John Barrowman: ‘Torchwood’s Jack isn’t a gay stereotype’
Torchwood star John Barrowman says his character Captain Jack Harkness is not a gay stereotype.
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, the gay actor said he doesn’t see the character’s “omnisexuality” as an issue.
He said: “I don’t see who I am or the life I lead as being an issue, so therefore it’s completely normal and natural to me. I know some people still raise it as an issue. I don’t think it’s a big deal but I know there are people out there who don’t have voices who don’t feel like they’re being represented on television.
“If you look at television right now, America has the most gay characters on television in any country but what I don’t agree with is that a lot of them are all stereotypes. What I love about Jack is that he’s not a stereotype. Jack is omnisexual, but people who watch this series will think he’s completely gay because he only has sex with men.”
Barrowman added: “I remember when I kissed the Doctor in Doctor Who it didn’t even make the headlines, nobody even bothered about it. But it was only when Jack had his own spin off show and he was saying that he was omnisexual and that he would have sex with anything with a postcode that people started going ‘ooh’.”
Last week, the star criticised BBC bosses for toning down a gay sex scene in the new series.
He told the Sun: “It’s not gratuitous sex, it facilitates the story.”
