11 Shocking Gay Reality TV Moments

In modern reality television’s 16 years on cable and eight years on network, the genre has given television more (and often better) gay portrayals than scripted programming. Whether part of competitions in artificial contexts or fly-on-the-wall footage of real people's lives, reality TV has offered moments so unexpected that viewers might not have believed them if they occurred on a drama or sitcom.

With the fall television season now underway and reality shows bound to create more such moments – Dancing with the Stars has Lance Bass and Survivor has a gay contestant once again, among others – now's a good time to look back at some of the more memorable moments, ranging from progressive portrayals to cringe-inducing scenes.

11. Lance Loud takes his mother to a drag show on An American Family
If An American Family aired in 2008, it likely wouldn’t register with the same impact it had in 1973 since the private lives of real people are now exposed virtually every day on television. But when this documentary series first aired on public television, reality TV didn't exist as such. Adding to the novelty and the shock of Lance Loud’s unashamed self-exposure, he was the first openly gay real person on TV (and for additional perspective, only two earlier scripted shows had featured minor gay characters). For many Americans, Loud became the first gay person they had encountered, and he gave viewers something to talk about, from his lipstick and cross-dressing to the way he introduced his mother to New York City's gay scene.

The Loud Family (Pat is front center and Lance far left)

Why it's shocking: Lance Loud profoundly stunned the world by being himself – and opened television's doors to real gay people.

Lance Loud

10. Simon Cowell tells Ryan Seacrest to come out on American Idol
American Idol, the United States' most-watched television show for several years now, has never had an openly gay contestant in seven seasons, yet regularly features gay-themed taunting that one might expect to find in a middle school cafeteria, which perhaps explains the former. The competition's host and judge routinely accuse one another of being gay or effeminate, such as during the sixth season when self-proclaimed metrosexual Ryan Seacrest told Simon Cowell, "Stay out of my closet" and Simon replied, "Come out." Ryan came back with, "This is about the top 12 [contestants], not your wishes."

Ryan Seacrest (left) and Simon Cowell

Photo credit: Gregg DeGuire/WireImage

Why it's shocking: Their interaction, years after Fox reportedly told them to tone down such humor, was shocking mostly because two such prominent adults still think gay-baiting is entertaining. At the time, Seacrest told Entertainment Weekly their behavior was about their desire to "break stereotypes," but they continue to play to them to this day.