Today's cover: Exactly how 'Glee' is leading TV's gay-teen transformation

Today's cover: Exactly how 'Glee' is leading TV's gay-teen transformation

Gay teens are suddenly appearing in significant roles throughout tv, with Glee's preferred pairing of Kurt (Chris Colfer) as well as Blaine (Darren Criss) blazing a trail. Just how did gay teenagers go from marginalized castaways and also wacky sidekicks to a few of the greatest profile-- and most precious-- personalities on the likes of 90210, Pretty Little Liars, and Skins? As well as extra importantly, just how is this affecting real-life teens still facing the everyday high-school realities of intimidation, discrimination, and also lack of knowledge? The brand-new concern of Amusement Weekly examines the history of gay teenagers on TV-- from the angsty Rickie on My Supposed Life to sensitive-soul Jack on Dawson's Creek to the variety of groundbreaking characters on Degrassi. We talk to the producers that fought for such progress, the stars that held the career-defining functions, and the protestors who applaud current breakthroughs-- but are still pushing for even more. Among them:

* Colfer, on his hugely flirtatious version of \"Child, It's Cold Outdoors\" with Criss, which became one of the most downloaded and install track off the Joy Xmas album: \"That was by far the gayest thing that has ever before been on television, period,\" Colfer says. \"Neglect AbFab, forget The upper class as well as Will and also Poise.\" Adds creator\/exec producer Ryan Murphy: \"I was proud of that. I think it forged ahead a bit.\"

* My Supposed Life maker Winnie Holzman, on ABC's reaction to Rickie as a character when the show premiered in 1994: \"Things I got the most pushback concerning remained in the pilot, when he places eye liner on in the girls' restroom. I remember I pointed out The Weeping Game, which had actually simply come out, and Michael Jackson wearing eye liner [to convince the network] So they selected it.\"

* The O.C. (and also Gossip Girl) director manufacturer Stephanie Savage on the brief romance in between Marissa (Mischa Barton) as well as girlfriend Alex (Olivia Wilde) in 2005, during the elevation of network censorship fears (after the Janet Jackson Super Bowl incident): \"We could've had extra support in regards to making that a long-lasting plot. There were definitely some concerns concerning the length of time we were doing

this story. And we did have to do some editing and enhancing to make kisses much shorter and also draw back on some physicality of the characters.\"

And for more on our explore the history of gay teens on TV, and how a new generation of personalities are making a difference in real children' lives, grab the brand-new problem of Amusement Weekly, on stands Friday, Jan. 21.