Daisy Santana

                  When thinking about media examples that have an LGBTQ character and depicts same-sex relationships, one example automatically came to mind. It might be because I am currently invested in this series, but “Shameless” is a popular television show that includes a same-sex relationship. In the show, Ian Gallagher is one of six Gallagher children. His partner, Mickey Milkovich is the tough older brother of Ian’s friend Mandy. Although there are numerous examples in the media, Mickey and Ian’s relationship is unlike any other television relationship I am familiar with. 
                  Created by Paul Abbot, “Shameless” is the remake of a British television show, also titled “Shameless,” that follows a family of six children and their alcoholic father. The Gallagher family lives in the South Side of Chicago, Illinois and is often put in challenging situations that they overcome by sticking together, well for the most part. The producers of the show are Michael Hissrich and Terri Murphy. “Shameless” episodes premiere on Showtime and are then distributed to online services such as Netflix, Hulu and Showtime on Demand. There are currently seven seasons of  “Shameless.” The series was renewed for an eighth season last year (IMDB, 2017).
No Shame
                  With a recent up rise in popularity for the television series, I had been recommended by multiple people to watch the show. At first I was unimpressed, but like most shows I had to continue watching to see what the hype was all about. Around the fourth episode of season one I became obsessed. I enjoy the diversity, drama and comedy in the show.
                  “Shameless” brings real-life drama and experiences to the screen that most shows don’t highlight. For example, the alcoholic father who basically terrorizes the family or Fiona, the older sister who raises the rest of the children.
From the shows I have watched that include same-sex relationships, Mickey and Ian’s relationship depicts aspects of any relationship, same-sex or not, that has ups and downs. Their relationship is confusing, but what relationship isn’t. Since I have not watched all of the available seasons, this critical critique of Mickey and Ian will be based on what I have seen of their relationship.
Mickey and Ian
                  At first, one may not see a connection between Ian and Mickey. It is not until Ian is caught masturbating to gay porn that the audience finds out he is gay. Even then it is not a big coming out story. Some of his family members know and others are not surprised when they find out. His family is very accepting of his situation and do not make a big deal about it. It is understandable as to why he kept it a secret because of stereotypes that surround gay males. We have read in “The Handbook of Gender, Sex, and Media” that the pressure males feel from masculine stereotypes play a huge role in the lives of men, gay or not. Ian keeping his sexuality a secret for the time being is common. People do not feel comfortable sharing their sexuality with others, even family, with the fear of being judged or treated differently.
 Once Ian is “out,” he is shown hooking up with a co-worker, Kash, who is portrayed as a married heterosexual male. Just like Ian, Kash hides the fact that he is interested in men is from everyone, including his wife. It is not until his wife finds them together where she acknowledges their relationship, bringing to light that Ian and Kash must stop what they are doing.
At one point in the show, Mickey and Ian’s relationship sparks when they hook up. I know I was not the only one who was shocked. Shocked because throughout the show until this point, Mickey was sleeping with girls and depicts a “man’s man.” Mickey comes from a tough badass family with a father that is abusive and alcoholic. Mickey embodies the typical male stereotypes of being rough, jagged and dominant (Ross, 2014).
Ian and Mickey’s relationship only continues to be complicated since Mickey’s father does not agree with the fact that his son is gay. Even when Mickey officially comes out, his father still disapproves. The act of Mickey finally stating out loud his sexuality, one can feel the reassurance in Ian and Mickey’s relationship. This aspect of their relationship is a stereotypical in some ways. They were both secretive about their sexuality, their families handled the situations differently and Ian and Mickey handle their sexuality differently.
Not Your Usual Relationship
During the show, Ian struggles with bipolar disorder. This situation is scary for both Ian and Mickey because Ian is not acting like his true self. Their relationship was tested in many ways and most would not expect Mickey to react the way he did. Mickey was extremely protective over Ian and his health. He did not trust anyone, not even Ian’s family, to take care of Ian. So, he took matter in to his own hands. This bump in their relationship cancelled out a lot of stereotypes that there are regarding same-sex relationships. Mickey surprised a lot of people because his “macho man” mentality flew out the window and viewers witnessed a protective emotional side they had never seen before.
                  Being described as “a horrifyingly violent young thug who was as likely to punch Ian as he was to kiss him” (Robinson, 2014), Mickey brought aspects of gay men that people fail to correlate with the stereotypical gay male. Gay men are always seen as feminine and fragile, and Mickey is an example of how that stereotype is wrong. Ian, at times, proves the stereotype wrong by being just as tough and manly as Mickey. The two are often rough housing and fist fighting, both putting up a good fight.
Conclusion
                  Overall, Mickey and Ian’s relationship proves to be different than the rest. Throughout their relationship, they deal with situations that bring out their inner selves and make viewers question their relationship. The show does an amazing job of depicting a same-sex relationship that is anything but stereotypical. Through Ian’s coming out story and Mickey’s challenging relationship with how his father deals with his sexuality, the two share a love story that highlights the differences same-sex relationships offer when compared to stereotypes.
 
References
Robinson, J. (2014, March 31). The best-written gay couple on television is hiding on a guilty-pleasure show. Retrieved April 11, 2017, from http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2014/03/best-written-gay-couple-on-shameless
 
Ross, K. (2014). The Handbook of Gender, Sex, and Media. Chichester: Wiley Blackwell.
 
Shameless (TV Series 2011-). (n.d). Retrieved April 10, 2017, from http://www.imdb.com/title/t1586680/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt
 

Note on Author

Daisy Santana is a fourth year at San Diego State University studying media studies and international studies. Originally from Bakersfield, California, Daisy gladly made the move to Southern California away from the heat. For her international studies minor, Daisy plans to study abroad in Belgium for the Fall 2017 semester. During her time abroad, Daisy will be researching the social media usage of college students in Belgium compared to those in the United States. When she’s not at school or work, she spends her time browsing social media timelines and catching up on anything pop culture related. She’s obsessed with social media, music playlists, and basically anything that involves food. During the school year she is a co-host of a pop culture based radio show on KCR College Radio, “22 and Not Pregnant: Reality with Tony and Daisy.” Find Daisy on Twitter at @daydaay 
 

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