Why Do Soap Operas Break Boundaries

Chapter 5: Do soap operas break boundaries?

Soap operas have dominated television screens for over fifty years, and are now integral to British culture. People prefer to gossip about soap opera characters and storylines, more than they do about those they know in real life (Brooks, 1994). Though soap operas are not often considered a contributing factor of a change in society, there is evidence that suggests that this genre has been successful in educating the masses - with their combination of drama and societal commentary - they have been able to capture people’s attention, and bring an entirely new perspective to a large audience. Through the years, this genre has touched on many taboos, stigmatized and otherwise unspoken about topics, bringing them to the attention of individuals who might otherwise be ignorant to them and the way in which others live their lives. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender stories happen to be just one sector of this. If someone was asked about their earliest memory of seeing LGBT topics broadcast on the silver screen, television shows like ‘EastEnders’ and ‘Coronation Street’ will be mentioned. A few examples of this include; Barry and Colin’s forehead kiss in the Albert Square,

It all started in 1982 when soap opera Brookside first started airing. From its conception, it was brave, and addressed subjects that other television programmes considered too gritty. Gordon Collins was a character featured in ‘Brookside’ from its debut, but it was not until three years later in 1985 that his sexuality was uncovered. With the storyline being explored during the mid 1980’s - at a time when according to a British Social Survey, up to 75% of the British public considered homosexual acts to be “always or mostly wrong” (EHRC, 2009) - it really was