Tower and Town, November 2022 (view the full edition)Letters To Papers: On LQBTQ+As part of the Year 11 Creative writing GCSE course, students at St. John’s were asked to find a newspaper article which interested them and formulate a concise response using the principles of rhetoric. They were then asked to submit their letter to the paper in which the article originated. Some very strong, emotive and genuine letters were submitted, showing an engagement and thoughtfulness about current affairs that affect them and their peers. Across the next few pages is a sample of these letters. Another of our students, Mia Pitts, actually had hers published in the Guardian on 30th September, should you like to read it there. I am writing in relation to the article highlighting LQBTQ+ presence. This portrayal of sexuality is significant because the 2020 society is very aware of inclusivity. The patriarchal society of the 1980s is very much a thing of the past and the ‘woke’ awareness of current audiences means that inclusivity and equality is one of the most important aspects of any media representation. I think it is vitally important that equality is portrayed in children’s cartoon series as it delivers a message to children very early on that there isn’t a ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ sexuality and they aren’t limited to a fixed image of how they are meant to be. In the LQBT+ article, it is stated that the screenwriter (James Gunn) tried to out the heroine Velma Dinkley in the cartoon series Scooby-Doo in the early 2000s but the “studio was having none of it” and watered it down; even giving her a boyfriend for the 2004 sequel Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed. I think it shows how society has grown and established a greater sense of equality even over the last 15 years. Outing this character as homosexual, I imagine, would bring a greater sense of belonging for the LQBTQ+ society so therefore I think it is important that there is a wider variety of individuals shown on TV. In conclusion, I believe that media representation has such a huge influence on public opinion that it is incredibly important that every minority group should be fairly and accurately represented across all texts. This would encourage acceptance and inclusivity and reduce any naďve fears and phobias. Sasha Minoudis |