Tag Archives: Lesbian Character

The Lesbian Reboot of ‘Xena: Warrior Princess’ Has Been Nixed

Last year we reported NBC was planning a big, lesbian reboot of Xena: Warrior Princess, but that reboot is apparently dead in the water.

The reboot, which was set to bring back co-creators Rob Tapert and Sam Raimi, was going to focus more on the lesbian relationship between the Amazonian goddess and Gabrielle – played by Lucy Lawless and Renee O’Connor respectively in the original.

But problems occurred when it was announced that writer and showrunner Javier Grillo-Marxuach (Lost, The 100) left the project over creative differences.

When he left the project in April he wrote:

I’m heartbroken to have left the Xena project over insurmountable creative differences. The character is dear to me, and to millions of fans worldwide, and I truly believe that now — more than ever — a land in turmoil cries out for a hero. I truly hope that the alchemy of creative elements that has to come together to make possible either a reboot or revival of this amazing property will someday coalesce, and that Xena will return in a way that does honor to what came before while looking to the future.”

It was rumored that these creative differences stemmed from him wanting to put the lesbian relationship front-and-center, which lead to today’s announcement from NBC Entertainment president Jennifer Salke that the reboot won’t go forward at all.

Salke told the Hollywood Reporter.

Nothing is happening on that right now. We looked at some material; we decided at that point that it didn’t warrant the reboot.”

NBC says it hasn’t closed itself off entirely to a reboot down the line so, while you wait for them to get their shit together and make the right decision on this, catch up on the original show on Hulu.

Waverly Earp Is the Queer, Demon-Fighting Cowboy You’ve Been Waiting For

Where can you see an attractive girl save the world from demons, wear leather jackets and get into queer love triangles? The answer isn’t just Buffy the Vampire Slayer anymore.

Wynonna Earp has come to your screens. This supernatural Western thriller defies categorization, but it does have two things for certain: It is very feminist, and it is very, very queer.

So who are Wynonna and Waverly Earp?

If you’re a fan of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Flash, Arrow, Luke Cage or really any of the 7,004 comic book adaptations that are on cable these days, then Wynonna is the perfect addition. It’s based on Beau Smith’s IDW comic books.

The great-granddaughters of Wild West sheriff Wyatt Earp (who’s a real guy), Wynonna and Waverly, fight the Revenants, demons spawned from all of the people Wyatt Earp killed. And boy, has he killed a lot. Wyatt and her anti-demon six-shooter called Peacemaker can barely handle all the trouble that comes her way.

Here’s where it gets gay.

Unlike queerbaiting shows and movies, which either merely hint at characters’ queer sexuality or tout a token queer-ish character in order to drive up ratings, Wynonna puts the queer main character front and center. They even flesh her out!

Waverly is openly queer. She even has a dynamic love interest in Nicole Haught, a confident and charming young officer. GLAAD nominated the show for its portrayal of LGBT characters.

Waverly gets her own coming out storyline, but it’s not what you think. She’s openly gay and relatively proud of it, although she’s still wrestling with some demons of her own. But at the end of Season 1, she comes in contact with an ominous black goo that possesses her with something evil. Inverse says, “Fans suspect that it wasn’t something coming in, but rather something already inside of her coming out.”

Queer female protagonist? Check.

Complicated metaphor for internalized homophobia and self-denial personified as evil goo? Check.

Check out the first season on Netflix!

Russia Gives ‘Power Rangers’ 18+ Audience Restriction For Queer Character

The new Power Rangers movie just received a rating of 18+ in Russia.

Officials are attributing the change to the presence of the LGBTQ character, calling it “gay propaganda.”

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Legislator Vitaly Milonov said,

If fascist ideology is banned in our country, then [movies by] the likes of [Power Rangers director] Israelite should be banned first thing,”

He went on to compare the movie to bombs planted by terrorists inside children’s toys.

Russian legislator Alexei Zhuravlev had an issue with the film even being allowed in the country at all:

Some officials don’t want to observe laws adopted by the State Duma, specifically the law banning gay propaganda among minors,”

This is not first instance of Russia adding an age restriction, because a movie depicting a LGBTQ character has been placed on it.

Legislators also considered banning Beauty and the Beast when it was announced that LeFou was gay.

Power Rangers Will Feature First Openly Queer Big-Screen Superhero

[Warning: This story contains minor spoilers for the Power Rangers movie]

Power Rangers is breaking down a barrier no superhero movie has before. In the reboot of the 90s TV show and film series, we will see one of the five main characters struggle with her relationship with another girl in the film’s second act.

During Power Rangers’ second act, there’s a scene in which the titular heroes learn that the Yellow Ranger Trini (Becky G) is coming to terms with her sexual orientation, with one character assuming she’s having “boyfriend problems,” and soon realizing that perhaps she’s actually having “girlfriend problems.” It’s a small moment, but one director Dean Israelite calls “pivotal” for the entire film.

Speaking to ScreenRan ahead of the film’s release at the end of this week, Becky G who plays Trini, the Yellow Ranger, said:

Power Rangers has always represented diversity and they’re always been ahead of the curve on a lot of things and although it may be a touchy subject for some people, I think it’s done in a very classy way, and not only that, in a way that’s really real, because you don’t know, Trini doesn’t know herself, and it’s that moment where she says out loud, ‘I’ve never said any of this out loud’ and that line, where, you know, Zordon says ‘You must shed your masks to wear this armor.’ It’s true. People should accept themselves for who they really are and be proud of that and take ownership of that first and learn that self-love to really be happy; and I think that’s why Trini never found her purpose just yet, until she met them and that’s why she never really learned to love herself, because she didn’t accept who she really is just yet.”

Director Dean Israelite added that she’ll eventually comes to terms with her sexual orientation and is accepted by all the other characters.

For Trini, really she’s questioning a lot about who she is. She hasn’t fully figured it out yet. I think what’s great about that scene and what that scene propels for the rest of the movie is, ‘That’s OK.’ The movie is saying, ‘That’s OK,’ and all of the kids have to own who they are and find their tribe.”

LGBT representation in superhero films has trailed that of comic books, where heroes and villains such as DC’s Wonder Woman, Catwoman, Batwoman and Harley Quinn, as well as Marvel’s Ice Man, are among high-profile examples of LGBT characters.

But so far, when these characters have been translated to the big screen, they have been portrayed as straight. X-Men‘s Northstar, the first openly gay character from either DC or Marvel, was introduced in the comics in 1992.

The TV side has been more progressive, with The CW’s Supergirl featuring a prominent lesbian storyline this season. Supergirl, which is from openly gay producer Greg Berlanti, joins fellow Berlanti CW shows Legends of Tomorrow and Arrow in featuring LGBT characters.

Power Rangers comes on the heels of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast live-action remake, in which Josh Gad plays Disney’s first-ever gay character, LeFou.

In the sci-fi movie world, last year’s Star Trek Beyond revealed that Sulu (played by John Cho in the rebooted Star Trek movie universe), was gay. The original version of the character, played by George Takei, was straight.

Gina Rodriguez To Play A Lesbian Paramedic In Upcoming Sci-fi Film

Gina Rodriguez, best known for her role as Jane in the hit show Jane the Virgin, covers the October issue of Latina magazine.

latina_10_16_cvr-c00816a2-d1b0-4213-bf6b-55c79c7076c0

Talking to the magazine, Rodriguez discusses politics, the importance of inner beauty, and the how she was offered multiple movie roles after winning the Golden Globe for Jane the Virgin, but she’s chosen carefully, including the upcoming sci-fi film Annihilation.

It’s about five women who are going into the Shimmer, an entity that’s starting to destroy the world. So we’re trying to stop it. We have guns, we’re doing some badass stunts and it’s a brilliant storyline. I play Anya Thorensen, a paramedic from Chicago who happens to be a lesbian and an ex-addict going into the Shimmer to be the hero that she’s kinda always wanted to be.”

Rodriguez’s co-stars include Natalie Portman and Oscar Isaac. The film is based on a novel by Jeff VanderMeer, directed by Alex Garland, who Gina says, “is absolutely brilliant. You can read any of his books and you’re like, this man can just create any kind of world out of nothing.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BF7JEHrHLoQ/

The Golden Globe winner cut off her brunette locks for her part in the sci-fi thriller, but took flack for doing so

I think it all plays into the idea of being your own hero and not feeling like you have to live up to other people’s expectations. I am not my beauty. Who I am is not my f—ing hair, and to be an actor is to transform. To represent a community is to commit, to give my entire all.”

gina-crop

Although filming has already begun, the movie has no offical premiere date yet. But don’t fret: Jane the Virgin returns October 17 on The CW.

ABC Comedy Pilot Casts Tattiawna Jones as Lesbian Lead Character

An upcoming comedy pilot on American television network ABC has cast Tattiawna Jones as its lesbian lead character.

The pilot does not yet have a name but Jones, who is best known for her role in police-related TV series Flashpoint, plays Hilda.

2ac613862974b1c80d3c24f69153b0a8

Hilda is described as “an intelligent and seemingly confident lesbian lothario with a dry sense of humor – that she uses to hide her underlying fear of growing up, settling down and becoming conventional.”

Joining Jones in the single-camera show is Andy Riding who plays Randall, who is Hilda’s best friend.

According to Deadline which broke the news about Jones’ casting in the comedy pilot, Randall is a “neurotic straight guy” and the two friends must “navigate their dysfunctional, co-dependent friendship and the world of dating.”

Also involved in the project is Ed Weeks  (The Mindy Project) and Hannah Mackay who wrote the pilot together, while Leslye Headland is set to direct.

Moreover, Deadline previously reported that out lesbian comic Julie Goldman will feature in the show as JoJo, “a fun-loving Southern biker who runs Austin’s friendliest gastropub.”

Assuming that ABC orders more episodes of the comedy following its pilot episode, the yet unnamed show will not be the only TV program to introduce a lesbian of colour. It was also recently announced that Wanda Sykes will star in ABC’s other new comedy show Dream Team, which is about a football coach who must coach a team of 8-year olds and deal with their parents.

In Dream Team, Sykes plays Leslie a “competitive ob-gyn who has a passion for sports,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. Sykes’ character is trying to help her daughter Miley land a spot on a “nationally ranked” football team but her wife, Michaela, is trying to get Miley to stop playing the sport.

We’ll keep you posted should ABC order more episodes of the two TV shows.

New Movie ‘Me Him Her’ Is Blurring The Lines Of Sexuality

Son of director John Landis, Max Landis has been making waves in Hollywood for quite sometime now. He can be credited for writing the likes of Chronicle, American Ultra, and Victor Frankenstein.

Now he’s moving into the director’s chair himself to tell a gay-themed tale called Me Him Her.

The movie stars Luke Bracey (Point Break), Dustin Milligan (90210), and Emily Meade (The Leftovers) as three L.A. millennials trying to figure out their lives.

Interestingly Landis says much of it is based on a true story, telling EW recently that,

Most of the things in the movie really happened to me. There are large elements of the movie that are based on a true story, which is the only thing I’ve ever written like that. I almost never write about myself in scripts. Me Him Her is sort of the lone exception to that rule.”

11HIMHER-master675

11HIMHER2-blog427He also mentions that he wanted to “learn on” a movie that was of a smaller scale than his science fiction films. Still, Me Him Her looks pretty manic, and not at all a low-key rom-com.

Check out the trailer below:

The film gets a limited cinema release and will be available via VoD from March 11th in the US.

Could It Be? Writer Hints That New ‘Xena’ Reboot Could Be Super Queer Affair

After some “are they/aren’t they?” confusion last year, the Xena reboot is definitely moving ahead on NBC.

The network has already assigned executive producer, and writer Javier Grillo-Marxuach to the project.

And, if that name is familiar, it’s because Grillo-Marxuach is also a writer CW’s show, The 100, and was responsible for writing the recent controversial episode Thirteen. An episode in which we so the beloved character Lexa (Alycia Debnam Carey) killed off.

Lexa was a leading character, who was also the current love interest of lead protagonist Clarke Griffin (Eliza Taylor). However, when Debnam Carey signed on for the second season of Fear the Walking Dead as Alicia, The 100 knew they’d have to wrap up Lexa’s storyline before the actress left. They chose to kill her off.

hu214b0062bjpg-318b18_1280w

So how does this tie into the Xena reboot?

For years, fans of Xena have known the Warrior Princess and her companion Gabrielle were more than just friends. The network and the times just hadn’t caught up with them.

But in 2016 things look to be changing.

A fan of The 100 recently asked Grillo-Marxuach if the reaction to Lexa’s death would influence his writing on future projects like Xena.

 

His response was awesome:

I am a very different person with a very different world view than my employer on the 100 – and my work on the 100 was to use my skills to bring that vision to life.

Xena will be a very different show made for very different reasons. There is no reason to bring back Xena if it is not there for the purpose of fully exploring a relationship that could only be shown sub-textually in first-run syndication in the 1990s. It will also express my view of the world – which is only further informed by what is happening right now – and is not too difficult to know what that is if you do some digging.”

http://okbjgm.tumblr.com/post/140591060316/do-you-think-the-fans-reaction-to-lexas-death#notes?ref_url=http://www.hitfix.com/harpy/sounds-like-the-xena-reboot-is-going-to-be-super-gaygood#_=_

So, we wait with baited breath, and wonder if his words will hold true.

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)

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)

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)

tumblr_njzxibdTu11ssel0ao1_500

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)

karma-faking-it-37028108-500-200

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)

media_d9d01470-64bc-11e5-993f-0193dca05497

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)

tumblr_lm6meqFiB61qjxkzbo1_500

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)

Laura and 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)

Orphan Black LGBT Characters 05

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)

6635684a1151252762377eaf142afd04

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)

Brittana-3-brittany-and-santana-30916660-500-255

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)

39aba54be1b1996368f5887440638587

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)

oitnb-alex-01

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)

tumblr_nxw7ml4mLc1sbv25to1_500

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)

tumblr_inline_nvacmrq46f1s74zi9_500

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)

tumblr_nkd246B2tg1r1ux8yo3_500-1424963471

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″]

Lesbian TV Twist Alert: Megan Fox and Cece To ‘Hook Up’ on New Girl’s Final Season

Out bisexual actress Megan Fox Regan is returning to our TV screens (Yes!), with a guest spot on the upcoming final season of New Girl.

Hannah Simone, who plays Cece in the show, shared with TVLine the upcoming storyline:

The first episode that they wrote for Megan revealed that my character and her character had a bit of a romantic past. By the end of that first episode, they’re in the shower together. So yes, her character definitely shakes things up.”

And according to Fox, Cece’s fiancée Schmidt (Max Greenfield) won’t respond well to news of Cece’s girl-on-girl backstory.

new girl 01

Fox added;

Schmidt has a very difficult time dealing with that because he’s so insecure and possessive of her. I have to break him out of the rut.”

So not only do we get to see Megan Fox play queer on our TVs, but it turns out Cece is bisexual. Up until now, Cece has only had relationships with men on the show, most notably her fiancée Schmidt, who is not a fan of Megan’s character.

Reagan’s character is described as “a gorgeous, straight-shooting pharmaceutical sales rep” and despite the “shaking up” she does with her ex-flame, TVLine reports Regan will “have her eye on Nick” (Jake Johnson).

New Girl has only had one lesbian character in its four seasons: Jess’s gynaecologist Sadie (played by June Diane Raphael), who has appeared in six episodes.

‘Master of None’ is the Diverse Comedy Show of Your Dreams

Let’s not beat around the bush: Hollywood has a huge diversity problem. From whitewashing existing characters of colour and all-white cast ensembles, to shows that are tragically heterosexual, there are a lot of deep-rooted problems in Tinseltown.

But, helping to challenge that is Netflix.

And while the streaming service may not be able to ‘diversify’ the problem singlehandedly (nor should it embrace diversity solely for that reason), it’s a blessing for those who want their media content to more closely resembles and resonate with them.

Case in point: Master of None. After falling in love with Aziz Ansari as Tom Haverford on Parks and Recreation and with his various stand-up comedy specials, he has now co-written a half and hour comedy show for Netflix that focuses on, pretty much all of the things that may be relevant to you and your interests.

Master of None 04

A good example of that is the episode “Indians on TV” in which Aziz (as New York-based actor Dev) accidentally gets a racist email from a studio head prompting an insightful and very funny conversation about how television studios won’t put more than one minority in anything for fear of making it an ‘Indian show’ or a ‘black show’. It also touches upon the use of make up changing an actor’s ethnicity as we have white actors playing characters of colour (or even light-skinned people of colour playing those with darker skin, e.g Zoe Saldana as Nina Simone in the upcoming movie, Nina)

Another good shout is “Ladies and Gentleman” in which Dev’s girlfriend Rachel, his friend Denise (who is black and a lesbian) clue Dev and Arnold (another member of their friendship group) in on what’s it like to live in the world where men are constantly ignoring women or outright treating them badly.

And there’s the episode “Parents” where Dev and Brian take their parents to dinner to learn about their immigrant stories and how they came to America.

While these would be Very Special Episodes on any other show, with Master of None it feels organic and, well, normal.

As a woman and/or as a person of colour, these are absolutely conversations that have been had at some point and because they’re written with knowledge and empathy it doesn’t feel like you’re being sold a storyline by someone who typed ‘feminism’ or ‘immigration in the 1960s’ into Wikipedia.

Perhaps Master of None can lead to another conversation there, not just about seeing characters like yourself, telling stories you relate to, on TV but for studios to embrace that behind the camera too.

For example, just like in the show, Aziz’ parents (who play his parents in Master of None too) emigrated to the States from India and the fact that Denise is gay (a character whose sexuality, by the way, is an important part of her identity but is never played off for laughs) is because out writer and comic Lena Waithe told the team behind the show what she’s really like, stories of her life, and Aziz and Alan [Yang who co-wrote the show with him] asked “why shouldn’t [Denise] just be gay?’”

Overall, it’s a very funny show that’s highly relatable for about 501 reasons. All 10 episodes of Master of None are currently available on Netflix so go and watch that right now and cross your fingers that it gets another season.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bFvb3WKISk

50 Years On, ‘The Killing of Sister George’ Gets Stage Show Reboot

Long before #Vausman and #Sharman made girls loving girls a staple of our TV viewing habits, another lesbian storyline rocked the nation. ‘The Killing of Sister George’, written by Frank Marcus, undoubtedly paved the way for the #Bettina’s we know today.  Produced first as a stage play in 1965, followed by cult movie in 1968, ‘Sister George’ gave birth to a new genre.

Now, 50 years on, ‘Sister George’ is back, hitting the London stage in a new production by ‘Artful Theatre’ (www.artfultheatre.co.uk). Playing from 29th October – 21 November at the London Theatre Workshop, in Fulham, this 50th Anniversary production seeks to move away from the ‘sensible shoe wearing’ stereotypes of its predecessors.

Sister George flyer

The play charts the fall from grace of actress ‘June Buckridge,’ better known as alter ego ‘Sister George’, in a fictional BBC radio drama. June’s world heads into a tailspin, as she struggles to cope with her disintegrating career and relationship with, younger lover, ‘Childie’. Being the first British play to feature a lesbian couple; in the 1960’s, it was a ‘disaster wherever it went’.  Today, the challenge lies more with how accustomed modern audiences are to gay culture.

How do you make the play resonate when same sex couples no longer shock? ‘Artful Theatre’ Producer, Justin Savage, feels this presents less of a challenge and more of an opportunity.

He told me

In 1965 it was the implied lesbian aspect of the piece that gave it a certain notoriety. However the play is so well crafted that the other themes; control, manipulation, duplicity, passion and dependency, can be seen and explored even more clearly without the “oh my goodness! Women living together!” shock factor that it had in the 1960s.”

Refreshingly, ‘Artful’ place the emphasis on telling the story. Believing labelling to be pretty much defunct in 2015, this production enables its four female characters to go on a journey, irrespective of sexuality. As Justin points out, ‘gay culture is at a point where one could safely remove the ‘gay’ adjective; it’s just ‘culture’.

What ‘Artful’ do, so wonderfully, is take the ‘issue’ out of the drama. Traditionally, the function of gay characters has been just that; to be a ‘gay character’. So often sexuality is the story. We are moving towards a time where someone being gay, bi, heterosexual, or whatever, is a side-line. It’s not the main attraction. I have no doubt we will reach a point where the sexuality of all characters is secondary to the action. ‘Sister George’ has been resurrected many times over the years. ‘Artful’ are the first company not to portray ‘George’ as a legs spread, butch stereotype; and I applaud them for this.

The lesbian audience, in particular, want characters they can relate too. There is no such thing as the ‘blue print’ lesbian of yesteryear. We have seen complex emotional struggles played out between gay couples, in everything from The L Word, to Blue Is The Warmest Colour.

Engaging a modern day audience requires the emotional excavation to go a lot deeper than the 1968 movie dared to. As boundary pushing as it was, by never quite breaking the emotional surface; the relationship between Beryl Reid and Susannah York didn’t really scan. Comparing it to a modern dynamic of ‘Bette and Tina’, for example, Reid and York just don’t come across as a believable couple (albeit one hanging onto a few dying embers of a sadomasochistic relationship!).

In 1984, the play toured the UK once more, again starring Beryl Reid. This time, Theatre Producer Ann Pinnington was at the helm for ‘Portman Theatrical Productions’.

Even then, they felt unable to go too far. She can remember thinking ‘is the provincial audience ready for this?’ However, Ann’s love of placing fascinating women on stage was one of the driving forces behind the tour.

It has been a feature of of her career since then, as’ Ann Pinnington Productions’, Producer at ‘The New End’, and Co-Artistic Director of the Kings Head; as well as bringing iconic shows such as ‘The Kings Speech’ and ‘Positive’ to the stage.

Ann agrees with ‘Artful’, that the play is more about human nature and that we are all the same, whatever our sexual preference. For her, ‘Sister George’ centres around ‘people, relationships, emotion and the outcome’ and the idea that sexuality is only part of a person; not the whole.

This seems to fit intrinsically with the ‘Artful’ production. As Justin Savage told me, ‘This is a play about four very strong individuals, none of whom are quite what they appear to be at first sight.

The interplay between all four characters makes us stop, think, laugh and draw a sharp intake of breath as we marvel at both the frailty and resilience of the human condition.’ For a 2015 audience, I believe this is the way to go and I am certain, whether you are straight, gay, bi or just plain curious; this production will offer a fresh take on an old classic.

‘The Killing of Sister George’ opens on 29th October 2015 and runs until 21st November 2015 at the London Theatre Workshop, in Fulham. Tickets are £15/£12 and can be purchased at www.londontheatreworkshop.co.uk Directed by Scott Le Crass for ‘Artful Productions’ and starring Sioned Jones, Briony Rawle, Sarah Shelton and Janet Amsden. @SisterGeorgeLon @Artfultheatre

 

Tatiana Maslany Feels ‘Strong Responsibility’ To Orphan Black’s LGBT fans

Tatiana Maslany has said that she feels a “strong sense of responsibility” to Orphan Black‘s LGBT fans.

Maslany portrays a number of different characters in the sci-fi clone drama, including scientist Cosima – who is engaged in an on-off relationship with Delphine (Évelyne Brochu).

Talking at New York’s PaleyFest Orphan Black panel, Maslany said

I knew subconsciously we were talking about bodily autonomy, but it was reading essays from trans people and gay people that opened my eyes to how that was being talked about.”

Orphan-Black-02

Maslany also praised the show’s style, adding:

What I like is the show isn’t preachy, it just is. We put women at the centre, [and] they’re the default, but who cares? And that to me is so awesome and I hope for more of that

It’s everywhere; reproductive rights, LGBT rights, transgender rights – I’m glad we get to reflect that. We talk about how your choices aren’t your destiny, your body’s not your destiny. You’re your destiny.”

In another interview earlier this year, Maslany talked candidly about the show’s bisexual representation between Cosima and Delphine – saying that she is not on display for the “male gaze”.

Orphan Black LGBT Characters 06

We offer good representation in terms of complex characters that aren’t defined just in terms of their sexuality, but by every facet of what it is to be a person.

One of my favourite things that has ever been written on the show is when [Cosima] said ‘my sexuality is not the most interesting thing about me’. They’re not ‘on show’, they’re not on display for the male gaze. They’re not sexualised in that way, but they are sexual with each other, and they are intimate.

Whether Delphine identifies as bisexual, however she identifies herself, she’s open to loving Cosima, and there’s no question.

It’s about the love between them, not about the fact that they’re two women.”

Dianna Agron And Paz de la Huerta Sizzle in Trailer for New Queer Feature Bare

Get ready for Bare, Dianna Agron’s queer drama about a young woman living in Nevada, who becomes romantically involved with a female drifter played by Paz de La Huerta.

Dianna Agron Bare 01

In this first trailer, we get a pretty extensive look at the start of the relationship between these two as Dianna’s character must make the choice between a life she’s used to and the thrills of drugs, sex, and stripping.

Dianna Agron bare

The film, is written, produced and developed by Purple Milk aka Natalia Leite and out producer Alexandra Roxo, two independent filmmaker from Brooklyn. Together they have worked on documentaries, like the upcoming Serrano Shoots Cuba, and the web series Be Here Nowish (which you can watch on KitschMix.tv), which they wrote and also starred in.

Natalia Leite said about the film,

It’s kind of an add romance in that they’re like oil and water. They’re such different characters in the story but they fall for each other and sort of change each other’s lives. Alexandra and I pulled together the financing, found another producer to start collaborating with, a local New Mexico producer, Chad Burris, because we knew we wanted to shoot there, in a small desert town.”

Check out the trailer right here:

Neighbours Steph Scully Returns To The Soap With A Girlfriend (Yes)

Neighbours star Carla Bonner is returning to Ramsay Street with a girlfriend, and we could be happier.

The actress, who briefly reprised her role as Steph Scully for a stint in 2013, left the soap in 2010 after 11 years as the character, but now she’s back for good – and with a girlfriend called Belinda.

neighbours-carla-bonner-steph-scully

Talking to Sky Digital, Bonner said.

I feel like I’ve come home. I feel like a girl who flew the nest to see and explore the world, and has returned an enriched woman.”

She added

I thought it was a really smart move on the part of the writers and producer. There had always been a little speculation that Steph and Libby had a little thing going. Because of Steph’s nature, I really don’t think people will be surprised, they just won’t be expecting it.”

neighbours-carla-bonner-steph-scully-01

It’s not the first time there’s been lesbian relationship in the Australian soap. Back in 2004, Neighbours introduced its first lesbian character, played by Bridget Neval, and in 2009 Ramsey Street residents Donna and Sunny locked lips in a storyline that sparked complaints from conservative groups down under.

While specific details of the “explosive” storyline are being kept under wraps, Bonner says she’s pleased with how her character’s relationship has been written, avoiding some of the tropes we often see surrounding lesbian and bi women on TV.

The way it has been written, it’s very sensitive and certainly not smutty. I’m very happy with how it plays out. If it contributes to normalising same-sex relationships in some way, that’s great.”

Dianna Agron Discusses Her Three Queer Roles

Dianna Agron is perhaps best known for her role as Quinn Fabray in the hit FOX TV show, Glee.

Quinn certainly faced some hardships as the series went on, including a teen pregnancy storyline and the time a car accident left her temporarily paralysed, but one of her high points include the time she slept with (lesbian character) Santana Lopez; twice.

And although her not-so-platonic relationship with Santana wasn’t given much screen time, Agron’s portrayal of the character made her a favourite in the hearts of many queer viewers.

Dianna Agron 01

Following her portrayal of Quinn, Agron has gone on to star in two more queer pieces of media.

One of these is the Hollow In The Land, a film about a “tomboyish lesbian” who goes to work at a pulp mill. Her character has already had to deal with her father’s imprisonment for murder and a year later, her brother goes missing, and so she on a quest to find him.

And then there’s Bare, in which the actor plays a woman called Sarah Barton.

Dianna Agron bare 02

 

In Bare, Sarah meets and falls for an older woman (played by Paz de la Huerta from Boardwalk Empire) and soon she is coaxed into a wild world, that involves drugs and getting a job at a “truck stop strip club”.

Dianna Agron bare

These roles are all massively different and in an interview with PopSugar, the actor has shed more light on the different ‘looks’ of each of them. Of Quinn, Agron says that “she was all about the lash. Loved a lash, loved an eyeliner, and mascara.”

Of her role in Hollow In The Land, however, the actor explains that

it’s not dissimilar to my own life, but it’s not similar to my own life — its just finding a balance” and that as an actor “you can draw on experiences that you’ve had, but then at the same time you can turn it into something that is so different than anything you’ve ever experienced”.

As for Bare, in which Agron has her first on-screen nude scene, the actor reveals that she did “nothing” to prepare for it:

I was very communicative with our director. I knew they didn’t want to film anything in a gratuitous way, everything was going to be very art house — in and out of focus. I was very comfortable with all of that.”

Bare was released in April, 2015. Hollow In The Land does not yet have a release date.

 

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?

l word 02

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?

The-L-Word-03

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.

l-word-giff-02

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.

l word 03

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.

Diversity Study Confirms Film Industry Still Mostly White, Straight and Male

A study conducted by the Media, Diversity and Social Change Initiative at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism analysed the top 100 films of each year from 2007-2014 (excluding 2011).

The study took into account gender, racial and LGBT representation and — surprise, surprise — the results over the past seven years are disappointingly bleak.

Across 4,610 speaking characters in the 100 top films of 2014, only 19 were lesbian, gay or bisexual.

Not one transgender character was portrayed.

Ten characters were coded as gay, four were lesbian and five were bisexual.

Only 14 movies sample wide featured an LGB depiction and none of those films were animated.

Overall, those LGB characters were overwhelmingly male (63.2%) and overwhelmingly white (84.2%).

When it comes to character portrayal, the study finds there was little representation of “healthy romantic/sexual relationships”.

None of the gay or bisexual male characters were shown in committed relationships, and no LGB characters were portrayed as parents raising children together.

females-in-film-chart-for-01

The study also shows the portrayal of women has become increasingly sexualised; moving from 27% to 27.9% over the years, while nudity has jumped to 26.4%. Shockingly, girls aged 13-20 were just as likely be shown in sexy attire or referenced as attractive.

Dr. Stacy L. Smith, the Initiative’s director said:

We’re really seeing this focus on appearance and sexiness, the male gaze if you will, starting with a very young age for female actors.”

females-in-film-chart-for-embed

Women only represented 30.2% of the 30,835 speaking roles in the 700 top-grossing films from 2007 to 2014 (excluding 2011). Overall, only 11% of those films had women for roughly half of the speaking roles.

Broken down by genre, women only represented 21.8% of speaking roles in action/adventure films, and 34% of characters in comedies. Less than a quarter of speaking characters in animated films were female, a 7.4% decrease from 2010.

Dr. Stacy L. Smith added

If we existed in a world described in the pages of this report, we would have a population crisis on our hands.”

Only two women directed the top 100 films of 2014. Over the past seven years, only 28 women have directed films in the top 700. Three of those women were African-American.

Black or African American speaking characters were not featured in 17 of the top 100 films of 2014. Asian speaking characters were not included in 40 films in 2014’s top 100.

Smith said

When more than 40 films do not depict one Asian character, I think we have a representational crisis going on in the film industry.”

Behind the scenes, only 4.7% of the top 2014 directors were black, which breaks down to 5 out of 107 directors. Only 5.8% directors of the top 700 films overall were black.

That figure is even lower for Asian directors, who only helmed 19 of the top 700 films.

7 Reasons Why We Need ‘Xena: Warrior Princess’ Back on Our Screens

Great Xena: Warrior Princess maybe back on our screens.

So, here are 7 reasons why a Xena reboot is long overdue.

1. Because she dawned the age of the female superhero

Xena-Gabrielle-08


2. Because no one has battle cry was like Xena’s – Ayayayayayaya!

Xena-Gabrielle-02


3. Because an episode of Xena is basically a history lesson – from Trojan War and the political world of Julius Caesar, we saw it all.

Xena-Gabrielle-07


4. Because Xena and Gabrielle lesbian love story broke our hearts were

Long before on-screen couples like Alex and Piper could declare their love explicitly, Xena and Gabrielle just bathed wordlessly together.

Xena-Gabrielle-03


5. Because no one can accessorise like Xena can accessorise

Xena-Gabrielle-06


6. Because Gabrielle was the best sidekick, ever

Xena-Gabrielle-05


7. Because Lucy Lawless rocks

Xena-Gabrielle-04

Yes! ‘Xena: Warrior Princess’ Reboot in the Works at NBC

It time to get your battle armour ready, as Xena: Warrior Princess maybe heading back to our television screens – fifteen years after the last episode of the show aired.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the original executive producers Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert, are apparently planning a “modern reboot” – however, the pair still want the show’s main star, Lucy Lawless, heavily involved – with insiders saying she will be working both on set and behind the scenes.

At this year’s Comic-Con, Lawless shared her frustration that a reboot has not yet been made.

I’ve been pitching that show … because … there’s a swell of interest still. I’m always being peppered with questions [about] when the Xena movie is coming. Guys, I’m pitching my ass off to make it happen, whether it’s with me or not. I think it’d be funny to have a reboot like Ash vs. Evil Dead — like middle-aged Xena in a muumuu with a bad attitude and a smoking habit. … Bring [actor] Ted Raimi [who played Joxer] in … [and maybe] Bruce Campbell.”

She added

I don’t know what the hold-up is; it’s about who has got the rights, but that’s a piss-poor excuse anymore. Find who has got the rights, freakin’ pay it. It’s better to have 80% of something than 100% of nothing. Don’t waste this opportunity; reinvigorate that franchise!”

During its six-season run, the show’s popularity excelled – largely due to Xena’s on/off lesbian relationship with her companion Gabrielle, with the pair now regarded as feminist and LGBT icons.

The news follows a report by TV watchdog Ofcom earlier this month, which claimed broadcasters are failing to make minorities feel represented on screen. The report revealed that a majority of the LGBT community feel that they are either under-represented on television or portrayed in a negative way.

Xena-Gabrielle-01

Revisiting Xena comes as reboots continue to be in high demand as broadcast and cable networks alike look to proven commodities (and fan bases) to cut through the clutter in an increasingly competitive scripted landscape. Key to their success is having the original producers involved.

For its part, NBC is also readying a Coach follow-up with star Craig T. Nelson. Fox, meanwhile, is bringing The X-Files back in January and has plans to produce another run of Prison Break after successfully reviving 24 on top of its film-to-TV take on Minority Report. 

Dianna Agron Lands Another Lesbian Role in ‘Hollow In The Land’

According to Deadline Reports, the actress has landed a lead role in Hollow In The Land, an indie drama from writer-director Scooter Corkle.

Dianna-Agron-01

She will paly Alison, a tomboyish lesbian who works at a pulp mill. A year after her father was put away for murder, she’s in a troubled state, but her troubles get worse when her brother goes missing. She sets out to find him.

Agron recently featured in the queer movie Bare.

Bare tells the story of a young girl called Sarah Barton (Agron), living in Nevada, who becomes romantically involved with a female drifter played by Paz de La Huerta.

From there, she is introduces to a life of stripping, drugs, and metaphysical experiences that teach her what happens when real life catches up with dark fantasy.

Dianna Agron bare

The film, is written, produced and developed by Purple Milk aka Natalia Leite and out producer Alexandra Roxo.

 

Tatiana Maslany Says Lesbian Sex Scenes in Orphan Black Aren’t for the Male-Gaze

This week on GLAAD’s video series, GLAAD: All Access, host Claire Pires interviewed Tatiana Maslany, the star of BBC America’s hit show, Orphan Black.

In this interview, Maslany talks candidly about the show’s LGBT representations, and specifically focuses on the bisexual representation between Cosima and Delphine on the show – saying that she is not on display for the “male gaze”.

Orphan Black LGBT Characters 06

Maslany portrays a number of different characters in the sci-fi clone drama, including scientist Cosima – who is engaged in an on-off relationship with Delphine (Évelyne Brochu).

Also read: ‘Orphan Black’ Has LGBT Characters: So What Says the People Behind the Show

Speaking to GLAAD, the Orphan Black star said:

We offer good representation in terms of complex characters that aren’t defined just in terms of their sexuality, but by every facet of what it is to be a person.

One of my favourite things that has ever been written on the show is when [Cosima] said ‘my sexuality is not the most interesting thing about me’. They’re not ‘on show’, they’re not on display for the male gaze. They’re not sexualised in that way, but they are sexual with each other, and they are intimate.

Whether Delphine identifies as bisexual, however she identifies herself, she’s open to loving Cosima, and there’s no question.

It’s about the love between them, not about the fact that they’re two women.”

In a surprise twist last year, the show introduced its first male transgender clone Tony, after the idea was championed by Maslany.

Orphan Black LGBT Characters 03

The show’s creators Graeme Manson and John Fawcett said at the time:

Maslany had already come up with the idea sort of on her own. There was never a moment where we were trying to convince her. We were all immediately on the same page.

We definitely felt the responsibility of portraying this. We did a lot of work and Tatiana did a lot of work to portray this character in a way that we felt was respectful of that community but also worked within the context of our show.”

Watch the interview below:

‘Orphan Black’ Has LGBT Characters: So What Says the People Behind the Show

The three of the people behind Orphan Black — science adviser Cosima Herter and showrunners John Fawcett and Graeme Manson
– really don’t give a fig what you think about their LGBT characters.

Orphan Black LGBT Characters 05

In fact, they say their show looks more like the real world than its painstakingly heterosexual TV counterparts.

It’s less spectacular than it is actually a mundane fact of life.”

Since its premiere in 2013, Orphan Black has always been pretty queer.

Two years ago, Jordan Gavaris, who plays the Felix on the show, was applauded for defending the character’s flamboyance.

Orphan Black LGBT Characters 02

You cannot collectively as a society decide that you are only going to represent one part of a minority.”

Tatiana Maslany, who plays all the female clones on the series, said,

We sort of embrace the idea of every human having the potential to be anything, and I think that opens the door for all kinds of dialogue about sexuality and about gender.”

Orphan Black LGBT Characters 04

The key characters Cosima (played by Maslany), Felix, Delphine (Évelyne Brochu), and Tony (also Maslany) are all queer.

The show’s science adviser Herter says biology has always been used for political ends, to regulate “what’s a good body and what’s a bad body”. For example, it has been proven by science that women are inferior to men through science… “we can legitimize how we police them,” she said. It’s happened with women, and it’s happened with queer people.

Orphan Black LGBT Characters 03

But Cosima and Delphine, in particular, are characters who were “born this way” biological: Cosima, though she’s genetically identical to her sisters, is the one lesbian clone (that we know of), while Delphine identifies as straight, until she falls in love with Cosima.

Showrunner Manson says

I can think of three examples in my life that have been like that, that just wanted to be with the right person. It’s not about questioning your sexuality or not questioning your sexuality — it’s about finding your person. Yes, you can be born like that. All of these things come together to shape your sexuality, and it’s vastly complicated, and why not allow it to be slightly mysterious?”

Fawcett added

Within the fact that we’re trying to tell a paranoid thriller, we’re trying to show little pieces of humanity. But we’re not trying to make any sweeping statements.”

TV World Gets Another Diverse Lesbian Character as Raven-Symone Guest Stars in ‘Black-ish’

Black-ish is about an family man Dre (Anthony Anderson) who is struggling to gain a sense of cultural identity while raising his kids in a predominantly white, upper-middle-class neighbourhood. In the show Raven Symoné plays Dre’s gay sister Rhonda.

black-ish

In the latest episode Symoné’s character returned to the show so could finally come out to the family – although Rhonda keeping her orientation a secret, it’s more of an open secret – a ‘don’t’ ask, don’t tell’ type of situation.

When she’s around, the whole family mutually agrees not to talk about sex and relationships, even though that’s gotten more difficult over the years. Now, Rhonda’s in a serious relationship, so it’s hard to continue hiding things

The actress explained in an interview with ETOnline

From her brother’s wife it’s of acceptance, and from her brother it’s kind of a weird revelation of ‘I knew it, but we don’t talk about it’ type of thing. From her mother it’s a reaction that I’m sure a lot of people in the LGBT community get from an older generation. It’s interesting to see how it plays out in the episode, and it will hopefully help others accept themselves and be able to teach acceptance to another generation.”

Symoné has also had a stint in the fantastic Empire, which is set for a second season. 

I hope that my character comes back and has more of a relationship with Cookie, and has the ability to kind of fight for her position in Empire’s company being that her daughter is an heir, and maybe give some of that money.”

Not only this, Symoné is also returning to her Disney Channel roots by teaming up with Zendaya on K.C. Undercover.

She is has also been appearing as a guest panelist on The View, something she enjoys:

I love those ladies, I love talking about current topics, I love getting dressed up again every day and having fun with those women. I think they are very smart, they’re very respectful of each other, and everyone respects each other’s opinions and lets us get it out. There’s so many more guests that we get to interview over the next couple of weeks and I’ll be on for that. It’s a wonderful, wonderful experience to be having at this age and to be able to express myself now. A lot of people are used to me being quiet, or very very politically correct, or young and only doing comedy, and to really be able to have a conversation between these ladies is great. Working with Whoopi Goldberg is heaven, Nicolle Wallacehas been like my new best friend, and Rosie Perez really keeps me on my toes, so I’m enjoying myself.”