How is sexuality represented in Torchwood

Due to the main character within Torchwood, Captain Jack, being homosexual I will be concentrating on how stereotyping has been arranged around him and his relationship with Captain John is represented throughout the 5 minute clip, I will be doing this by looking at the micro and macro features thereby adding up to the representation.

Firstly let's look at how the characters are dressed, Jack is dressed in a military style long coat displaying a fierce and masculine appearance which goes completely against the stereotypical homosexual. This is further enforced by how John is dressed in flamboyant clothing representing the expected homosexual attire.

The entering of the bar itself enforces a more masculine feel by how the shots are displaying the characters as imposing with high angle shots and panning from the feet up to the body making them seem larger. This then adds up to a feeling of an upcoming clash of the captains, which is a reverse representation of the homosexuality due to be aggressive.

This aggression is also imposed upon the audience by the mise-en-scene of the surroundings, the bar itself being called Reunion makes you expect a meeting of old friends or enemies, however with the bar doors being western of origin and how we follow Captain Jacks boots to the bar the audience is then allowed to guess a fight is about to break lose.

The mise-en-scene of the bar itself however enforces the homosexual representation by the candle like lighting, adding a mysterious and sensual feel to the scene. With the plasma tv's also displaying a virtual fire it builds up to allow the audience to deduce that there is a natural attraction between the 2 captains. By the full on kiss and the mise-en-scene it all adds up to a stereotypical representation of homosexuals being sensitive and feminine.

However after the impressive kiss a large number of reverse stereotypes appear, firstly the fact that rather than going off to a room and doing “what comes naturally” the captains start to have a fight. This is most likely due to the airing of the show meaning it is unable to show 2 grown men making love to each other, so the director employs the next best thing for guys, a playful fight.

This fight in itself is a non-stereotype for homosexuals due to it's pure violence, however with the music of Song2, or Woo Hoo, in the background you feel that they're enjoying it, as though it's replacing the sex scene. This is further enforced by how both characters are grinning throughout the fight and seem oblivious to the damage they are doing to their surroundings.

After the majority of the fight the male characters are then seen via 180 degree rule shot while having them do a 360 staring at each other. However this is a contradicting shot by how a stereotypical aspect is shown with both characters commenting on their attire and staring each other in the eyes yet a reverse stereotype is also employed by how both captains are pointing lethal weapons at one another.

This is then followed with Jack and John then having a little chat against the bar. This in itself is a homosexual stereotype, due to most males at a bar simply drinking and rarely having a friendly chat. John also has a little giggle while covering his mouth with his hand displaying a common signifier for a homosexuals. Yet there is a clear reverse stereotype by how John drinks a huge amount of alcohol.

We then go into the conversation between the characters displaying a strong non-homosexual feeling by how both characters are sitting there leaning against the bar holding drink. The dialogue itself is extremely masculine by how John describes his rehabilitation for sex, drugs and murder as some sort of little joke. This is a strong reverse representation of homosexuals due to it's pure insensitivity.

If we look away from Jack and John and look at the gang in the taxi we get another stereotyping of homosexuals and how they're all liked by the group due to being mysterious and fun to have around. This represents the general expectations of homosexuals being at the centre of the group.

However the overall representation of sexuality in this clip is homosexual, and it displays them as a mixture of passionate love and boyish behaviour. There is little other sexuality's displayed apart from within the Taxi, and there is to little to analyse within that section.