Peter Paige: 'The Fosters Is Far More Subversive in Its Very Normalcy'

Pictured: The Fosters' Gregg Gugliotta, Bradley Bredeweg, Joanna Johnson & Peter Paige | Photo by Danielle Levitt

You probably remember Peter Paige fondly from his iconic role as Emmett Honeycutt on Showtime's Queer as Folk. Since the show ended its run in 2005, Paige has gone to act in, write, produce, and direct a myriad of other projects. His latest one is The Fosters, an ABC Family program about an interracial lesbian couple who are married and raising children together, both biological and adopted.

While Queer as Folk pushed boundaries, both in its American and British versions, Paige thinks that The Fosters is more subversive the show-runner tells Gay Star News:

"I was part of Queer as Folk as an actor which was so in your face and kind of openly defiant like, "We're gay, get over it. What I think is kind of incredible about that is that in many ways The Fosters is far more subversive in its very normalcy... I think it's far more threatening for people to see this family that by all accounts looks and feels like every other family. I'm proud of that."

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The show, which Paige created alongside Bradley Bredeweg, has picked up both a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Drama Series and a Teen Choice Award for Choice Breakout Television Show.

"I'm proud of the complexity and dexterity with which LGBT characters are handled these days," Paige said. "We've come a long way. We can always do more, we can always do better but we've come a long, long way."

"It's a beautiful thing to know that people are embracing this family as much as we had hoped and loving this family as much as we love them," said Bredeweg. "I love the fact that we're a show about two people in love and creating a multi-cultural family -- that's really what the show's about."

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