Jack Rooke, alumnus of the Journalism BA Honours course, has written an article for The Guardian about the series, which is based on his own university experience and explores the central theme of gay-straight male friendship.
In the article, Jack explains that gay-straight male friendships have often been overlooked in British television, and Big Boys aims to shed a light on how significant these relationships can be not only for men in the LGBTQ+ community but also for those who identify as straight.
He recounts his own experience of attending his first Pride with his straight male best friend in 2013, and whilst Jack felt rather overwhelmed by the event, his friend took the experience in his stride and made an effort to understand the community - and to therefore understand Jack.
Speaking about what he describes as the ‘beautiful protectionism’ which can be found in these kinds of male relationships, Jack said: “There is an alliance, an understanding that some straight people still harbour prejudice – and a recognition that what differentiates us can be celebrated, learned about and enjoyed. There is also often a mutual understanding from the queer community, who grow up trying to bat away the reductive myths of being “normal”, that people who grow up straight are force-fed similar messages and conditioning – which can be just as painful to unpick.”
Commenting on Jack’s success, David Brooks, Alumni Relations Officer (Alumni Experience), said: “It’s great to see the positive reaction to this series, which draws inspiration from Jack’s time studying at Westminster. We’ve enjoyed having Jack back in the past to speak to our students and alumni, and look forward to seeing where the success of this series takes him next.”
Read the full article on The Guardian’s website and watch the full series of Big Boys on All4.
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