Gay-Themed Television and the Slumpy Class

Abstract

This article links the success of gay-themed programming in the 1990s to the sensibility of an emerging class of Socially Liberal, Urban-Minded Professionals (the “Slumpy” class). In the era's neoliberal climate where multicultural celebrations of diversity mixed with calls for fiscal responsibility, being socially liberal and fiscally conservative became the political position of choice for a growing number of well-educated and upwardly mobile baby boomers and Generation Xers. As it came to be articulated in the ’90s, homosexuality fit conveniently into this delicate balance. Highly visible political battles over gay rights gave homosexuality a cutting-edge allure dulled just enough by its assimilationist goals. Meanwhile gays and lesbians, reported to be well educated with a disproportionate amount of disposable income, seemed to be economically self-sufficient. For those looking for an affordable politics of social liberalism, supporting gays and lesbians fit the bill, and consuming gay-inclusive television offered members of the Slumpy class a convenient way to affirm their openmindedness.