CONTENT ANALYSIS

Given the various operational contexts, it is now important to more closely analyze the specific content of gay-run publications to determine if participants’ perceptions are in line with the community’s actual mediated representations. More specifically, the following content analysis provides a glimpse into the “gay myth” as presented from within the

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community. The analysis does not intend to provide a general statement regarding all national gay print media; rather is used more for a comparison point to participants’ responses.

Two issues of The Advocate and one issue of OUT were coded for ethnicity and gender representation, as well as for the range of article topics. (The coding scheme and results are included in Appendix D.) It is first important to note that most respondents referred to both magazines interchangeably when discussing national gay print media. OUT and The Advocate are considered the most prominent national magazines for the LGBT community and are owned by the same company, LPI Media. As presented in the findings, most respondents argued that the magazines are similar to each other in terms of target audience, article quality, ad type, and breadth/depth of overall coverage. Two participants acknowledged they looked to The Advocate for a glimpse into the national LGBT news. Several felt that both magazines cater to a consumerist culture, and the corresponding rich, white, male “ideal.” While most participants addressed the disparity in ethnic representation, two felt representation was equal. Finally, most respondents mentioned the lack of

transgendered representation before discussing the lack of ethnic diversity. OUT

Most respondents placed OUT in the appropriate context as a consumer-driven

magazine, focused on fashion, entertainment, and pop-cultural trends. The magazine does not pretend to be anything other than a GQ orDetails for the wealthy, white, gay male. The length of the coded (December, 2005) issue was 192 pages. Of the 80 ads in theissue, eight addressed HIV/AIDS or LGBT services. As described in Appendix D, “LGBT services” includes ads for rehab clinics, legal services, estate counseling, and LGBT academic

scholarships. Conversely, 24 ads were for travel/entertainment, and 48 were for consumer goods of which 10 were specifically for liquor. It is interesting that eight of the 10 liquor ads were specifically for vodka. Thus, there were as many ads for vodka as for HIV/AIDS and LGBT services combined.

In terms of ethnic representation, the preference for white males was also clear. Of the 39 male depictions, six were minority (15%) with the first minority ad appearing on page 79. Of the 20 female images, four were minority (20%). It is interesting to note that each representation of a minority female was accompanied by a white female. There were no individual ads showing only a minority female. Finally, the cover of the issue showed two gay white men, and one straight white woman, Sharon Stone.

In terms of magazine articles, the first hard-news article began on page 114, with everything prior devoted to entertainment, trends, and consumer goods. While the

entertainment portion focused on gay events in major cities, the hard-news articles mimicked mainstream news and applied the gay perspective to issues such as Hurricane Katrina and prostate cancer. For example, in the prostate cancer article discussed an issue regarding urologists being unable to address the gay-specific negative sexual side effects. The treatment and counseling associated with treatment is geared toward straight males. One interesting quote suggested, “Whether we like it or not, gay men define themselves through their sexuality to one degree or another” (p. 129). This statement reinforces the gay myth addressed by many respondents that emphasizes a culture based on sexual identity rather than individual difference.

Perhaps the most interesting finding was the “OUT 100” or the top 100 “Most Intriguing Gay Men, Lesbians, & Straight Allies” in 2005. Interviews suggested that coming

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out and living as an engaged member of the LGBT community was integral to the gay movement and forwarding any “gay agenda.” Accordingly, 20 of OUT’s top 100 were chosen for either coming out or being out in a certain industry or position. Those celebrated include: Patty Bouvier (one of Marge’s sisters on the animated comedy, “The Simpson’s”), Portia DeRossi (“Ally McBeal” star), Sheryl Swoops (WNBA basketball star), Cynthia Nixon (“Sex in the City” star), and Lesley Gore (famous 1960s singer). Conversely, only 14 of the 100 were chosen for political activism. Therefore, this finding reinforces the priorities discussed by interview participants – The suggestion that simply being out, and serving as a symbol of “normalcy” for the mainstream community can have a more powerful effect than specific legislation.

The Advocate

As mentioned, OUT and The Advocate were discussed simultaneously, and were perceived to target the same audience using the same tactics. The Dec. 6, 2005 and Jan. 17, 2006 issues of The Advocate were coded. The Dec. 6 issue was 88 pages in length, and the Jan. 17 issue was 80 pages long. Although each issue of The Advocate coded had less than half the number of ads as seen in OUT, they had the same number of HIV/AIDS and LGBT Services ads. Thus, these ads comprised a larger percentage of overall ads than similar ads in OUT. Perhaps the most interesting finding was from the Jan. 17 issue, in which 10 of the 35 total ads were for LGBT services (See Appendix D). This is more than triple the number of LGBT Services ads in the Dec. 6 issue, and close to a third of all ads. This finding could, however, be the result of post-holiday depression, related substance abuse concerns, New Year’s resolutions, etc.

The Jan. 17 issue also showed an increase in minority representation from the Dec. 6 issue. Seven of 43 ads showed ethnic minorities in the Dec. 6 issue, while 15 of 45 ads showed ethnic minorities in the Jan. 17 issue. Of the 29 ads with males, eight (or 28%) were minority males. There was a strong correlation between HIV/AIDS ads and minority

representation. Four of the six HIV/AIDS ads used minority males, while two used no images. Therefore, half of the ethnic minority male representation was strictly related to HIV/AIDS ads compared to no white representation. One of the two HIV/AIDS ads with specifically African-American males (the other two HIV/AIDS ads being Hispanic), showed only the back of the man’s head. The other African-American male image was used to advertise an HIV-related alcohol, drugs, and depression treatment facility.

Several of the ad messages were also interesting. For example, in an ad for Queen Latifa’s new movie “Last Holiday,” the tagline read, “She always thought she was

somebody… And she was.” This message seems to go beyond the movie plot and speaks directly to empowerment of African Americans as well as the gay minority. From a different perspective, the Jaguar ad’s tagline simply read, “Gorgeous Trumps Everything.” This

reinforces the consumer culture as advertised in OUT. The underlying message also speaks to several respondents’ comments regarding the gay community’s construction of identity and misdirected priorities. Finally, reinforcing a consumer-based, “gorgeous”-aspiring culture, the cover of the Dec. 6 issue showed George Clooney a straight white movie star, while the Jan. 17 issue showed Heath Ledger, another straight white movie star.

Based solely on the types of advertisements and lack of diversity representation, the participants’ association between The Advocate and OUT would certainly be supported. Article content, however, differentiated the two magazines. The first two-thirds of each

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Advocate included hard news articles about gay-specific issues. For example, article topics included HIV, “Generation Q” (LGBT youth), gay marriage, religious discrimination, gay bashing, legal healthcare rights, adoption, and the importance of coming out. The Dec.6 issue profiling George Clooney focused on his political battle with the political right, and

incorporated the discussion with an article titled “Conservatives on the Edge.” The need for LGBT persons to come out is repeated in many of the articles. For example, in addressing the political right’s discriminatory agenda toward the LGBT community, one article argued,

As more and more of us come out – still the single most important thing a gay person can do to change the world – the divide between the gay-friendly general population and the increasingly isolated and marginalized fundamentalist right wing of American society becomes sharper and uglier. The scales are tipping our direction. (Vilanch, The Advocate, Jan. 17, p. 58)

The final third of each Advocate issue was dedicated to entertainment produced either by members of the LGBT community, or by the community’s known allies, including movies, TV shows, books, and music. This overall structure speaks to the original lesbian magazine, Vice Versa, first published in 1947, which established the format of news articles, editorials, short stories, book/film reviews, letters, and finally columns (Gross, 2001).

These findings suggest that for most respondents, there is a slight disconnect with The Advocate. While the covers and advertisements suggest a white, male, consumerist culture, the articles do a relatively good job of addressing those national issues important to the LGBT community. In other words, The Advocate uses the cover and ads to garner attention, but by doing so, takes away from the substance of the articles themselves. While OUT aspires to assimilation, The Advocate attempts to address the LGBT community’s distinctiveness and specific needs, although admittedly veiled by a consumerist mindset. Certainly, producing a national magazine requires an extensive advertising budget. The

unfortunate result, as evidenced through the interviews, is a blurring of missions between OUT and The Advocate.

Ultimately, the findings in both OUT and The Advocate speak to the need for a longitudinal study. As mentioned, this content analysis was performed to provide a glimpse into gay-run print media, and does not suggest that the findings could be generalized to all issues of OUT and The Advocate. The main purpose was to first understand participants’ perspectives regarding national print media, and then compare those perspectives to examples of the issues themselves.