Today, it is not uncommon to see a homosexual character on a popular TV show. Many shows, such as Friends or Modern Family feature homosexual characters, usually in a pretty stereotypical manner, in a positive light with relatively little backlash.
On June 21, 1972, The Corner Bar premiered on television. The show followed the lives of patrons who attended a tavern called Grant’s Toomb. One of the main characters, Peter Panama, played by actor Vincent Schiavelli, was the first ever gay recurring character on primetime television. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Corner_Bar)
The president of the Gay Activists Alliance called Peter Panama “the worst stereotype of a gay person I’ve ever seen”. Panama would talk in a way that was considered “stereotypical” of gay men and would often move his hands a lot when he was speaking. (http://www.therichest.com/world-entertainment/15-most-controversial-gay-sitcom-characters/)
The reactions of the public to watching homosexual characters on television shows has come quite a long way since the 1960s and 1970s. People are becoming more and more comfortable with the idea of homosexuality as time goes on.
Recognized Rights 