Jesse Tyler Ferguson, three-time Emmy nominated actor known for his role as Mitch in ABC’s “Modern Family,” is scheduled to speak in Goldstein Auditorium on Tuesday.

The show has been a hit among viewers, but has also been at the centerpiece of controversy when the LGBT community was critical of the lack of physical affection between gay couples on the show.

A Facebook campaign followed to demand a kiss between Mitch and Cam, his partner on the show played by actor Eric Stonestreet. In response, producers released a statement that an episode in season two — “The Kiss” — would address Mitch’s issues with PDA and result in a kiss between the adored couple.

Ferguson isn’t just a part of the gay community on “Modern Family.” Unlike his co-star, Ferguson’s fictional struggles as an LGBT-identifying American fighting for marriage equality mirrors this same battle in his own personal life.

In September, the actor popped the question to his boyfriend of two years. The couple announced their engagement in a video where they simultaneously publicize Ferguson’s new organization called “Tie the Knot.”

“Tie the Knot” claims to “advocate for a more stylish and equal America” and has teamed up with The Tie Bar — an online store that sells affordable ties for only $15 each — to create a line of 20 limited-edition bow ties available this November. The proceeds will be donated to organizations supporting the legalization of gay marriage.

“We want our interpersonal relationship to be acknowledged in a union formalized via a wedding ceremony. But we’re just like millions of America who are denied basic civil rights to marry the person that they love,” Ferguson says in the video.

The 2012 Network Responsibility Index conducted by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, or GLAAD, proclaimed ABC was ranked high among other networks for its portrayal of gay and lesbian characters. The study, released in August, tracked prime-time programming on five major broadcast networks and ten major cable networks for the sixth consecutive year.

While the presence of gay couples on prime-time television is a significant victory, it’s important to think about the ways in which they’re being represented. The study also found that two-thirds of all programming featuring gay and lesbian couples includes white people; evidence shows that networks fail to incorporate broader ranges of diversity within the LGBT community on television.

Mainstream media and popular culture has come a long way in the increasing acceptance of gay and lesbian representations, but there’s still a long way to go before completely eliminating bias and prejudice.

Even though a bow tie may seem like a minor gesture in the grand scheme of things — considering the lack of intersectional gay couples on TV and the problematic storylines that get perpetuated — it’s a small and creative act toward bettering culture and transforming minds. Plus, everyone looks great in a bow tie.

It’s important to keep in mind that Jesse Tyler Ferguson isn’t necessarily trying to change the world or accomplish anything dramatic — he simply wants to get married to the person he loves most in this world and have his marriage recognized by the government of the country he lives in. That shouldn’t be such a crazy demand.

Krystie Yandoli is a senior women’s and gender studies and English and textual studies major. She can be reached at [email protected] or followed on Twitter at @KrystieLYandoli.

 

Published on October 22, 2012 at 1:00 am