Of course we can find cute heterosexuals flaunting their sexuality everywhere we turn on television. Passionate kissing with some removal of clothing is considered just a warm-up on daytime soaps. They even show straight couples making out during commercials.

But the idea of showing two gay male characters engaged in a lip lock and slipping a little tongue to each other, let alone going further than that, has never been seen on the good old US of A's little screen.

Until now.

Thanks to ShowTime and the producers of "Queer As Folk," American's can now feast their eyes on some gay characters that not only kiss -- but actually have sex with each other! Now that's what I call progress. And lest you get the wrong idea, the show only shows a few derrieres along with some good groping and smooching.

The ShowTime series, currently half way through its first year out of a three year run, is based on a series of the same name that aired in Britain. For those who have seen the British series, the Yank's version is less dark and moody. It also incorporates more humor. The Americans also talk a lot more than their British counterparts did (but then isn't that true in real life as well?) and the supporting characters are more fully developed.

The show revolves around a small circle of gay friends in Pittsburgh (on a personal note, I've been to Pittsburgh -- and this ain't the Pittsburgh I partied in!). They tend to be young (ranging in age from 17 to early 30s), obsessed with sexual conquest, and out shaking their "groove thangs" at the bars almost every night of the week. In short, they are a very small subsection of the gay male culture in America.

I know that these characters have drawn criticism from some because they are too "stereotypical" and not representative of the entire gay community. To which I have to reply -- too bad! Get over it!

Are there some guys in the homo-culture who's whole lives revolve around the bars? You betcha! Do a lot of gay males (or should I just say males in general?) in America spend a lot of time trying to get laid? You betcha!

Granted, these characters are no more representative of the entire gay male culture than "Rhoda" was representative of Jewish culture, "Dallas" was representative of southern culture, or "The Jefferson's" represented African-American culture. Let's face it: no one show can represent an entire diverse and eclectic community.

It is the issues that the characters deal with that are more important than the actual characterizations themselves. The 17 year-old, for example, is in the throes of "coming out." His parents struggle to accept him. He gets taunted at school. He develops crushes on guys who are too old for him. He's trying to figure out where his life is going.

Another character has fathered a child with a lesbian couple, who are trying to get society to view them as a family.

A couple of the characters struggle with the issue of how "out" to be at work -- and in their families.

And other characters walk the fine line between wanting to be friends with someone -- but also being sexually attracted to that friend as well.

Are the characters a bit stereotypical? Yes. Is Queer as Folk great television? No. It is not going to go down in history as the "Roots" of the gay community. But are the issues they deal with real-to-life for most queer Americans? Hell yes! And finally they are being explored on television! This series isn't about "gay rights" its about gay lives.

Some homo-challenged (a.k.a "straight") reviewers have derided the show as a mere soap opera. They fail to see it as the significant event that it is within the queer community -- because it is OUR soap opera.

It's about time that television showed gay lives at their glorious, loving, messy, and yes, sexy best! And for that "Queer As Folk" is truly ground-breaking. Where else can American's view queer issues tackled?