The Simpsons Season 8 episode "Homer's Phobia" is one of the series' most acclaimed outings, winning an Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming One Hour or Less) in 1997. However, this episode almost didn't make it to air, as Fox censors reportedly objected to the show's exploration of gay relationships.
"Homer's Phobia" sees Homer attempting to distance himself from the family's new friend John (portrayed by guest star and legendary cult director John Waters) because he is gay. Homer then tries to pressure his son into becoming more heteronormative and masculine after he spots Bart wearing Hawaiian shirts and a wig. This episode culminates in John eventually saving Homer and Bart by using a Japanese Santa Claus robot to ward off angry reindeer, who were provoked by Homer during an ill-fated hunting trip. At the end of the episode Homer begins to accept John, while telling Bart that he accepts him regardless of his orientation, surprising his son.
According to showrunner Bill Oakley, "every single thing in the episode that had to do with being gay or the word ‘gay'" received pages of critiques from the network's censors. This was unusual for the program, as The Simpsons' writers usually received sparse feedback from their censors. The feedback ended with a page featuring the line, "The entire subject and content of this episode is unacceptable for air."
Instead of taking the censor's advice, Oakley and fellow showrunner Josh Weinstein decided to take a risk and produce the episode anyway. In 1996, Fox's network president John Matoian left for HBO, which led Oakley and Weinstein to believe that the program got a new censor. By the time the animation was sent in for approval, the episode was cleared for broadcast.
LGBTQ rights have come along way since that that Simpsons episode was first in development. According to a 1996 Gallup Poll, only 42 percent of Americans believed that same-sex relations between consenting adults should be legal. Support for gay marriage was even more rare, as it received support from only 27 percent of respondents. Representation of LGBTQ characters in media — especially in animated television — was even more infrequent. The Simpsons had previously hinted that characters such as Waylon Smithers were gay, but he remained closeted for much of the series' run.
"Homer's Phobia" was a landmark for LGBTQ representation in media. The episode was not only one of the first animated series to deal with same-sex relationships, it also handled the topic in a positive manner. The Simpsons used its iconic humor to skewer homophobia, heteronormativity and common misconceptions about gay people. Waters, who is gay, praised the episode, explaining, "I’ve always said the only way to change anyone’s opinion is to make him laugh first."
The Simpsons would go on to expand its representation of LGBTQ characters during its subsequent years. Marge's sister Patty Bouvier would come out as lesbian in the Season 16's "There's Something About Marrying," while Smithers finally came out in the Season 27's "The Burns Cage." Although the presence of LGBTQ characters in animated television still has a long way to go, landmark episodes such as "Homer's Phobia" helped pave the way for their representation.
The Simpsons was created by Matt Groening, and stars Dan Castellaneta, Nancy Cartwright, Harry Shearer, Julie Kavner, Yeardley Smith and Hank Azaria. New episodes air Sunday at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Fox.