A future without homophobia? Gay men and personal responsibility in the Chilean telenovela Casa de Muñecos

Abstract

The inclusion of four gay characters in the telenovela Casa de Muñecos (2018-9) was an event that, until then, had not taken place in any other Chilean telenovela. Through a qualitative textual analysis of these figures, this article argues that the programme has strengthened a neoliberal discourse of personal responsibility that makes gay men not only accountable for their own well-being but also for the well-being of others, as they are singled out as responsible for making the ‘right’ decisions that will contribute to the process of articulating a non-homophobic future in the country.