from Daily Variety

With gay bashing in Spanish-language media a growing concern, broadcaster Televisa is heeding a call for fair representations of gays and lesbians.

The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation recently held a conclave in Mexico City with Televisa, which according to Monica Taher --- GLAAD's people of color media director --- accounts for 80% of the Spanish-language programming aired in the U.S.

The summit occurred a year after a similar meeting with Univision and represents a growing willingness on the part of Spanish-lingo media to improve gay and lesbian representations and avoid stereotypes. Since Televisa is broadcast to all parts of the Spanish-speaking world, the dialogue marks a unique opportunity for the U.S. lobbying group to affect widespread change.

Televisa's and Univision's willingness to come to the table reflects a growing acceptance of gays in the Latin American community, Taher says. "We are somebody's niece, somebody's daughter, somebody's cousin. We're very visible and it's a reality that they can not deny or hide anymore."

One of the issues that GLAAD points out at these meetings is the purchasing power of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender audience. "We know that there are many companies that are not only after those 'pink dollars' but they also want to be able to say, we are not a homophobic company," says Taher.

Despite GLAAD's travels to Mexico, the organization is currently protesting alleged gay-bashing much closer to home.

GLAAD alleges that "Jose Luis sin censura" and "El Show de Maria Laria," a pair of shows filmed in Burbank by Liberman Broadcasting, allow audience members to berate and even physically attack gay panelists. "Maria Laria" has stopped filming, but GLAAD says Liberman continues to run offensive repeats.

Though Liberman initially met with GLAAD and promised to curb name-calling and violence on the air, the alliance says that the attacks have worsened in recent months and talks have broken off.

Subsequent to GLAAD's protest of the show, KFC, Chevrolet and Nissan pulled advertising. Liberman reps would not comment.

"If you talk to a Liberman executive," says Taher, "they think, 'Oh, well, this is Spanish-language media, it is common to say the word faggot, it's OK to say dyke.' It's not OK."