Paris Barclay is “Glee”-full About the Future of Gay Visibility

While you might not know the name Paris Barclay, you almost certainly know his work as a director, especially if the show has been on for more than one season. Barclay has directed episodes for In Treatment, Glee, Weeds, Will & Grace, and The West Wing just to name a small fraction of his output. And Glee fans should note that Barclay directed “Wheels,” one of last season’s most popular episodes.

For his efforts, Barclay has won both Emmys and Directors Guild Awards and been nominated a slew of times. He’s also very much an advocate for GLBT visibility, especially for people of color who are still sorely under-represented at almost every level of Hollywood. Indeed, it was after attending a Television Critics Association panel on diversity in television that AfterElton.com had the chance to catch up with Barclay on his wide ranging career, his thoughts on where GLBT visibility stands and how much he likes the word “husband.”

AfterElton.com: What grade would you give gay visibility on television at this point?
Paris Barclay: A B+.

AE: What do you think is lacking, and when do you think we might see that?
PB: More gay people of color. I'd like to see more romance in those relationships. A lot of them are either single or struggling. Brothers & Sisters is sort of the exception, but even poor Kurt on Glee. I'm hoping that he will find true love — or at least true like!

AE: Are you directing on it?
PB: I am! I start next Wednesday.

Glee star Cory Monteith and and Barclay at the DGA Awards in January

AE: I was talking to Chris Colfer the other day and he was, "Like, we'll see something..."
PB: I would hope that he would find true love. What else? The diversity question is a big one in my mind. I think more could be done there. Maybe people think it's a two strike situation if you have someone who is gay and African-American or Asian or Latino, it's just overwhelming. I think more could be done there.

What else? I'd like to see more lesbians. I love the lesbians. I'd like to see more diverse lesbians. I think there's a lot of drama, certainly in the lesbians I know and their lives, that I'm not seeing on television. I think it would be interesting. Except maybe for The Wire, I've yet to see a lesbian police officer, and every female police officer I know is a lesbian.