GLAAD, the nation’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media
advocacy and anti-defamation organization, Equality Utah and the Utah
Pride Center announced plans to host a panel discussion and screening
of upcoming NBC series The New Normal for Utah residents following Salt Lake City, Utah NBC affiliate KSL-TV’s decision to not air the series. The New Normal follows a gay couple’s efforts to start a family with the help of a surrogate.
This announcement follows a recent meeting arranged by Utah advocacy
organizations Equality Utah and Utah Pride between local LGBT families
and executives of KSL and Bonneville International, to acknowledge the
presence and contributions of all families, including LGBT families, in
Utah and across the country. In a joint statement with the advocacy
organizations, KSL said the following:
“We appreciated the opportunity to meet today. It was helpful to talk
together, to better understand issues, and to be able to discuss the
reasons behind our decision to not air ‘The New Normal.’ This was not a
decision we made lightly and it was not made because of any single
issue including gay characters or LGBT families. As a communications
company we make decisions every day regarding our programming and we
made a decision to not broadcast this program because we feel it had a
number of issues including sexually explicit content, demeaning
dialogue, and inciting stereotypes.
“We care about and value all members of our community, including LGBT
people and their families, and are grateful when there can be the type
of cordial and respectful dialogue we have had today.”
The station has not changed its position on airing the episode. The full contents of the joint statement can be read here.
“KSL-TV’s initial communications about refusing to air The New Normal,
incited this community and many across the country who feel KSL was
censoring the show because of its gay content. The comments from KSL
gave fodder to the popular perception that Utah is a regressive and
intolerant place,” said Utah Pride Center’s Executive Director, Valerie
Larabee. “LGBT individuals and families here in Utah, a state that
places high value on healthy families, deserve recognition and respect
for their presence and contributions here and beyond. Equally important
is our desire to have young people to grow up knowing they can be proud
of their parents and speak openly about them with other children and
adults. After getting to know who we are, we believe Utahans will
understand that we share the same values and that we are very much
‘normal.’”
“From the outset, it appeared clear that the presence of gay
characters factored into KSL's decision. With gay families having long
been part of some of television’s most well-known and popular series,
KSL’s decision is out of touch with a vast majority of television
viewers, advertisers and critics,” said GLAAD President Herndon
Graddick. “Refusing to air this series about gay families sends the
wrong message to LGBT families and young people in Utah.”
"Utah Pride Center and Equality Utah work tirelessly to promote
tolerance and grow acceptance of LGBT people and families in Utah,"
Graddick continued. "We are proud to be working with them to raise
visibility of this screening and the LGBT families impacted by KSL's
decision."
More than 15 years ago, a Birmingham, Alabama ABC affiliate refused to air “The Puppy Episode” of Ellen
in which the main character came out as gay. GLAAD partnered with
Birmingham Pride Alabama (BPA) to an audience of thousands of Ellen
fans.
