“One Life to Life”’s Gay Love Triangle is Truly Groundbreaking Television

[ccharles000]

If you’ve ever doubted how quickly the world can change once an impasse is broken, consider the incredible case of the ABC soap opera One Life to Live, which is currently featuring a complicated love triangle among three gay male characters. Next week, two of them are planning to participate in a mass “protest” gay wedding ceremony that will also include a (faked) lesbian marriage involving one of the show’s long-time female characters.

But just two years ago, viewers of the CBS soap As the World Turns were growing increasingly frustrated because it seemed clear that the producers of that show were not allowing its two gay teen characters to kiss — a controversy that eventually spilled over into the mainstream media.

As the World Turn’s gay kissing moratorium was finally broken on April 23, 2008 — 211 eleven days after the characters kissed for the first time. But even then, it was hard to imagine how quickly, and how completely, America’s daytime drama landscape would be completely transformed.

Earlier this year a major gay storyline popped up on The Young and the Restless, although it was subsequently put on the backburner and hasn't lived up to expectations. And while some have been disappointed by the recent writing on As the World Turns, the two boyfriends are no longer shy about sharing on-screen intimacy (and even finally went “all the way” in January of this year).

But it’s on One Life to Live where the major gay action has transpired. Kyle Lewis, played by Brett Claywell, had a college affair with Officer Oliver Fish (played by Chris Evans’ handsome brother Scott Evans), but back then, Oliver wasn’t ready to come out as gay.

http://www.afterelton.com/TV/2009/10/out-life-to-live-truly-groundbreaking

[Nictuku]

1. Too Funny!

I record the soaps during the week and catch up on them on weekends, and it just so happens that I'm watching that storyline on OLTL right now.

I think it is great to see gay love stories in main stream. It helps to humanize the topic (and will make Bill-O's head explode)

[Lisa0825]

2. The story on Y&R was pathetic....

It wasn't really a relationship-driven story. They had a character who was straight (Adam) seduce his gay lawyer friend to influence him because he was about to lose control of the scheme he had going on. The gay character was just being used.

If they wanted to introduce a "gay storyline," they should have done it by putting characters that people actually cared about into an actual relationship.

[Nictuku]

3. All My Children

All My Children had cast a major character (Erica Kane's daughter, Bianca) as a gay character. This was years and years ago, and the character is no longer on the program (she exists, but lives in London or Paris now). This character had a few different relationships, starting with her 'coming out' and progressing on to other loves, including one transgendered character.

[AwakeAtLast]

4. If I remember correctly

OLTL had the very first gay character in the early 90's (I think). I remember that storyline very well. I think the person who played that character was Ryan Phillipe.

[soleiri]

6. I think All My Children

had a lesbian story line in the early 80s.
I don't remember much about it (I was a kid), but I think one of the characters was named Devon.

And Donna Pescow?

it's all coming back to me...

[Chemisse]

5. It is quite an accomplishment

In part because it requires such a commitment. A show like that can't have just one gay character, because then he or she has no love interest. And it can't have just two, because then you can't rock the boat with romantic conflicts. So three gay characters is clearly a commitment to support this kind of storyline.

I think it was the same problem that made incorporating blacks into the daytime shows so difficult - until society finally let it be okay for blacks and whites to have relationships. If I remember correctly, on OLTL this started with a black guy and an Hispanic woman, just to break the ice gently.