A call to arms, "Gay characters disappearing from broadcast TV!"

Apparently gay people are an “endangered species on network television”. Excerpts from the article in Reuters are below:

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Gay people are becoming an endangered species on network television. A new report says a total of seven series on the five broadcast networks feature regular lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) characters this season, down from nine last season.

The number has dropped for the past three years, according to the annual "Where We Are on TV" study by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.

"While we acknowledge there have been improvements made in how we are seen on the broadcast networks, most notably on ABC, our declining representation clearly indicates a failure to inclusively reflect the audience watching television," said GLAAD president Neil Giuliano.

So I know for many, there is a certain amount of validity in seeing characters on television that one can empathize with and connect on a personal level, may it be racially, culturally, politically, gender-wise, etc. But at the same time, is the LGBT movement moving forward with broadcast television? Are we really changing the minds of those in the hetero-dominant world by adding another stereotypical “gay” character to laugh at? Or is continuing participation in American consumerism furthering the idea of tolerance of gays, rather than acceptance?

I argue that yes, I would like to watch more lesbians on TV. Just as much as I would like to see more shows that are worth watching. Another words, for the LGBT community, our focus cannot be on superficial tolerance from the heterosexual majority by their “gay” character quotas. Rather we need to be striving to expand acceptance of all people, regardless of what identity categories, be it racially, culturally, religiously, sexually, economically or any other superlatives we can find to box people in.