Why Do Lesbians Disappear on Television Shows?
It is a fact that lesbian relationships do not last as long as straight relationships on many popular television shows. I have a problem with this for several reasons. Yes, the obvious fact is that there are a lot of straight relationships on television, so where are the lesbian relationships? When there finally is a lesbian relationship, it lasts a couple of episodes and then it ends.
So many closed minded people believe the following statements. ”We are lesbians because we have not found the right man.” ”Anyone who is a lesbian can change and become straight.” ”Lesbians cannot be like heterosexual couples because lesbians lack the ability to be in a committed monogamous relationship.” ”Lesbians are just experimenting.” Or my person favorite, “it is just a phase.” How is Prime time television helping to disprove these statements? Frankly, they are not helping. They are actually really hurting us. They continue to help prove the thoughts of closed minded people everywhere correct.
I will take a recent television lesbian relationship from 90210. The relationship of Adriana and Gia. Their relationship lasted a couple of episodes and big surprise it ended. Their relationship ended because Gia cheated. Proving that lesbians cannot be in committed and monogamous relationships. After the relationship ended Adriana (who was straight before Gia) went back to boys. Proving the rest of the above statements correct. This is just one example among many. There is Ella from Melrose Place, she is bisexual and is never even in a lesbian relationship. To closed minded people Ella looks like she is just experimenting with women until she found the right man for her in Jonah. There are also, Marissa and Alex fromThe O.C. or Alex and Paige from Degrassi: the Next Generation. I have only named a few. I know Degrassi is from Canada but America has made that show our own since it airs on The N. Since I am a lesbian I know all of the above statements are incorrect. However, there are several closed minded homophobes that think otherwise. Television shows are constantly conveying a negative message regarding lesbian relationships. I know there are a select few shows that do display a nice positive lesbian relationship. But, even when a positive relationship does happen one of the people in the couple usually gets killed off. Like, Dr. Weaver’s girlfriend Sandy in E.R. or Willow’s girlfriend Tara in Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
I am not saying that lesbians are saints. Yes we have our share of problems hence the saying “dyke drama”. But, we are still no different than are heterosexual counterparts. The only difference is our representation in television. Straight couples on television fight and yes sometimes they break up, but a lot of the time they prevail. When a lesbian relationship ends the lesbian guest star disappears and we never see anymore of the relationship that was once there. The star of the show then usually goes back to being a straight lady and in essence she is a disappearing lesbian as well.
The only way a lesbian gets to stick around is if it is a show entirely dedicated to lesbians. Like, The L Word or South of Nowhere. There is the rare exception like Buffy the Vampire Slayer. But, I would just once like to see a true lesbian, one that is not experimenting, one who is a gold star (I might be willing to settle), one who stays a lesbian even after her relationship ends or one where a lesbian does not get killed off. Or one where the successful lesbian relationship does not get written off the show, i.e. All My Children with Bianca and Reese.
Thank you England for Naomi and Emily on Skins. Maybe American television can take a lesson from you. Your country did not implode when you aired material with lesbians. I am begging you television executives please remember your lesbian viewers, we watch television just like the straight people. Please quit toying with our emotions and teasing us with a possible lesbian storyline. We are not here to improve your ratings during sweeps week! Maybe stop showing so much violence towards women and start showing some true lesbians and lesbian relationships. I do not think it is too much to ask!
Tags: 90210, All My Children, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Degrassi: the Next Generation, E.R., entertainment, lesbian relationships, lesbian relationships on television, lesbians, lesbians on television, Melrose Place, Skins, television shows, The O.C.
