Will and Grace

Television today seems to lack a certain level of reality when it comes to homosexuality. Shows do not really depict gay men or women very often or in a real sense. Most programs keep their shows relating to a heterosexual lifestyle and stay out of the realm of homosexuality. This heterosexism is very common to see in television, but not in the real world.
Few shows portray gay characters in a regular sense, but one comes to mind. Will and Grace was a show that broke many barriers of straight vs. gay. This show was the first network series to have more then one homosexual character as principal characters in the plot. The two main gay characters were Will Truman and Jack McFarland. Will was a lawyer and did not fit the normal stereotypes of a gay man. He was not flamboyant or loud, he just went along with his life like a straight man would except his sex life was different. Jack on the other hand was the complete opposite. He was a struggling actor, singer, and dancer who went from boyfriend to boyfriend and fit every gay stereotype one could think of. Jack was very concerned about how he looked all the time and talked in a very high pitch feminine tongue. Will and Grace was set in New York City. This was a smart decision because the city is very liberal and makes the most sense for a show like that to take place there. Homosexuality is embraced in the city and people can live happily being openly gay.
Will and Grace was a rare kind of show. Nothing else on TV contained more then one gay character, especially those that the show mainly revolves around. It was a big step in societal culture. It gave people at home a chance to see beyond their heterosexist lives and glance at the life of two gay men. It was a gateway for people to experience the struggle, the reality, and the normality of a homosexual lifestyle.