Steven Capsuto - LGBTQ Images on Television
Steven is the author of the book Alternate Channels, a history of gay and lesbian images on 20th-century American television and of the few pioneering bi and trans roles on TV in those years.
He was the lead historical consultant for the Apple TV+ docuseries VISIBLE: OUT ON TELEVISION (2020) and was a researcher or consultant for other LGBT-themed documentaries.
His traveling lectures use video clips to trace the evolution of LGBTQ portrayals on TV from the early days to the streaming era.
Oct. 31: Lynn on All My Children - The soaps' first gay regular role - Donna Pescow (1983)
July 11: Holly Woodlawn & Divine (1979), Craig Ferguson (2009), Orange is the New Black (2013)
July 6: Parents of Gays on "Today" (1978) and Straight Man in a Gay World on "30 Days" (2005)
July 5: PFLAG founder Jeanne Manford on TV (1974) and "Hyde in Hollywood" on PBS (1991)
Clip: 1970, Raquel Welch on playing trans in "Myra Breckenridge" and the film's queer audiences
Clips: 1/23/1989 - Hank Eliot awaits his HIV test results - AS THE WORLD TURNS (ATWT)
Clip: 1986, Stereotyped "killer lesbians" on HUNTER
Clips: 1996, ELLEN season premiere and Ellen DeGeneres on THE ROSIE O'DONNELL SHOW ("lesbian clues")
Clip: 2002, GAY WEDDINGS reality series on Bravo
Clips: 1978, Gena Rowlands & Jane Alexander in "A Question of Love" - lesbian mothers custody drama
4/2/2013, Marriage equality: Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, and The New Normal
Clip: 1982, CBS report on queer characters in films (CBS Evening News)
Clip: 1960, A campy, queer-coded pirate in "Treasure Island" - George Rose, Richard O'Sullivan
Clips: 1970, June Lockhart gently challenges homophobia on THE VIRGINIA GRAHAM SHOW w/Rev Troy Perry
Clip: 1992 talk show: How would you react if your kids were gay? THE JENNY JONES SHOW
Clip: Attempted video cleanup - 1956 talk show on homosexuality
Clip: 1956, Franklin Pangborn as a gay-coded comedic photographer on PRIVATE SECRETARY
Clip: 1965, THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW - Mistaking a straight guy for queer
Clip: 2008, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, Kevin proposes to Scotty, played by Matthew Rhys & Luke Macfarlane
Sitcom clip: 1980, THE ASSOCIATES - Gay activist meets with TV executives
Clip: 1986, 20/20: "Homophobia" - Violence and hatred against gay & bi people in early years of AIDS
Clip: 1991, ABC NEWS 20/20 - Gay people in the military - ''Secrets in the Service''
Clip: 2011, PRETTY LITTLE LIARS - Emily & Paige - Should Paige come out?
Clip: 1981, premiere of DYNASTY - Confrontation between Blake and his gay son, Steven
Clip: 1994, Wilson Cruz as gay teen Rickie on MY SO-CALLED LIFE
Clips: 2000, Closeted lesbian teen Bianca on ALL MY CHILDREN plots secret trip to NYC
Clip: 1986, After SCOTUS's anti-LGB ruling in Bower v Hardwick, VISIONS looks at legal status