The real offense here was in the producer's decision to add insult to injury by turning a contestant's gender expression into the butt of a joke.

This is a shocking misrepresentation of reality and of the audience watching these programs.

Gays and lesbians have compelling stories to tell. And I believe the vast majority of people are open to hearing those stories.

If you're looking at network television to see a good cross-section of our community, you're not going to find it. What you will find is primarily gay white males.

This character really does create an interesting and complex story that isn't often told. What it does, in an unconventional way, is tackle the subject of homophobia.

GLAAD is reaching out to the show's producers to discuss our concerns and the concerns of community members and allies who have contacted us about this matter.

These representations on reality television have really broadened people's perceptions of gays and lesbians.

What it really points to is the rural gay experience. When you look at television and film, it often seems like being gay is a big-city experience. But it's an international experience, no matter where you live.