Media’s Portrayal of Homosexuality as a Reflection of Cultural Acceptance

Will & Grace stands as a representation of when homosexual relationships portrayed by mass media- radio, television, and movies- began to be broadly accepted within society. From the breakthrough Will & Gracehelped establish, homosexuality is slowly finding accurate representation within mass media today. This paper uses The Contact Hypothesis, along with the Para-social Interaction Hypothesis, to examine these progressive movements within media and their application to culture’s growing perception and acceptance of homosexuality