Follow Up: A Survey on LGBT+ Representation on the BBC

Sorry everyone, I swear I will stop talking about this research report at some point. However, I need one last favour of you all. If you remember my previous post I’m doing a research report on LGBT+ representation on the BBC etc etc. What I recently realised is that I might need some data on people’s experiences of these programmes given that the last quantitative study was done by Stonewall in 2006.

My survey covers: geographical location, general opinions on BBC representation and then your opinions on the list of comedy & drama programmes I put together (with your input). If being named is a concern, this survey is totally anonymous. If you wouldn’t mind filling it out for me, I would be immensely grateful.

Click the link below to open the survey:

LGBT+ Representation on the BBC between 2006-2013.

Quick Question: The BBC and LGBTQ+ Characters.

I put the call out on Twitter earlier but, for some context, I’m writing a research report for my MA on the BBC Television and LGTBQ+ on-air representation from 2006 onwards. In between looking at various reports commissioned by the BBC Trust and Stonewall, I want to see if I can gather a list of programmes featuring LGTBQ+ characters  myself. Naturally, it’s not possible for me to see everything the BBC puts out (though I feel like sometimes I must do). The list I’ve got so far includes: The Night Watch, Lip Service, Doctor Who, Torchwood, In The Flesh, Heading Out, Consenting Adults, The Line of Beauty (thanks Tam!).

 If you can remember any others, could you comment below with the name of the programme in question? Remember, it must have aired in 2006 or later (so sadly neither Tipping the Velvet, nor my personal revelation Fingersmith count) and it must have aired in the UK. 

Please feel free to share this around as I’m sure we’re all likely to forget something. Thank you so much!

An educational note. (tw: mentions of rape, domestic and sexual violence)

To veer off-topic for a post, I’d like to have a bit of a chat about teenagers, SRE & PSHE education. A couple of weeks ago now, the Children and Families Bill was up for new clauses in the House of Parliament. Admittedly, I’m not as up on the political home front as I am elsewhere (so please excuse the lack of correct terminology and feel free to correct), so when I heard about Rt Hon MP Stella Creasey’s draft of an addition centred around the requirements for Personal Social Health Education in the curriculum I was thrilled. I work in the Education system in a state secondary school with recent academy status, primarily with students with Special Educational Needs¹. Part of the campaign to get it voted in involved letter writing to your local MP. And so I did. Sadly it didn’t pass, and my local MP voted against.

However, I did receive a letter yesterday from said MP, which left me more confused than satisfied.

On faith and the lack of it.

So, earlier this evening I reblogged something on my personal Tumblr and added some tags about my feelings regarding atheism and faith.

#this is why i dislike about 70% of other atheists#YOU MAKE ME LOOK LIKE AN ARSEHOLE #I’M NOT! #I JUST DON’T BELIEVE IN GOD #having faith in something greater than yourself that cannot be quantified is one of the bravest things you can do in my book #so tearing that shit down because it doesn’t work for you is just fucking bullshit #our lack of faith or belief in an omnipotent being does not make us more intellectual #it does not make us more compassionate #it makes us nothing other than people who do not believe in god #that’s fucking it #end of #wine me the strength #sorry i have a lot of angry atheist feelings #BECAUSE AS A GROUP THERE IS A TENDENCY TOWARDS ELITIST DICKHEAD BEHAVIOUR #AND I HAVE NO TIME FOR IT OKAY #NO #FUCKING #TIME #i haven’t believe in god since i was eight years old and sat in church and realised it didn’t make any sense to me #but that’s me #and my disbelief #my absence of faith #does not qualify me as a better person than someone of faith #it says nothing about me other than i do not believe #it’s not hard #people having religious and spiritual faith is not stupid or offensive #the things that surround it can be #but the faith? #the act of believing? #is brave

My greatest mistake was probably a) putting it in the atheism tag over on Tumblr but also b) capslock. I’ll admit, that was down to some vodka and tonic. But for the most part, I still think that’s pretty dead on. A couple of people reblogged it with tags and I’ve actually been talking to people about it and it’s fostered discussion that I love. As someone who has not had faith for a very, very long time but whose friends are 90% religious/of faith, I do talk about it a fair amount. Mainly because I am always anxious to prove that not every atheist is going to be militant or knee-jerk aggressive, but also because I find faith fascinating especially as someone who does not have it. Sadly however, some people just like to show me up.