AIBU to be completely on the fence? Straight men playing 'gay' roles

[Wheresmykimchi]

Article here - www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/showbiz-news/corrie-star-hits-back-after-19618647

Russell T Davies has decided to cast only gay men in roles for an AIDS drama.

Peter Ash , who is a straight man playing a gay man in Coronation Street , disagrees.

I'm usually a dog with a bone , irritating poster on topics I feel passionately about and LGBT is one but on this I just can't decide.

I can see Russell's point given the nature of the drama , and I'm never sure I agree with people playing 'gay' , in theory

But then I look at the gay characters in soaps in recent years , Peter's character being am excellent example along with Aaron Lindsay in Emmerdale , Kate Connor and Sophie Webster in Coronation Street , and see Peters point that the whole idea is that there is no such thing as acting 'gay', they are playing people.

I'm so on the fence I've got splinters. AIBU?

Why are so many "skills" programmes presented by gay people (usually men)? I don't mind but I've noticed it

• pottery (?), interior design, sewing, baking, professional baking, kids baking erm .....

It can't be representative can it? Dogs and dancing are exceptions

and why are so many posts that start with always so sanctimonious?

@supportivemyarse

and why are so many posts that start with always so sanctimonious?

And pick out a completely random sentence that wasn't me from 5 pages ago and attempt.to start schooling me on where I've gone wrong and to explain myself on a point I didn't try to make in the first place!

@RonObvious

All things being equal, then yes, anyone should be able to play any role, regardless of sexuality. However, all things are not equal. Openly gay actors are rarely cast as straight male leads, so to cast straight actors for the few roles available for gay actors seems grossly unfair.

Once we start seeing gay actors being cast in straight roles, then we can start worrying about whether straight actors should be cast in gay roles.

As, historically, they didn't dare come 'out' we've always had gay actors playing 'straight '

I thought all actors were gay anyway? (only joking, well sort of )

I didn't realise Gandalf and Magneto were gay.

Joking aside, if the only 'skill' you bring to the table is your sexuality, why should you get a part over someone of another sexuality who nails the audition?

Taron Egerton was fab in "Rocket Man"

I just watched "Call me by my name" last night - wonderful film with two straight actors playing gay roles. If we excluded straight actors from gay roles we would have missed some amazing performances- Jake Gylenhall, Heath Ledger, Colin Firth, Antonio Banderas, Matthew McCoughney et al. I didn't even mind James Corden recently in Prom camping it up.

I can only really think of luke Evans as an openly gay man who hasn't appeared to have limited his career choices though

@Hobbesmanc

I just watched "Call me by my name" last night - wonderful film with two straight actors playing gay roles. If we excluded straight actors from gay roles we would have missed some amazing performances- Jake Gylenhall, Heath Ledger, Colin Firth, Antonio Banderas, Matthew McCoughney et al. I didn't even mind James Corden recently in Prom camping it up.

I can only really think of luke Evans as an openly gay man who hasn't appeared to have limited his career choices though

John Barrowman, Jonathan Bailey, Ian McKellen jump to mind for me

There is still lots of homophobia around actors coming out as gay it can make or break their career likewise with footballers other sports people they're stigmatised afraid too admit they're gay.
I don't think you need to fit the mould to play a part many non violent actors played vile murderers.
Until being gay is truly acceptable by all it'll never be a true balance.
The lack of openly gay men in sports speaks for itself.

@Emeraldshamrock

There is still lots of homophobia around actors coming out as gay it can make or break their career likewise with footballers other sports people they're stigmatised afraid too admit they're gay. I don't think you need to fit the mould to play a part many non violent actors played vile murderers. Until being gay is truly acceptable by all it'll never be a true balance. The lack of openly gay men in sports speaks for itself.

Quite. As Ian mck always says - not one openly gay footballer

I am puzzled that someone suggested the casting of Ben Kingsley as Ghandi would be seen as problematic given that he is British Asian (born Krishna Bhanji).