Dr. Silverscreen, a film columnist for the Lesbian and Gay News Telegraph, discusses the portrayal of gay characters in mainstream American movies. He highlights the historical censorship that excluded gay themes and the persistent stereotypes, such as effeminate men or violent, depraved characters. He notes that gay characters are often invisible or depicted in stereotypical ways, similar to historical portrayals of black people. Positive depictions are rare, with films like "The Boys in the Band" and "Torch Song Trilogy" being exceptions. Dr. Silverscreen believes that change will come slowly, as it did for black representation in films, and suggests that independent and foreign films offer more realistic portrayals.