With the current season of the CBS reality show Big Brother, however, gay contestant Joshuah Welch has helped solidify every loathsome characteristic that could be associated with the gay stereotype. From praying for a better body to verbally attacking the women in the house, you begin to wonder: Is the inclusion of certain minorities being used to break down barriers, or is it that in the casting process they are helping reaffirm negative stereotypes? Here is a look back at the gay contestants of Big Brother and the impact they've had on gay culture.  

Big Brother started as an entertaining social experiment in Europe where 10- 15 contestants from different segments of the population where put in a house and isolated from all formsof media and the rest of the world. The original premise was to allow people to be themselves, and the audience would vote on who should remain to claim the half million dollar prize at the end of the three month period.  

The show came to the United States in 2000 with a similar format where a fellow houseguest would nominate two people for ’Äúbanishment’Äù and viewers would vote for their favorite. Unlike the 70 other countries that have aired a form of the show, the concept didn’Äôt work for United States audiences because the format did not lend itself to a compelling story line. American’Äôs voted based on who was the nicest in the house so very few people wanted to rattle any feathers.  

The show failed in the ratings, and the network contemplated pulling it from the air. Following the remarkable success of the first season of Survivor, however, the show's format was revamped and returned the following summer with a much more vicious nature that seemed to delight audiences.  

Big Brother 2 aired in July of 2001, and Bill ’ÄúBunky’Äù Miller became the first known gay character on the show. Instantly he seemed like a typical gay stereotype, constantly crying throughout his entire first few weeks in the game. While the other ’Äústraight’Äù men in the house like became known for their sex appeal and their competitive behavior, Bunky was portrayed as a weak-willed underdog, and after losing every challenge, was voted out by his housemates.

At the time Bunky was in a long-term relationship outside of the show, a refreshing characteristic of gay life, but inside the house, he quickly became the butt of jokes for the other players. Bunky did, however, develop an interesting relationship with 45-year-old Kent Blackwelder who before knowing that Bunky was gay expressed that he was homophobic and did not approve of the ’Äúgay lifestyle’Äù. The relationship proved to be one of the most compelling on the show, and audiences could see that despite their differences, these two men could come together in friendship.

The third season of the show introduced the world to one-time model and fashion stylist Marcellas Reynolds. From the beginning, Marcellas seemed  targeted for eviction because of his sexuality and his negative attitude toward other houseguests. Unlike Bunky, Marcellas dominated competitions on the show and proved that a gay male could compete and win.  

Because of his outgoing personality and likeability, he became a fan favorite. Marcellas was a strategist who seemed to know how to move about the game making friendships and alliances with the right people. Unfortunately, Marcellas’Äôs kind heart became his downfall when he sacrificed himself to keep another guest off the block. He was eliminated in what has notoriously become the biggest mistake in Big Brother history.  

Marcellas’Äôs persona did reaffirm many gay stereotypes,  from his obsession with fashion to his fear of getting dirty, but in the end, he became a positive role model.  

On season four, the show added a different twist by putting the contestants in the house with their ex boyfriends of girlfriends. Conspicuously, there were no openly gay contestants added on the show despite the fact that Marcellas had been one of the most popular contestants on the previous season.  

While many questioned the sexuality of metrosexuals Jase Wirey and Scott Long, registered nurse Will Wikle was the only openly gay character from the fifth installment. Early on in the season, he came out to houseguests and instantly aligned himself with several of the females. Will was, again, a weak player who didn’Äôt manage to win a single competition and was often found blubbering in the diary room.  

His often bitchy behavior and tendency for the over dramatic seemed to solidify the type of gay characters casting directors were looking for to be contestants on the show.  

Two gay characters found their way onto the sixth season of the show, which had players competing for the top prize with a friend or loved one that they knew outside of the competition. In order to try to revive the popularity of Marcellas from season three, African American fashion stylist Beau Beasley joined the cast. Beau had several run ins with female cast members, but was unable to break down any stereotypes for the gay community.  

His partner Ivette Corredero, however, was an interesting choice for the series as the first openly gay female contestant on any major network show. Ivette won several challenges and made it to the final vote, but lost after pissing almost everyone in the house off with her often racist and derogatory comments to other players. Producers had actually edited out some of the offensive comments she had made toward Muslim contestant Kaysar Ridha because they were so malicious and unnecessary.  

Two bitter ex-boyfriends, Joe Barber and Dustin Erikstrup, were introduced in season eight after a disappointing All-stars season. The queeny couple displayed vicious behavior toward each other and toward the rest of the houseguests, which ultimately lead to their demise.  

For it’Äôs ninth season, it looked as though Big Brother had finally gotten with the times and cast two gay men as potential soul mates. While gay characters in other countries have been hooking up with each other in the house for years, in America, they were often treated as eunuchs with no possible romances available.  

Unfortunately early on, Neil Garcia left the house over undisclosed personal issues and gay porn star James Zinkland seems to be ’Äúgay for pay’Äù only, hooking up with female partner Chelsia Hart. That leaves big-mouthed Joshuah representing an entire community, and he has done so with all of the grace of a serial killer.  

After telling housemate Amanda Hansen that she should slip a noose around her neck like her father, who had committed suicide, had done, he has gone on to have frequent outbursts with other women in the house, resorting to the lowest of lows in name calling. As gross and reprehensible as his behavior has been, however, he is a change from the constant gay doormats that are consistently cast on the show.  

So there you have it: Four criers, two fashion stylists, a receptionist, a salesman, a bigoted lesbian and Joshuah. An appropratie representation of the gay community? Not exactly.