Tag Archives: Lesbian TV Show

Ellen DeGeneres Will Celebrate 20th Anniversary Of Landmark Coming Out Episode With Cast Reunion

Ellen DeGeneres will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of her coming out on the Ellen Show with a reunion with the cast (including guest star Oprah and Laura Dern).

The hour-long episode will air Friday, April 28 with series regulars Laura Dern, Joely Fisher, Clea Lewis and David Anthony Higgins all joining Ellen to reminisce and recount how important the moment was and still is.

In the episode, titled, The Puppy Episode, Ellen’s onscreen persona leaned across an airport PA system and announced to the world, “I’m gay.”

It is worth remembering that this moment happened just a couple weeks after DeGeneres herself came out publicly in real life. This of course happened on the historic Time magazine cover that showcased a simple yet powerful headline, “Yep, I’m Gay,” on April 14, 1997.

Ellen’s courageous decision to live openly and honestly – both on- and off-screen – was truly historic.

Make sure to tune in for the episode!

‘Black Sails’ Is the Queerest, Most Progressive Show On TV (Also, Pirates)

What is the queerest show on TV right now? Is it lesbian Latina sitcom One Day at a Time? Or Ellen? Or the Kristen Stewart episode of Saturday Night Live?

Nope, it’s Michael Bay’s queer feminist pirate drama Black Sails.

Yes, you read that right. And yes, that’s Transformers’ Michael Bay.

You have a right to be skeptical. Unlike Transparent or Orange is the New Black, Black Sails has not won any awards for its LGBT activism. But it should. The show explores – not exploits – lesbian, gay and polyamorous relationships exploits. The show doesn’t play the relationships for shock value but delves into them with utmost care. Let’s look at a few more in-depth.

(For the sake of spoilers, I won’t use names.)

The protagonists are lesbians.

Lesbian relationships abound. From the very first episode, two of the show’s main characters – one of whom is a sex worker, the other a defiant entrepreneur – are shown in a lesbian relationship.

As the show progresses, the relationship dissolves and evolves, but it’s never played as a cheap trick or queerbaiting. The women are fully human, and they are fully in love with each other (but they love themselves more).

Sex is used as empowerment.

One of the characters, a sex worker, doesn’t just use her body for manipulation. A devious, scheming woman who seduces men in order to control them is an old trope, but this character is different.

Even though other characters have used sex to control her, she uses it in order to heal others and reclaim control of her own body. She later becomes the madam of a brothel, where she treats women fairly.

Polyamory is a dynamic and valid relationship structure.

A man (we’ll call him Captain Mouth) discovers that his longtime lover (Captain Hat) is having an affair with the woman above. Instead of getting angry, he says, “Just come back to bed when you’re done.” At some point, he even has a threesome with his lover and her girlfriend.

Love doesn’t need labels.

Come to think of it, this show is big on threesome couples. The show’s most dangerous character is a hardened criminal who killed his boss to steal his wife; now he keeps that wife captive on a tiny island in the Bahamas.

Except, that’s not what happened.

The actual events are much more scandalous: The criminal and his boss fell in love, and although the criminal and the wife had a brief fling (condoned by the boss), the criminal and his boss are the show’s true love story. That doesn’t mean the boss neglected his wife – rather, all three of them shared a secret and satisfying relationship.

A word of caution:

Don’t get me wrong, this show is far from perfect. It depicts brutal violence, sexual assault, slavery and plenty of bad haircuts. Also, pirates.

But this show is a queer landmark for its ability to bend and transcend gender roles and monogamous heterosexuality. If you’re looking for an honest, thoughtful exploration of sexuality, then watch Pirates next.

Creator Of ‘Last Tango in Halifax’ Says She Made A Mistake By Killing Off Lesbian Character

It was a sad day when BBC drama Last Tango In Halifax killed off heavily pregnant Kate (Nina Sosanya) in a car crash last year, just after finally marrying partner Caroline.

At the time, the show’s writer Sally Wainwright said that it was a ‘myth’ that lesbians always get killed off and that “people get killed off all the time”.

Wainwright also explained that it was a “narrative” decision, which caused further backlash from the show’s fans as they didn’t feel like Kate’s death added anything to the plot.

Many criticised the trend of killing off lesbians on TV – known mockingly as ‘Dead Lesbian Syndrome’ – the running joke in the queer female community is that if there’s a lesbian in a show, you can almost guarantee that she’ll be offed by the end of the season.

Wainwright said:

It was a shock. I didn’t realise how attached the audience had become to that relationship and to those two characters.

Of the criticism, she said: “I found it hard and I regretted it. I do think I made a mistake. I wished I had found a better story.”

Davies said:

It might be one of my least favourite things that you ever wrote, partly because it was off-stage… I think you were trying to make the point that death is random and off-stage, but it had the effect of it being an off-stage death.

It’s really unfortunate that you walked slightly into the world of those lesbian deaths, that extraordinary numbers of lesbian characters end up being killed off.

What people miss is that Caroline is alive and the heart of the drama and she’s a lesbian as well, but it’s tough getting criticism.”

He added:

You know, I could have told you that you were going to have that flack! [When I found out] you were doing that story… I gasped! Because I know the gays quite well, I thought ‘oh my god that’s going to be trouble!’

I’m kicking myself [for not warning you].”

Wainwright added:

I was on the cusp and wasn’t sure if it was the right thing to do. You worry afterwards if you could have worked harder or if it was a lazy choice because those were the criticisms.”

The fourth season of the show is expected to air later this year, so look out for more Last Tango In Halifax then.

The 12 Cutest Fictional Queer Female Couples

Admit it: When you see an adorable queer couple in a TV show, you feel a little bit of extra love for that show. Sometimes, we end up watching these shows just for the OTP we see – and it’s because they speak to what we want out of our own relationships. Whether they remind us of the relationships we want or the relationships we’re actually in, these couples really hit the nail on the head.

(Note: There may be spoilers within, so if you haven’t seen the movie or show that the couple is in, be warned.)

Which is your favorite? Do you have more to add? Don’t forget to comment and let us know!

Adele and Emma (Blue is the Warmest Color)

This is one of the biggest lesbian movies to come out in the past few years, and it’s not hard to see why so many people identify with this movie. Not only is it a believable lesbian love story, but it also intertwines the feelings involved with being a young adult – brilliantly portrayed in an artsy way that will send feelings of nostalgia to pretty much anyone. Although the movie has been criticized for the use of artificial vaginas in the sex scenes, what’s more important here – a realistic story, or actual sex? We’d prefer the first, thank you!

Betty and Helen (Masters of Sex)

However you might feel about the whole “marriage of convenience” idea, this movie – like Carol – deals with the difficulties of same-sex relationships in the middle of the last century. At the end, they end up coming out in the open anyway, and you can’t help but say “aww” as their relationship blossoms into something else. (Plus, who hasn’t wanted to see Sarah Silverman as a lesbian?)

Brittany and Santana (Glee)

These two opened the door for those who might be afraid to come out because of their social status in school – how often do you hear about lesbian cheerleaders?! (Porn excluded, of course.) These two shared a love that covered a whole range of emotions, and they even helped to bring a non-sexualized view of lesbian relationships to mainstream media – with these two being the most prominent example of a lesbian couple that isn’t just targeted at lesbians. (Although we probably love them just a little more.)

Carol and Therese (Carol)

Personally, I love historical looks at lesbian life, and these two are a great example of what lesbian life looked like in the ‘50s – including all the secrets, all the hiding, and all the complications involved. What’s even more impactful is that there are still so many people who are wrapped up in similar situations, even with the world’s “more liberal” leanings. Everything these two went through was so heartbreaking, not only for the pain they felt, but because it serves as a reminder that we really haven’t made that much progress in the last 60 years.

(*Note – We have made a lot of progress, in general, but there’s still so much more to be done.)

Dana and Alice (The L Word)

Maybe it’s just the sexual tension that was building up for so long by the time they actually got together, but Dana and Alice were definitely one of the cutest couples on The L Word. We were rooting for them from the start, and then when they finally became an item, it’s like all our cute little romantic prayers were answered.

Delphine and Cosima (Orphan Black)

While their relationship might have been a bit weird at first, it’s always nice to know that your partner knows you inside and out – and, truly, these two have a scientific connection that all of us who don’t live in a sci-fi world will probably never understand. More than that, Delphine represents the straight-girl-crush-turned-true-love that we all kinda wish happened more often.

Jules and Nic (The Kids Are All Right)

While much of this movie is a bit uncomfortable, the way the movie shows the lesbian moms in this movie is raw, believable, and honest – something that we don’t often see. These two will work their way into your heart and ensure that their relationship isn’t one you’ll soon forget. Even if you hate the rest of the movie (as some people do), Jules and Nic are the older lesbian couple we all secretly wish we knew.

Lena and Stef (The Fosters)

Ah, another set of lesbian moms that we all wish we could be – or have! Lena and Stef have their fair share of problems, but that’s what makes them realistic, and it melts our heart the way they manage to balance their “problem kids” with their love for each other. Their relationship could be strained or full of resentment, but it’s not, and we’re grateful for that.

Luce and Rachel (Imagine Me & You)

It’s hard to not love Piper Perabo or Lena Headey by themselves, so the two in a relationship together? Extra loveable, for sure. Not only is this one of those rare tales where the “bi-curious woman” doesn’t end up going back to her man, but they’re also super adorable together, even right from the start. There’s even a pretty believable almost-sex scene, where the ladies have that awkward first-timer sex that most lesbian films pretend is perfect. Hello, the first time is usually not perfect – so kudos to the director for making this one realistic.

Pauline and Victoria (Lost & Delirious)

Ah, boarding school love – one of the dream fantasies of the lesbian community (and also one of the biggest fantasies of the straight male community, but that’s not what we’re talking about here). These two learned about themselves, and each other, and ripped at our heartstrings as they did it. The movie might seem a little dated now, but it’s considered one of the classics of lesbian cinema. Just try to watch it without crying – I dare you!

Shane and Carmen (The L Word)

However you personally feel about Shane, I can pretty much guarantee that you were royally pissed off when she left Carmen just because her dad told her she’d do it eventually – and “might as well be now” or whatever stupid words he actually used. Carmen brought a sense of balance to Shane, and we were really, really hoping they’d end up together. Shame on you, Shane, for throwing away the best thing to ever happen to you. Shame! (It also doesn’t hurt that Carmen was my #1 favorite character from the entire show, but hey… That’s just how things go sometimes.)

Syd and Ali (Transparent)

It’s always a little rough when you are dealing with a character who didn’t come out prior to the start of their same-sex relationship, but season two of Transparent handled it the best way they could – and I, for one, am thankful for that. There might be some who doubt the authenticity of this relationship, but we can’t help but hope that they’ll figure everything out in the end. (Fingers crossed!)

[interaction id=”568fa3a794a522de057902d6″]

13 Queer Female Characters I’d Hate to Hang Out With

Is it just me, or is there some unwritten rule somewhere that queer characters are either loved or hated, and rarely in between? Don’t get me wrong – I always love when there are queer characters in the first place, but some of them make me incredibly disappointed.

Sometimes I wonder – who makes these people up? Some of these characters are so unlikeable that I can’t imagine anyone being friends with them, let alone dating them. To each their own, I guess, but I really don’t understand it.

How many of these characters would you hate to hang out with? Do you have more to add? Let us know in the comments!

1. Shana, Pretty Little Liars

I’m going to let you in on a little secret: I’m a near-obsessive PLL fan. I love their inclusion as a not-bumbling-idiot lesbian character literally as one of the main crew. It’s pretty sad that’s so groundbreaking, but hey – at least I get it somewhere. They’ve included quite a few queer characters already – and even though a few of them have now been killed off or sent away, most of them have been pretty… Normal. It’s so nice to see normal representation that doesn’t feel forced. Hallelujah!

Unfortunately, one of the pretty normal characters is the terrible, terrible Shana. She’s not exactly hate-inducing, for the most part, but she is a manipulative, back-stabbing wench who seriously did some emotional damage.

2. Tori, Lost and Delirious

I haven’t actually seen Lost and Delirious yet (it’s on my list), but every account of Tori makes me not want to like her. She might have her own problems, and in some ways we can all sympathize with having problems – but her character leaves Piper Perabo’s character, and no friend of mine would ever dump Piper Perabo!

3. Jessica, Kissing Jessica Stein

Of course, the idea of girl-meets-girl, girl-kisses-girl, boy-gets-girl-in-the-end automatically aggravates lesbians to no end. I know you can’t help who you fall for, but did you have to fall for him? Jessica’s character sounds a bit like me in some regards, so I’d probably get over my dislike eventually, but my heart would be broken the whole time.

4. Piper, Orange is the New Black

I feel like I’m supposed to want to hang out with Piper, and that’s probably why I wouldn’t want to. She seems like a younger, more homo-naïve version of myself (which is weird, because I’m pretty sure she’s older than I am?) but I can’t get over the fact that she’s just immature about so many things.

5. Kennedy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer

This might be a little unfair, because it’s not Kennedy’s fault that I don’t like her. But she’s not Tara, and we’re pre-programmed to reject anyone who isn’t our favorite character’s OTL. But that doesn’t change the fact that Kenny definitely isn’t Tara, and she’s just distracting Willow from the appropriate mourning process. I mean, hello… She lost the love of her life and you’re just trying to get some? How rude.

6. Marissa Cooper, The O.C.

I can’t stand selfish people, and Marissa is a huge offender in that regard. She’s the pretty embodiment of every worst ex-girlfriend any lesbian has ever had in the history of ever and that would make her off-limits as a friend in my book. I could deal with her sad story if she wasn’t so hung up on herself all the time.

7. Maureen, Rent

At first I thought I was alone in hating Maureen, but it turns out she bugs the hell out of other people, too – as she rightly should. She’s pretty, but she uses her beauty to manipulate and use people. I wouldn’t be able to hang out with her because I just know I’d fall for her charms, and I really can’t be involved with someone like that.

8. Tamsin, My Summer of Love

Anytime someone is toying with someone else’s emotions, it’s an automatic “no” from me. I don’t tolerate my family members who do that, what would make me tolerate it in a friend? Tamsin was such a terrible person, and it really is a shame, because she’s so beautiful – don’t let the beautiful ones be evil!

9. Jenny, The L Word

I must admit: I had a pretty fat crush on Season One Jenny. But as she started to find her success, she let it warp her into this really awful person. She was manipulative, deceitful, narcissistic, cheating, animal abusing troll of a woman. Seriously, what the hell happened – and how do I make sure it never happens to me?!

10. Ashley, South of Nowhere

I feel like I’m alone among SoN fans on this one, but – despite my tremendous attraction for Mandy Musgrave as an actress, I absolutely hated her character. I feel like Spencer could have ended up with better, and as much as I didn’t care for her to be with Aiden, either, Ashley was just so… spoiled, and she felt spoiled, too. Can we have some bisexual ladies who aren’t rich snobs?

11. Ramona, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World

There’s another bisexual character I’m not too terribly pleased with, too: Ramona. While she didn’t exactly do anything too terrible, I think that her dry humor and “let’s not make a big deal out of it” attitude about everything would put me off a bit if I were to try and hang out with her. I think the part of it that’s the worst to me is that I really, really wanted to like her – her crazy hair is fun and exciting… But I think I’d rather be friends with Julie.

12. Tina, The L Word

Call me crazy, but… I was not happy that Bette and Tina ended up together. Tina was a complete troll about the whole Angelica thing, from the very beginning, and I think I would have the hardest time being friends with someone who acted like that. Where the women on the show often ended up hurting one another, Jenny and Tina are the only ones who set out to hurt the people they loved, and that makes me not want to be friends with either one of them.

13. Paige, Degrassi

I had a crush on Alex for a long time, so when they first showed her kissing Paige, I was super happy. But then the more I thought about it, the more I really couldn’t stand Paige. She went crazy, and she totally took advantage of Alex’s love for her. Sure, Alex wasn’t exactly easy to be with, but Paige essentially grew to hate all the things she originally loved about Alex, and that never really sat right with me.

[interaction id=”568fa3a794a522de057902d6″]

15 Times Tumblr Nailed Televisions Rampant Killing Of Lesbians

Three prominent lesbian characters have been killed on three beloved TV shows over the past month, and we’re upset.

So are these Tumblr fans, but they have some some seriously creative ways to respond.

Take notes, class is in session:

1. Be prepared

http://mindyquinzel.tumblr.com/post/141414422012

2. Save them now

https://www.tumblr.com/maggiegrheene/141419665267

3. Reality sucks

https://www.tumblr.com/knockfivetimes/141003996956/straight-person-i-like-to-watch-tv-shows-to-get

4. Shhhh, she’s not really gay

http://aerials-creampuff.tumblr.com/post/140914872743

5. Straight vs. gay

https://www.tumblr.com/debnamdaddy/141405946173/straight-character-gets-hit-by-car-falls-of-a

6. Top tips

http://pasteljongins.tumblr.com/post/141404780192/how-to-survive-as-a-television-character

7. Plot twist

http://aerials-creampuff.tumblr.com/post/140890051518

8. We’d be rich too

http://fearthelesbians.tumblr.com/post/141405689610

9. Predictable

http://pasteljongins.tumblr.com/post/141404970807

10. New anthem

https://www.tumblr.com/alyciaswink/141407945558/another-one-bites-the-dust

11. Will they ever listen

http://netflixdesign.tumblr.com/post/141404742676

12. Men’s man pain

http://ankleboner.tumblr.com/post/141414276411

13. Writers block

http://daddygriffin.tumblr.com/post/141452185993

14. Queerbiat

https://www.tumblr.com/ithelpstodream/141446673452

15. Walk away from the shows

https://www.tumblr.com/hellurrritsme/141448969239/opens-tumblr-dot-com-sees-that-jroth-is-being-a

The good news is that there are still several lesbian, bi, or fluid female characters on TV: Annalise on How to Get Away with Murder, Tara on The Walking Dead, and Nora and Mary Louise on The Vampire Diaries, to name a few.

TV Shows Are Still Killing Lesbians Off

Merely weeks ago on the CW sci-fi drama The 100, Lexa (played by Fear the Walking Dead star Alycia Debnam-Carey) died shortly after consummating her relationship with series lead Clarke (Eliza Taylor).

This event sparked massive outcry from the The 100 fandom who accused the show’s writers of falling back in a well-established trope known as “Dead Lesbian Syndrome.”

Now TV land is at it again, and sadly in the latest episode of The Walking Dead has killed off one of their two lesbian characters, Alexandria’s doctor Denise (played by Merritt Wever), who died from a nasty arrow through the eye (mid-sentence, no less) fired by returning villain Dwight (Austin Amelio).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0w_BVCdsfeU

Sadly, this is third lesbian character to die across three different TV shows – The 100 and Jane the Virgin being the other shows – in as many months.

Fans expressed their frustration via social.

The walking dead spoiler//
Denise is dead wtf shes one out of the only two lesbian characters on this show they cant do this

— Spider-M(eg)an🌈 (@starprincequill) March 21, 2016

https://twitter.com/shaunagrv/status/712015446241910784

http://clarkes-murphy.tumblr.com/post/141393957896

Wever herself addressed potential backlash telling The Daily Beast:

I understand if viewers watching the show really identify with the character or like seeing themselves or some part of the world that they know is real and true and valid and prevalent represented.

And then to have that taken away, I definitely see how that would be disappointing in the broader scheme of things. I’m not sure that that’s what was going on here but I understand the sentiment very well and I am familiar with the [trope of] black characters or gay characters getting killed off because [they’re considered] less human or less real or less important and people aren’t gonna care as much. From my end, it didn’t feel like that’s what was happening though. But I certainly understand the concern in the wider culture.

But adding fuel to the fire is how the death scene plays out exactly as it does in the show’s graphic novel counterpart – the difference being the comic kills off male character Abraham (played in the series by Michael Cudlitz), not Denise.

It’s also being argued that this trope – also known as “Dead Lesbian Syndrome” – is heightened by the way in which Carl Grimes (Chandler Riggs) managed to survive a bullet to the eye in episode nine while the arrow to Denise’s eye kills her instantly.

Denise’s death now leaves her partner, Tara as the show’s sole surviving lesbian.

The show features a gay couple, Aaron (Ross Marquand) and Eric (Jordan Woods-Robinson) and while they still remain alive in the series, their relationship has never really factored into the overarching plot.

So there we have it another show, another dead Lesbian.

Fans Of ‘The 100’ Launch Successful Fundraiser After Core Character Killed Off

Warning: This article contains major spoilers for Season 3 of The 100.

A death on The 100 prompted a huge backlash against the show, but this anger has sparked a social media campaign and a fundraiser for The Trevor Project.

Lexa, played by Australian actress Alycia Debnam-Carey, was a fan favourite on the show set in a post-apocalyptic world. Her relationship with Clarke, played by Eliza Taylor, starts as a rivalry between two clans but eventually becomes romantic causing the fandom to create the ship name Clexa.

In last week’s episode, Lexa was killed off after being hit by a stray bullet in front of her on-screen partner, Clarke. This happens mere minutes after Clarke and Lexa had sex for the first time, a culmination in several episodes of teasing their relationship.

The death caused the birth of a social media campaign with the hashtag #LGBTFansDeserveBetter trending on Twitter with more than 250,000 posts.

A more tangible effort was also made in a fundraiser for The Trevor Project, which has raised more than $43,000 of its $45,000 goal with over 1600+ donating.

The fundraiser reads;

The passion behind this collective disbelief and the sheer callousness of those involved in selectively elevating the Queer representation of its character(s) only to backtrack in the most disingenuous of manners, has left many with a feeling of emptiness and betrayal. This is not something ‘sorry’ can fix,”

There is not much we can do in the way of changing what’s already been written. What we can do however, is unite to help those who are hurting and despondent through this. We now have the means to reach a large audience, individuals who need to be heard, who need to be understood and who ask for our help,”

The 100 creator Jason Rothenberg responded to the outrage by saying he loved Lexa’s character, but she had to be written off the show.

Talking to IGN, Rothenberg explained

I adore [Lexa], I think she’s amazing, I miss her more than anybody else. I only had the use of her as an actor for seven episodes, six really. There was a date for certain at which we were going to lose her and after that it would be very difficult to arrange to see her again and that definitely played a big role in my decision to have the story go in that direction.”

Rothenberg continued that Carey’s starring role on AMC’s Fear the Walking Dead possibly affected his decision.

Were she not on another show, would I have not had this story play out? It’s hard for me to say yes or no … this is a world where, we’ve done it before, no one is safe … there are no happy endings in the sense of easy way outs.”

[interaction id=”568fa3a794a522de057902d6″]

Another TV Show, Another Lesbian Character Death

Warning: This article contains major spoilers for Season 3 of The 100.

Last Thursday, a major character death sent shock waves throughout the fandom for the popular CW sci-fi series The 100.

Loyal legion of fans of The 100 erupted with outrage when Lexa, Commander of the twelve clans, was killed off in a thoroughly rushed, ruthless fashion.

But while The 100 has long been known for its brutal, no-one-is-safe approach to killing off main cast members, this character’s death hit especially hard – not just for members of the fandom, but for all of us queer women too.

The 100 is a unique show, in many ways. It’s not just another teen drama, its political themes, gripping plot, complex female characters, and deep study of a post-apocalyptic survivalist future have earned it major critical acclaim and an intense fan following.

And last season, fans were thrilled when the main character, Clarke, began to develop feelings for another young woman named Lexa.

The show was heavily praised for its representation of bisexual characters on television.

It presented this same sex relationship between two women – who are powerhouses in their own right – wonderfully, and the coupling added a complexity, depth, and importance to the plot of story.

And this is why so many of us are shocked and dismayed when – in this milestone episode -the writers decide to tear down the foundation they’ve built and discard this romance altogether with one pull of a trigger.

The backlash over Lexa’s death is not just about the fact that The 100 killed off Lexa, but the manner of her dying. The stray bullet that killed her is eerily similar to the stray bullet that killed Buffy, the Vampire Slayer‘s Tara, famously ending one of the few recurring lesbian relationships on TV in a maelstrom of tragedy and fandom backlash.

In the annals of cinema and queer history “the dead lesbian” trope can be found it in notable film, theatre, and literature dealing with queer characters, from tragic lesbian ground breaker The Children’s Hour to many of the most famous and influential lesbian novels.

There’s an entire Tumblr devoted to chronicling the dead lesbian trope on television, which stretches back decades.

In an episode of The 100 podcast The Dropship, the episode’s writer, Javier Grillo-Marxuach, explained that the creative team had to write the character of Lexa out of the show because her actor, Alycia Debnam-Carey, had become a lead on Fear the Walking Dead:

We considered a lot of different options, including the possibility that killing her would make a political statement that we were not comfortable with.

But ultimately when you’re talking about this world and the stakes we’re dealing with, we genuinely came to the perspective in the writers’ room that this death would be the best way for us to, not only write the character out of the show, but protect ourselves against the possibility that we might never see the actor again ….

And honestly I think that in terms of the epic quality of the show … we honestly look at the story as an epic tale of shocking fate and destiny. And, you know, kings tend to not retire from being kings.”

Grillo-Marxuach acknowledged that fans would be “very unhappy” with Lexa’s death, but argued that the show’s narrative is “the struggle for love and humanity in an atavistic world that only understands conflict” and thus dictated the mode of the actor’s departure.

I can’t control or dictate how people are going to react to a character death on the show, and obviously there’s a huge spectrum of, outside the narrative bubble of the show in terms of the LGBT representation and all that, that has to be addressed.

The hope that these characters are going to find happiness and joy halfway through the series is a very poignant one, but is in no way borne out by any of the events of the show.”

So, the argument in favour of killing off Lexa is that there should be room on television for a multiplicity of portrayals of queer characters, including characters who endure tragedy.

This season, perhaps in anticipation of killing the Clarke/Lexa ship, The 100 did introduce another queer relationship in the form of the character Miller and an off-screen boyfriend, as well as another potential love interest for Clarke in the form of Niylah, a female character she’s already hooked up with once.

But as always, the pattern of Hollywood killing off lesbians and ending happy lesbian relationships is still here. Perhaps the most heartbreaking responses to Lexa’s death also underscore just how rarely happy queer female relationships appear on our screens.

15 Fictional Lesbian Couples That Are Ruining Our Collective Lives

If there’s one thing lesbians love, it’s other lesbians. Hey, we are notorious for jumping into a fandom just because of lesbian subtext – and sometimes that subtext is quite a reach! But 2015 was full of lesbian relationships (both on-screen and implied) just begging to take our attention.

And, of course, the lesbians obliged.

I don’t know about you, but I’m a shipper. I think I always have been, but for a long time it was really hard to see my ‘ships come true. Thankfully, the past few years have been very generous, and my inner matchmaker is giddy.

But what happens when these relationships don’t work out like they’re supposed to? Either the writers break them up, or they kill one off, or – even worse – they publicly announce that those characters are definitely not interested in each other, nor will they ever be.

Our hearts are broken on their behalf – it feels almost like our best friend’s cat died. We just have to learn to move on, and hope that, maybe someday, they’ll end up together after all.

#15. Palex (Paige and Alex, Degrassi)

I was a huge Degrassi nerd as a teenager – I actually kept an active account on their little fan site (I can’t remember the name of it now) and made LiveJournal layouts with my favorite characters. OK, so it didn’t hurt that I happened to be around the same age as these kids, and they were going through things that were actually relevant in my life. When Paige and Alex kissed for the first time, it was one of the catalysts for me coming out. (True story.) The fact that their relationship is still breaking hearts almost ten years later means I’m not alone. (Although I did always want to see Alex get with Darcy!)

#14. Golly (Gail and Holly, Rookie Blue)

While I have yet to watch Rookie Blue myself, I’m inclined to start. This show is your typical cop drama (I can get on board with that) – but there are female kissing scenes in it! I know it’s a bit of a stereotype, but one way to ensure you have lesbians in your audience is to have lesbian characters – and apparently the romance has a solid share of lovers and haters.

#13. Reamy (Reagan and Amy, Faking It)

When I first started hearing about Faking It, I wasn’t really enthused. I sort of picked up that it was some high school girls pretending to be in a relationship with each other for some reason or another. But as time went on, I started seeing more and more members of the fandom popping up on my Tumblr – and I have to say, the pairing of Reagan and Amy is absolutely adorable. There are Reamy fans and there are Karmy fans, though – I wonder which ‘ship I’ll ship!

#12. Karmy (Karma and Amy, Faking It)

This is one of those canon-but-not-really ships we see sometimes. The characters are confused for lesbians, and you want them to really be into each other, but one of them was really just faking it the whole time. (Hence the name of the show!) As someone who has had many straight friends pretend to be my girlfriend, I think I’d sympathize with Amy in this Faking It ‘ship.

#11. Annalise and Eve (How to Get Away with Murder)

I love the idea of lesbian power couples (as I think most of us do), so Annalise and Even on HTGAWM are a match made in shipping heaven. Annalise is a high-profile defense attorney, and Eve is a lawyer who deals with death-row cases. The two are highly successful women with a passionate past – and of course we just know they’re going to get back together.

#10. Rizzles (Rizzoli and Isles, Rizzoli & Isles)

Rizzoli & Isles follows Jane Rizzoli, a police officer, and Dr. Maura Isles, the Chief Medical Examiner. Although officially Rizzles are just best friends and colleagues, their lesbian fan base knows better. We can sense lesbian subtext when we see it, and these two belong together!

#9. Hollstein (Laura and Carmilla, Carmilla)

Carmilla is a web show I haven’t gotten the chance to watch yet, but it seems to fill the need of all those vampire romance lovers out there who are disappointed at the availability of lesbian bloodsuckers. With as many lesbians love vampires, wouldn’t it make sense that there’d be more? Anyway, in true vampire romance fashion, Laura is a young student and Carmilla is a 300+-year-old vampire – naturally! But somehow, despite these significant cultural differences, they manage to find love. Unfortunately, even when you live forever, relationships can still end – but we can hope for a reunion!

#8. Cophine (Cosima and Delphine, Orphan Black)

I can’t remember which KitschMix reader suggested I start watching Orphan Black, but I am so glad that I did – the relationship between Cosima and Delphine is complicated but beautiful (and Tatiana Maslany is gorgeous in every character). My partner has commented that she’s interested in seeing Helena in a lesbian relationship in the future – anyone want to ship it with her?

#7. Bubbline (Bubblegum Princess and Marceline, Adventure Time)

One of my first sleepovers with my current partner involved her introducing me to Adventure Time – and naturally the subtext going on between Bubblegum Princess and Marceline. After a long conversation amongst the fans, in 2014 it was confirmed that BP and Marcy had, in fact, dated – putting all our little lesbian hearts aflutter. Sadly, things obviously didn’t work out between them – but it opens the door for different same-sex pairings in the future!

#6. Brittana (Brittany and Santana, Glee)

Sometimes I feel like I’m the only lesbian ever who didn’t really get into Glee – but I spend enough time on Tumblr to get the gist of this ‘ship. For the five lesbians left who don’t watch the show, either, it details the comings and goings at your typical American high school. Brittany and Santana start off as BFWB’s, leading to them making out on screen and eventually confessing their love for each other. I do like that these girls are both cheerleaders, as opposed to the “traditional” softball or tennis playing lesbians. This relationship has gone back and forth, causing fans to rip their hair out in despair, but thankfully these two worked it out in the end and are apparently still together in the glimpse into 2020!

#5. Korrasami (Korra and Asami, Legends of Korra)

It’s still pretty ground-breaking to show same-sex relationships in animated shows, so the confirmation of a relationship between Korra and Asami a little over a year ago was a pretty big deal to anime-loving shippers. Apparently, everyone should have seen Korrasami coming – but some people still claim it’s a “reach”. Rest assured: The writers confirmed that this ‘ship really did sail.

#4. Vauseman (Alex and Piper, Orange is the New Black)

In my household, OITNB is one of very few shows all three of us watch religiously (me, my partner, and our puppy, of course). Alex and Piper are one of those couples that you don’t know why you want them to work it out, you just do. (I mean, it’s so obvious that they are terrible for each other! Why, why, why!) These two have been breaking hearts since the first season, but what’s eating at my heart is my poor sweet Nicky – please tell me she’s coming back in the next season!

#3. Bechloe (Becca and Chloe, Pitch Perfect)

I honestly never had any intention of liking Pitch Perfect – I’m not a fan of musicals, after all, but I do have a giant crush on Anna Kendrick and Brittany Snow, separately – so, of course, when people start speculating about their characters getting together – I am definitely on board. When you find out that the actresses are actually on board with this idea, too – our Fictional Gaydar Senses go insane! Will they or won’t they? No one really knows where the future will take them, but you can always get your fill of their fanfiction in the meantime.

#2. Swan Queen (Regina and Emma, Once Upon a Time)

If you want an example of “when shipping goes wrong”, look no further than the Swan Queen fandom. When Once Upon a Time crew members Et Kitsis and Adam Horowitz each confirmed that Swan Queen will never happen. These two characters are definitely both straight, but they’re not opposed to having gay characters in the future. However, unlike most sunken ‘ships, this one actually outraged fans – enough that some vowed to never watch the show again. Yikes – talk about an overreaction!

#1. Clexa (Clarke and Lexa, The 100)

Clexa is a love story to rival Romeo and Juliet. They once were allies, but when Lexa betrays Clarke, all bets are off. Are they friends? Are they lovers? They’ve kissed, they’ve been through some tough spots, their feelings are still up in the air – but fans of The 100 want to know where this ‘ship is going, and soon!

So, which is it? Swanqueen, Karmy or Rizzles? Which fictional lesbian couple is currently ripping your life apart?

[interaction id=”568fa3a794a522de057902d6″]

Quiz: Which Fictional Lesbian Couple Is Currently Ripping Your Life Apart?

So, which is it? Swanqueen, Karmy or Rizzles? Which fictional lesbian couple is currently ripping your life apart?

[interaction id=”568fa3a794a522de057902d6″]

‘Once Upon A Time’ Stars Lana Parrilla And Jennifer Morrison Talk SwanQueen

When it comes to the central relationship on Once Upon A Time, we all know it’s Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison) and former Evil Queen Regina Mills (Lana Parrilla) — or Swan Queen, as they’re known to their legions of supporters — that really rule.

The connection between these two women is deep-rooted, and has evolved into one of the most fascinating and championed relationships on Once Upon a Time.

The ways in which they’re constantly saving one another, both literally and figuratively, is profound and worth talking about, particularly because anyone with eyes can see the unresolved tension between the two of them. So why is Once wasting this golden opportunity?

Well, Morrison and Parilla have talked with EW about their onscreen relationship.

Morrison explains

I feel like they have a really true friendship. It’s just awesome to see two strong women have a great friendship on television, because usually you have two strong women fighting each other, or angry at each other, or having a catfight.”

Despite Emma’s own turn to the dark side during the first half of the season, their friendship has gone uninterrupted.

Parrilla added

Regina doesn’t really hold anything against Emma. Emma became the Dark One because she sacrificed herself for Regina, so Regina feels obligated to help Emma in any way that she needs. She sees that everything that Emma was doing was for the greater good. She accepts that. They’re back to being friends and really family.”

And on the further developments, Parrilla says

I always see their relationship as best friends and sisters. I’m nervous to say that because there are so many SwanQueens out there that see something else, and I don’t want to take that away from them.”

Morrison has high praise for how OUAT bosses Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis have developed this relationship into something people should aspire to.

The one thing I always say is that we’ve got to be good to each other. When you have examples of a friendship like that on television, that’s a good thing to be putting in front of people, because it is exactly what we need. We need women building each other up, supporting each other and being there for each other, even when we have made mistakes.”

Once Upon a Time returns March 6^th 2016.

‘Scissr’ Is A Lesbian Web Series That Needs Your Help To Complete Its First Season

Last week we brought you our list of queer web series picks, which ranged from a 1950s drama about a pub, a refreshing coming out story, and one about two actresses who fall in love as they’re shooting a movie. Hoping to join their ranks is Scissr, which needs your help in order to complete production on its first season.

Scissr‘s pilot, which was uploaded to YouTube last year, was hugely popular having garnered over 120,000 views from people all over the world (from the United States right to Malaysia) and it was also covered by over 100 print and online publications.

That lone episode, which has been described as a hilarious hybrid of The L Word and Girls, featured several women as they aimed to navigate the trials and tribulations of Brooklyn’s queer scene.

There was Emily, a punk rocker who’s looking for love in an increasingly small pool of options, Corey who recently broke up with her girlfriend, and the newly out Aviva who slept with Corey’s girlfriend. Yikes. (Jamie Clayton was also in the show as Niamh but since she now stars in Sense8 on Netflix, it doesn’t look like she’ll be returning to Scissr).

In our interview last year with Lauren Augarten (who plays Aviva) she explained that,

I came out later in life and there wasn’t a lot of lesbian TV or film I could identify with at the time, apart from The L Word. In other shows, the characters were in their thirties and lived these charmed lives. I couldn’t relate to this, as a twenty something living in Brooklyn struggling to make ends meet”.

She also told us if networks didn’t pick up the show, she’d go about producing the web series herself and that now seems to be the case.

Scissr is currently on Indiegogo seeking $30,000 of funding in order to make six more episodes at around 10-15 minutes each. The show has currently raised just over $10,000 with 11 days to go – it does have flexible funding and will receive any funds raised but obviously the more money they raise the better.

Some of the perks include a poster download, an invite to the wrap party in NYC, a t-shirt, and early access to the first season once it’s done.

Click here to support their crowdfunding campaign and to find out more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3nQ8_13ZRY

Japan Gets It’s First Lesbian TV Drama, But Attracts Criticism For ‘Outdated’ Portrayal

Japan’s first lesbian drama will soon be on TV, but the series is being accused of being ‘out-of-date’.

Fuji Television announced that the series – Transit Girls – will tell the story of two women, aged 18 and 21, who initially clash when they become stepsisters as their parents marry, but then fall in love.

The characters will be played by Sairi Ito and Yui Sakuma.

Despite being a first for Japan, the eight-part series has been criticised for showing an “out-of-date” image of lesbian couples.

A promo shot for the series shows the two lead characters in bed naked together, looking into each other’s eyes and smiling.

Maki Muraki, the head of Nijiiro Diversity, which campaigns for workplace equality for LGBT people, said the poster is sending the wrong image.

Muraki told The Japan Times

Having two girls lying naked on a white sheet and using words like ‘forbidden’ is a little out of date, I think. The things we do are not about sex. We face a lot of difficulties in our life, for example in the workplace. To be told that the image of us is one of sex doesn’t make me happy.”

Fuji TV describes the show as “a heartwarming straightforward love story, but the main characters are both girls.”

It says it is the nation’s first ever drama dealing with the theme of “girls’ love.”

But Muraki believes Japan still lagged far behind other countries when portraying LGBT issues.

It’s new for Japan, but America has had programs dealing with these issues since around 2006. This isn’t something new. In America they have programs like ‘Modern Family,’ where it’s taken for granted that LGBT people bring up children. Rather than being sexual, it shows LGBT people in their everyday lives and that’s a positive force. If it’s just about sex, I can’t think of that as positive.”

Japan has a rich gay history, but LGBT rights get short shrift in the mainstream media. Japan’s views on homosexuality are a complex one. Despite artistic cultural exports that shows Japan as being a socially progressive society in regards to gender and sexual expression, the country still struggles with broad legislation that would ensure LGBT equality.

Politicians across Japan have made plans to look into LGBT rights in the run up to the Tokyo Olympics.

Last year, Japan’s First Lady made a surprise appearance at the parade.

Jamie Chung to Return to Once Upon a Time

Fairy tales aren’t exactly known for their LGBT representation and so it was a surprise when ABC drama Once Upon a Time, a show based on classic fairy tales, appeared to allude to a queer romance.

In its second season we were introduced to Fa Mulan (played by Jamie Chung) and Princess Aurora (Sleeping Beauty, played by Sarah Bolger) with the two women quickly striking up a bond.

Although Mulan seemed to have the hots for Prince Philip, this quickly changed when Philip temporarily died after sacrificing himself to a wraith to save Mulan and Aurora.

Before he got offed by the monster, he asked Mulan to keep Aurora safe and so she does her best but is unable to stop some zombie-types from snatching Aurora’s heart, allowing them to control the princess’ body.

Mulan goes to get Aurora’s heart back (popping it in her chest in a strangely erotic moment), the two go on a quest to save Philip and so Aurora and Philip are loved up and happy as Mulan sits on the sidelines.

Mulan eventually gets an offer to join Robin Hood and co. but before she agrees, she says that she needs to talk to “a loved one”; Aurora. Mulan is heartbroken when she goes to see Aurora and right as she goes to confess her feelings…Aurora tells her that her and Philip are having a baby.

While that all sounds a bit complex (and some have seen it as queerbaiting), fans of ‘Sleeping Warrior’ (Aurora and Mulan’s ship name) were heartbroken when Mulan left the show, and even Jamie Chung said that it was “disappointing” to leave fans hanging.

Thankfully though, E! has revealed that Jamie Chung will be taking up her role as Mulan in a multi-episode arc this fall.

Unfortunately, it’s unclear whether or not Sleeping Warrior will be on, or if Aurora will be too loved up with Philip to care about her gal pal but E!, who announced Chung’s return ” exclusively”, makes several mentions of the two women’s relationship.

It would be usual for the publication to make such a heavy mention of Sleeping Warrior if the ship wasn’t going to be revived so hopefully more details will be revealed soon.

Do We Actually Need ‘The L Word’ Reboot?

Can you believe it’s been ten long years since The L Word premiered, and only six years since it finished?

Yet, since then television has yet to replace it with another show centred solely around a large group of lesbian or bisexual characters.

In the last 5 years, we have seen a slight increase in lesbian and bisexual characters in broadcast, cable, and streaming network programming.

And we now have some great queer characters scattered on some great shows.

There are the two loving lesbian parents in The Fosters, a clone or two in Orphan Black, one of the Pretty Little Liars, the couple formerly known as Calzona on Grey’s Anatomy, the bisexual succubus and her human doctor on Lost Girl, the not-actually-faking-it lesbian of Faking It, and about a third of the cellblock on Orange is the New Black.

So do we really need an L Word reboot at this time?

One could argue that our representation is better served with inclusion in more mainstream shows. Lesbian and bisexual characters play prominent roles in everything from freshman breakout Jane the Virgin to the complicated are-they, aren’t they Root/Shaw dance on Person of Interest and the transitioning nuclear families of Transparent.

And then there are the regular and recurring lesbian or bisexual female roles on Empire, The Walking Dead, Gotham, The 100, Marry Me, Arrow, Chasing Life, Heart of Dixie, Survivor’s Remorse, Black Sails, The Returned, Younger, and more I’m missing that you’ll no doubt tell me about in comments.

Plus, we haven’t even mentioned the recently and soon-to-be dearly departed lesbian and bisexual characters from shows like The Good Wife, Glee, Chicago Fire, and even the latter-day Two and a Half Men.

Yet, when it comes to a show primarily about queer women, we continue to falter.

The latest edition was the Liz Feldman and Ellen DeGeneres produced sitcom One Big Happy. A series with the first lesbian-led network comedy since Ellen back in 1998.

But the show did not do well, and was cancelled after one season.

The hype was not there, and the excited wave of lesbian and bisexual women actually watching One Big didn’t emerge.

Compare that to The L Word watching parties you had with friends or thrown by your friendly neighbourhood lesbian bars back in the day.

The urgency to see ourselves reflected on the TV screen isn’t as great because we’re already there – the diversity of lesbian and bisexual female characters has increased.

One of the biggest critiques about The L Word (besides everything and anything about Jenny Schecter) was its limited portrayal of queer women.

They were mostly femme, largely white, overwhelmingly upwardly mobile, and so on and so forth.

The difficulty any show about an underrepresented minority faces, particularly trailblazing shows, is the desire to be all things for all people.

New hits like Black-ish and Fresh Off the Boat have successfully avoided that trap while still finding commercial and critical success.

Another L Word would need to straddle that world of specificity and commonalities. Still, perhaps the burden of being The Lesbian Show would be lessened because of the increased representation elsewhere.

Need Cheering Up? Well Scientists Say Watching Sad Films Will Actually Make You HAPPIER

Have you ever noticed that after crying your eyes out watching a real tearjerker, you suddenly feel slightly exhilarated?

Well, it turns out you’re not the only one. Scientists in the Netherlands tested the effect of crying during particularly emotional films, and they discovered that it can actually have a positive effect on our emotions.

A group of 60 adults were asked to watch two seriously weepy films, La Vita E Bella and Hachi: A Dog’s Tale. The participants’ emotions were then charted for the hours after the films were switched off.

Those who shed a tear during the films (28 out of 60) felt sad initially, but experienced a positive change in emotion around 90 minutes later. As for those who didn’t cry, their mood remained unchanged.

Leading author Dr Asmir Gracanin of the University of Tilburg, explained

“After the initial deterioration of mood following crying, it takes some time for the mood not only to recover but also to be lifted above the levels at which it had been before the emotional event.”

So, if you’re in the mood for a good weepy film after reading this, here are a few lesbian classics we can always count on to have us in floods…

1. The Children’s Hour

Really you just weep for all the lesbos in the 60s who had this as their one and only lesbian movie.

2. Lost & Delirious

This is one of the most depressing coming out films you’ll ever watch. Tear and tissues required.

3. Gia

In my brain, the movie begins when she’s topless by the gate. If you start the movie there and stop it before she gets on the plane, you’d be a lot happier. She’s way emotional and needy. Like an orphan kitten. An orphan kitten who does drugs. There’s no greater hope in the end, just a beautiful woman who’s dead. And happens to be queer.

4. Monster

Powerful film about a tragic life. After you watch this film, you’ll be left pretty blue.

5. Boys Don’t Cry

The epic depression brought on by Boys Don’t Cry is multi-layered. If you know the story even before watching the movie and you think you’re prepared? No, you aren’t. Also, it’s CALLED Boys Don’t Cry! So even if you’re a girl or an otherwise-gendered-or-not-person, you’re already thinking about whether or not you’re gonna cry.

26 Unrealistic Expectations You Have After Watching Lesbians on Mainstream TV

Lesbians in film and on TV – hmmmm. Good thing or bad thing, when they’re on we have to watch them. But what are they really telling us about life.

1. You will be able to live alone in LA in your late 20s and eat/drink out every night.

2. Your gaydar is always right.

3. Kissing your female best friend will lead to either a doomed or prosperous relationship.

4. Most lesbians are seductresses with vampire tendencies.

5. The straight woman you fall in love with will leave her perfect husband for you.

6. We kick-ass at sports.

7. Makeovers change everything.

8. Affairs are ok.

9. Coming out is bad.

10. There will be tears in every relationship.

11. Leather jackets are a must.

12. You must have one artistic talent – poetry, guitar playing, painting.

13. That it is perfectly normal to get with woman, and still be good friends once you break-up and she starts dating a men again

14. You will find the love of your life in school.

15. Kisses are perfect in the rain.

16. All straight women are bi-curious.

17. You will make-out with your archenemy.

18. The woman who becomes your boss will sleep with you.

19. That wearing a small eye mask hides your identity.

20. That women will make over the top public confessions of love.

21. Most relationships will lead to death.

22. Prison life is all about the lesbian romance.

23. Some lesbians turn out to be serial killers.

24. You will cheat on your girlfriend for a women you can never really have.

25. Threesomes with guys are a must.

26. All lesbians have fantastic nipples – ACTUAL FACT

27. When you ditch your boyfriend at the altar for another women, everyone will be very happy about it.

Karma and Amy Share Steamy Kiss In This ‘Faking It’ Trailer (Video)

WOW!! It looks like chemistry is in the making when our favourite Faking It BFFs – Karma and Amy – share a hot swimming pool kissing in the new season trailer.

The dramedy, which due to return August 31st, looks heat up several other relationships too.

‘Last Tango In Halifax’ Writer Regrets Killing Off Lesbian Character

One of the most common tropes when it comes to television is ‘Dead Lesbian Syndrome’. Dead Lesbian Syndrome is what happens a show decides to kill off one of its lesbian characters – the running joke in the queer female community is that if there’s a lesbian in a show, you can almost guarantee that she’ll be offed by the end of the season.

That’s why it was so sad when BBC drama Last Tango In Halifax was yet another show that decided to kill off a lesbian. Kate was killed in a road accident, not long after her and her wife had gotten married and at the time, the show’s writer Sally Wainwright said that it was a ‘myth’ that lesbians always get killed off and that “people get killed off all the time”. Wainwright also explained that it was a “narrative” decision, which caused further backlash from the show’s fans as they didn’t feel like Kate’s death added anything to the plot.

However, speaking at the Hay Festival in Wales, Wainwright seemed to do a 180 on her previous comments, clarifying that she actually regrets killing off the character.

Also read: It’s a Myth That Lesbians Always Get Killed Off, Says ‘Last Tango in Halifax’ Writer

The Last Tango In Halifax writer told DIVA Magazine that

I was very sad to do [kill off Kate]. I wrote another ending but it didn’t work. At the time, I thought it was the right choice, but I do actually regret it now.”

Wainwright also spoke of the difficulty she had in getting Last Tango In Halifax on TV screens. At first, both the BBC and ITV turned down the show based on the pilot episode and it wasn’t until the BBC realised that the show could appeal to those over the age of 50 that they agreed to take it on.

The older audience of the show is something that Sarah Lancashire, who plays Caroline in the show, also spoke about, saying that their portrayal of lesbian characters has helped women come out:

I’ve never had a response quite like it to be honest. I still get letters now from people in this country and in America who are women who have come out later on in life and have very complicated and tragic stories in a sense. I didn’t realise when I started to play Caroline that she would have this extraordinary impact. It is a strange thing. There are very few pieces I’ve done in my working life that I could say I’m proud of, but Caroline is certainly the one I’m most proud of. Sally… did absolutely brilliantly to demonstrate same-sex relationships between women by normalising it, without sensationalising it or making it titilating. For me, it was the first time I’d ever seen that done on British television.”

The fourth season of the show is expected to air later this year, so look out for more Last Tango In Halifax then.

‘The Rich Man’s Daughter’ Is the Philippines’ New Lesbian TV Show

We very rarely get to see in the lead role of television shows. There are a handful of examples (e.g The Fosters and Pretty Little Liars) but most of the time, queer female characters are sidelined, killed off or only wheeled out when the plot was looking a little barebones that week – or worse, when it’s sweeps week and the producers need to up the ratings. Rarer still is this in Asia, where attitudes towards LGBT people are improving but are still not at an acceptable level.

That’s why it was such a big surprise this week when a new show from Philippines called ‘The Rich Man’s Daughter’ popped up on our radar. This is the country’s first ever lesbian-themed show and it’s being brought to the Philippines channel GMA Pinoy TV by head writer Suzette Severo Doctolero, who also worked on the country’s first gay-themed show, My Husband’s Lover.

According to some overly dramatic promos for the show, The Rich Man’s Daughter stars Rhian Ramos as Jade Tanchingco who is an incredibly wealthy Filipino-Chinese heiress. As an attractive woman of ‘marrying age’, Jade is expecting to find a male suitor to marry and settle down with and, being an only child, her father only wants the best for her which is why he offers millions to the man who can win Jade’s affections.

The gay panic and the drama sets in as although male love interest David Limjoco (played by Luis Alandy) is around, looking to become Jade’s husband, Jade soon falls for a woman named Althea Guevarra (played by Glaiza de Castro), which complicates things to say the least. Unfortunately The Rich Man’s Daughter has only just started airing so we don’t yet know if it’ll turn out happily like Imagine Me & You or if it will end up in a total, identity shunning disaster. However, it could be one to watch if you’re into soaps.

The Rich Man’s Daughter airs every Monday and Tuesday on GMA Pinoy TV in the Philippines.

Sad News, Lesbian Sitcom ‘One Big Happy’ Cancelled After Just 6 Episodes

According to reports the US series – which was produced by Ellen DeGeneres and written by Liz Feldman– won’t be returning to screens after it was cancelled by producers NBC.

The comedy stared Elisha Cuthbert as a lesbian who who has made a deal with her best friend (Nick Zano) to have a baby together, and happens to get pregnant just as he meets and marries the love of his life (Kelly Brook).

The comedy is loosely based on the experience of its showrunner, and comedian Liz Feldman, and marks NBC’s latest attempt to put the spotlight on LGBT families.

Also read: Liz Feldman, Creator of ‘One Big Happy’ Was Told New NBC’s Lesbian Comedy Would “Never Make It on the Air”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKI_LyICtDI

Bosses announced they are dropping it after six episodes as it has struggled to find an audience. Not only that, but the sitcom was slammed by critics with The New York Times describing it as “an intelligence-insulting sitcom”.

The San Francisco Chronicle added: “There’s nothing funny about One Big Happy, the performances are wooden and irritating.

Wow, Ellen DeGeneres Made TV History by Coming Out on Her Show 18 Years Ago Today

She is arguably the biggest star on television, but eighteen years ago today Ellen DeGeneres publicly came out in an episode of her TV show, Ellen.

In the episode, titled, The Puppy Episode, Ellen’s onscreen persona leaned across an airport PA system and announced to the world, “I’m gay.”

Also see: We Miss Ellen – the Sitcom that is – Here are 12 Things You Didn’t Know About The Show

Ellen’s courageous decision to live openly and honestly – both on- and off-screen – is truly historic. Since then, DeGeneres has become a strong force to be reckoned with, not just within the gay community, but with a huge and seemingly ever-growing audience made up of fans of all different sexual orientations, gender identities, races, religions, and backgrounds. Of course, it is worth applauding DeGeneres for helping to pave the way for representation of gay people in entertainment and on television.

She has spoke about her personal life frequently on her hit talk show, The Ellen Show. She has shared the lasting impact of coming out, and has publicly supported and encouraged others, including Ellen Page, who came out at HRC’s first annual Time to THRIVE conference in 2014.

‘Faking It’ Renewed for a Third Season AND there’s a New Spice Season 2B Promo

There’s nothing fake about this news: MTV has renewed its team comedy Faking It for Season 3, and we have been given a new premiere date the second half of Season 2 – the 31st August 2015. And although the summer seems so far away, it’s never too early to have feelings and make judgements about what’s in store for our favourite fake lesbian couple.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IH06HhgYALc

MTV’s half hour drama/comedy had a bit of a rocky start. As one of few shows to feature a queer female lead, Faking It focused on two characters, Amy, who was in love with her best friend, Karma. Many people liked the show, but it weaved a complicated web in its portrayal of queer women.

The girls, in the very first episode, are actually forced into pretending that they are dating when a (queer, male) classmate outs them at a party. Hardly the most progressive way of portraying a ‘coming out story’ is it? And then, to make matters so much worse, the series ended with Amy being rejected by Karma only to drunkenly sleep with Karma’s male love interest.

However, season 2 looked to correct some of these issues and the show has started to blossom, developing queer characters we can kind of relate too.

Australia’s Most Watched Lesbian Drama ‘Starting From…Now!’ Seeks Funding

While we may argue about our favourite femslash ships and which TV shows and movies portray queer people in the best light, what we all agree on is that there simply aren’t enough queer women in our media. And when we are lucky enough to queer ladies on our screens, they’re often sidelined or even worse, reduced to just their sexuality or gender identity.

This is a problem that Australian web series Starting From…Now! has aimed to tackle as the four inner-city lesbians at the heart of its story deal with a variety of difficult subjects (including infertility, drug and alcohol abuse and lesbian couples starting families) across the course of its three seasons.

Julie Kalceff, who directs and writes the show explains that:

From the beginning, the intention was to portray complex female characters who happened to be lesbians. The series is about what it means to be human and the diversity of issues we’re confronted with on a daily basis… It just happens to be set in the LGBTI community.”

Unfortunately, while Starting From…Now!’s take on queerness is refreshing and the series has experienced massive success (the show is Australia’s most watched lesbian drama and it has amassed several million views) it needs outside help to make season four. The bar has been set at $35,000 and although it has raised just over $6,000 (with seven days to go), it has flexible funding and so even if it doesn’t reach the full $35,000 goal, it will receive every penny raised via indiegogo.

It’s also worth noting that Starting From…Now! could be a launch point for even more lady led content as the indiegogo explains that they could “potentially transition into funded film and television content” including “2 long form television series and multiple feature films in development; some of which are Starting From… Now! spin offs, all of which are led by women, and feature lesbian characters”.

We all want to see more lesbians in our media, right? Find out more here.

Watch season 1, 2 and 3 of Starting From…Now right now at Kitscmix.tv

Liz Feldman, Creator of ‘One Big Happy’ Was Told New NBC’s Lesbian Comedy Would “Never Make It on the Air”

In a broadcast television season that has found success with diversity (ABC’s Fresh Off the Boat, Black-ish, Fox’s Empire), NBC brings another new family to our TV screens – One Big Happy.

The comedy stars Happy Endings’ Elisha Cuthbert as a lesbian who who has made a deal with her best friend (Nick Zano) to have a baby together, and happens to get pregnant just as he meets and marries the love of his life (Kelly Brook).

The comedy is loosely based on the experience of its showrunner, and comedian Liz Feldman, and marks NBC’s latest attempt to put the spotlight on LGBT families.

The idea of the show is based on my relationship with my best friend, a straight guy. We were two peas in a pod and had a plan to have a family together when he met the love of his life. What that did to me really surprised me; I was jealous and I felt really weird that I was jealous, and then I felt crazy about it. So I wrote a pilot about it. Sometimes I think the truth has a way of resonating more than any big agenda you could have.”

Liz Feldman

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Feldman said that she went to multiple networks with the initial idea, but struggled to get the show created.

To be honest, it’s hard to get a show on the air. It takes some sort of miraculous chain of events. So, sure, I think adding the fact that there’s a potentially controversial character makes it more difficult, but that’s why I am so happy to be on NBC because they are willing to take this risk.

They have always been pretty supportive and groundbreaking in that way — from the moment I pitched them the show in the room they instantly wanted to do this. I pitched this to every major network and they were the only ones who wanted to do that. I heard things like, “This is a great idea”; “We would love to work with you in some capacity”; “This show will never make it on the air.”

Liz Feldman

Ellen Degeneres is the executive producer for the show, but her influence on Feldman runs deep.

As a writer and comedian, I can’t overstate Ellen’s influence on me. When she was authentic [and personally came out] it changed my life. It was just a silly little half-hour comedy show, but it changed my life and made me feel differently about myself. That is always something I carried with me, which I hope One Big Happy will be able to do for other people.”

Liz Feldman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKI_LyICtDI

We Miss Ellen – the Sitcom that is – Here are 12 Things You Didn’t Know About The Show

From 1994–1998, many of us would switch on to watch the Ellen show, a TV sitcom staring the much loved Ellen DeGeneres.

Ellen played Ellen Morgan, a neurotic bookstore owner who dealt with life through comedy and extensive rambling. What made this sitcom so notable was the portrayal of the first leading character on national TV to come out and stay out as gay. We loved Ellen and we loved the show, which went on to run for 5 series.

Here are 12 Things You Didn’t Know About The Show.

1. The show was originally titled “These Friends of Mine.” After the first season, the show became Ellen, focusing more on the character of Ellen Morgan.

2. DeGeneres earned four Emmy nominations and three Golden Globe nominations during the show’s five years.

3. The infamous “Puppy Episode,” in which DeGeneres came out as gay both on the show and in her real life, was titled after the network reportedly suggested the storyline of Ellen getting a new puppy instead of coming out gay.

4. “The Puppy Episode” had 42 million viewers and won a Peabody Award.

5. Degeneres would later note that when she kissed a cast member jokingly in a scene, a disclaimer was needed. When another show did the exact same scene (but with all straight actors), no disclaimer was shown.

6. During rehearsals for “The Puppy Episode,” DeGeneres couldn’t bring herself to actually say the line, “I’m gay.”

7. During the episode with Ellen’s “lesbian supermarket” dream sequence, several celebrities made cameo appearances: KD Lang, Demi Moore, Billy Bob Thornton, and Jenny Shimizu, to name a few.

8. At the end of that episode there’s a sequence in which Susan (Laura Dern) leads Ellen over to Melissa Etheridge, who confirms that Ellen is gay and — after completing the necessary paperwork — awards Susan a toaster oven.

9. Sadly, Laura Dern couldn’t find work for over a year following her role on Ellen.

10. Emma Thompson played a gay version of herself in the final season.

11. ABC canceled Ellen in 1998 after ratings declined. “I tried to incorporate educational things about what people actually go through when they’re coming out, and it wasn’t funny,” DeGeneres said. “Because it’s not funny.”

12. The bloopers were fantastic.

Quiz | Who Should Be Your TV Valentine’s Sweetheart This Weekend?

Decisions, decisions, decisions but who should be your TV valentine? Which of these queer characters is best suited to be your Valentine’s Day sweetheart?

Decisions, decisions. But we can’t decide. Which beauty takes your fancy, Kitsch Mixers?

Season Four of ‘Last Tango in Halifax’ Confirmed

Sally Wainwright’s BBC1 drama Last Tango in Halifax has been renewed for a fourth series on BBC One. The channel confirmed that the Sarah Lancashire drama will return for another run next year at the end of last night’s (February 1) finale.

The popular romantic drama attracted over 6.5 million viewers for its third series finale on Sunday. While details are scarce, it is expected the fourth series will follow the previous model and air some time towards the end of 2015

Derek Jacobi, Anne Reid and Nicola Walker also star in the series, which is centred around a pair of childhood sweethearts who rediscover love in their later years.

It also features a fantastic yet controversial lesbian storyline, with Sarah Lancashire playing a women coming to terms with late-in-life lesbian relationship and her sexuality.

Lancashire plays Caroline, who she falls for a fellow school teacher named Kate. Throughout season 1, 2 and 3 we have followed their love affair until its tragic ending – booooo!

So here is hoping season 4 will bring the lesbian spark back to the show.

Wainwright, last year confirmed the US rights to the series were purchased by actress Diane Keaton for a potential remake on HBO.

Another New Lesbian Comedy In Development With Tina Fey and Fortune Feimster At The Helm

According to The Hollywood Reporter, ABC has placed orders for a new comedy project, Family Fortune starring actor-comedian Fortune Feimster.

Family Fortune is described as a semi-autobiographical project written by the Chelsey Lately veteran Feimster, and 30 Rock alum Matt Hubbard, Tina Fey and Robert Carlock.

After several years in Hollywood, Feimster got her break when Chelsea Handler brought her to her E! late-night talk show as a writer and performer.

The project is said to centre on ‘a popular gym teacher in Feimster’s native North Carolina who comes out of the closet to her close-knit group of family and friends. What she doesn’t realize is that she will also have to deal with her bickering and happily divorced parents also ‘coming out’ that they are sleeping together again’.

Ellen Degeneres also has a lesbian comedy in the making for NBC called One Big Family. However, her role is not in front of the camera, but behind the scene where she is the executive producing.

However despite featuring a lesbian story line, Ellen says the goal of the show was to make people laugh, not break new ground on TV with another lesbian show.

“It just happens to be a very funny show. It happens to have a lesbian character in it. It’s not like I formed a production company and said, ‘Bring me all your lesbian scripts.’ I’m not just going to be a lesbian machine that just turns out stuff.”

Ellen DeGeneres