give that Santana’s sexuality will be taken more seriously in future, and that her stories will be about her point of view?
- Blaine had no say in the decision not to take to the police the taped evidence of Sebastian’s guilt in the attack on him. How can you ensure that he will make his own choices in future storylines?
- Glee seems not to treat bisexuality seriously. Brittany in particular has never been allowed to identify as bisexual. What plans do you have to actually address Brittany’s sexuality next season?
- It was hard to tell at times if Wade/Unique is transgender or has a drag performance persona. How will that be clarified and more consistently presented in season 4?
