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“Tough Love,” a new non-gay series released by Black & Sexy TV, reveals what’s been missing from Black Gay Web Series for all these years.

To be honest, besides being well made, there’s nothing very original about this series by Caleb Davis and Roni Simpson. Check out the official synopsis:

“A Web Series about Six millennials experiencing the struggles of life, relationships and love in NYC.”

Yo, it’s like they didn’t even try. I could throw a rock out of any random brownstone in Brooklyn and hit a random film crew filming a series/movie with the exact same plot.

I’m actually not even mad at it, though. Why reinvent the wheel if the goal is to just tell everyday stories about everyday people in relationships?

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Personally, I’m a little bored with Black content creators sticking to the tried & true “relationship drama” stories. But these web series are popular for a reason: People like to see characters and situations that they can identify with.

It’s that simple. And while watching “Tough Love” I realized that is what has been missing from Black Gay Web Series.

From “About Him” to “Freefall” to “Triangle,” most gay web series lack any depiction of normality. Everyday life.

Every gay story seems to be about Sex, Late Night Hookups, Melodrama, Drug Use, More Sex, Shade and Random Reasons For The Actors To Get Naked.

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Not only are Black Gay Web Series not interested in normal life, they perpetuate the misguided narrative that gay men are sexual deviants. True, some gay men are obsessed with sex, just like most men in general, but web series like those created by Black & Sexy TV show life beyond just “getting a nut.”

Check out the trailer for “Tough Love”:

Now watch the trailer for “About Him,” the current most popular Black Gay Web Series:

See the difference? Both series are about sex and relationships. But one shows the real life challenges that come with maintaining healthy (or unhealthy) sexual lives as young adults…the other shows what it would be like to get a blow job from your older brother’s best friend while he’s in the very next room.

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The recent success of the feature film “Moonlight” should be a sign to Black Gay Filmmakers that they do not have to resort to softcore porn to get viewers and fans.Across the board, people have said they loved “Moonlight” because they can relate to the character of Chiron in so many different ways. A lot of fans have said they loved the third act the most, which just features men on a date, no sex at all.

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And that film was made by a heterosexual man. Gay men should be telling our authentic stories. This is no different than a White Director making Black films, while acceptable, it would be nice to see a Black Filmmaker at the helm. Without the need to resort to porn.

Question to Black Gay Filmmakers: Which honor would they prefer? An Academy Award Nomination…or most viewed Myvidster Video? The latter, it would seem.

Shows like “Tough Love” have their fair share of eye candy and sex scenes, but they are earned with strong character development and motivations. We’re not just waiting to see the next sex scene or when the actors will get naked. We’re waiting to see how they maneuver through everyday life.

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That is what’s missing from our Black Gay Web Series: Everyday life. Relatable Characters and Situations. Engaging Drama not Melodrama. Romance not Foreplay. Authenticity not Pornography.

Watch the full length episodes of “Tough Love” via Black & Sexy TV HERE.

“TOUGH LOVE” SCREENSHOTS

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