Ray Meagher has been a part of Home and Away since its first on Australian television 36 years ago.
As he portrays the grumpy yet endearing Alf Stewart on the show, he has witnessed the arrival and departure of numerous characters.
But Ray is now joining the chorus of fans who have been calling for more LGBTQIA+ characters to appear in Summer Bay throughout the years.
Ray Meagher calls for more LGBTQIA+ characters
You could be forgiven for believing that Alf Stewart is the only one in Summer Bay pushing for a more diversified cast of characters.
However, Ray Meagher believes Alf deserves better company.
During a recent interview with TV Tonight, the seasoned actor discussed how the show is changing.
He was candid about how the popular show had recently strayed from its roots.
He specifically mentioned the “River Boys” plot, which has dominated the show and strongly influenced its focus on high drama and criminal stories.
That was indeed a wonderful time. Was it, though, Summer Bay? He responds, “Hmmm… not to that extent, in my humble opinion.”
“No community looks like that”
However, he gave some unexpected responses when questioned about the show’s inclusion of LGBTQIA+ characters.
It’s amusing that you ask me that after spending a significant amount of time in Priscilla here as well as in Brisbane, New Zealand, and London—probably a year and a half. A pleasant, “normal”—whatever that term means—homosexual character would be welcome in the Bay. That would be beneficial,” he answered.
He thought about how reflective the program is of society and concluded that there must be more LGBTQIA+ characters in Summer Bay that we haven’t yet seen.
But the question is, how many of them are there in Summer Bay? He pondered.
“In a town like the Bay, there would undoubtedly be a percentage, whether they’re underground or above ground.”
The seasoned actor is certain that the program is missing this element if it is to effectively portray society.
However, I believe that having something similar where a character enters would be excellent. Good morning, buddy. Good morning, as is life. I concur with what you said.
The actor believes that rather than applying band-aid solutions to address a lack of diversity, it is something that needs balance and true representation.
One issue I do have with it is that when you see a big hole, people often tend to say, ‘Oh, ugh, we’ve overlooked that region,’ and then it gets wiped out. You also believe that “no community looks like that.”
Though there has always been a brief presence of LGBTQIA+ representation in Summer Bay, it has never been total.
On the show, characters in same-sex relationships have a limited lifespan; they are frequently written out quickly or heavily.
As of right now, Home and Away does not have a permanent LGBTQIA+ character.
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