In the world of television ratings, gays have become a force to be reckoned with.

The recent glut of gay-themed programs, from Bravo's Queer Eye for the Straight Guy and Boy Meets Boy, to NBC's long-standing program Will and Grace, has brought homosexual issues into mainstream television for public debate.

In Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, five gay men make over a straight man and teach him about fashion, grooming, food, wine, culture and interior design. The show became a late-summer hit for the cable TV channel.

In Boy Meets Boy, a gay man narrows down a pool of 15 men and chooses one to become his partner. The "catch" is some contestants are secretly straight.

Sara Ryan, co-president of Allies, said the shows are generally positive of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, but they promote certain stereotypes as well.

Ryan said they show gay men as flamboyant, feminine and always fashionable, which isn't an accurate depiction of all gay men.

"Even in Will and Grace, the one character Will, who is the less stereotypically gay, is still extremely good-looking and has good fashion," Ryan said.

But Matt Welshans (junior-meteorology) didn't find Queer Eye for the Straight Guy to portray the gay men as feminine. He found that the show still portrays the men as well-dressed and able to cook and clean.

"I'm pretty much an atypical gay person," Welshans said. "I don't cook. I don't dress too fashionably."

Many students believe the shows could provide a new outlet for communication and acceptance of issues that gays often face, like discrimination and stereotyping.

"The shows are a big step that our society has made," Ryan said. "People who don't support LGBT civil rights are still watching Queer Eye."

Morgan Masterman (sophomore-elementary education) said the shows are a good learning tool for those not familiar with the gay population.

"It opens up for other people to learn things about the community," Masterman said.

Ashley Rhodes (senior-theatre) said she loves Queer Eye and has a lot of firsthand experience with the gay community.

"I went to art school before [Penn State] and I have a large group of gay friends," Rhodes said. "From a heterosexual point of view I don't think it's bad. It's intended to be humorous and shows a positive stereotype."

Craig Logan (sophomore-business) said he doesn't think Queer Eye for the Straight Guy shows negative stereotypes about gays but wouldn't want to be made over by five gay men.

"I feel that I wouldn't even want straight guys to make me over. I like doing things on my own," Logan said.

Steven Sulzer (senior-telecommunications) said the show portrays gay men as hairdressers.

"Do I really want to look like a sitcom clone or the stars with tight pants that haven't been worn since the '70s?" Sulzer said. "I do my own individual thing where I look like a freak 99 percent of the time."

Ryan said she hopes the future of television introduces LGBT personalities without their sexual orientation being the main theme.

"We need to realize sexuality of gays is just one aspect of the person," Ryan said.