How a show helped shape my sexuality
The first episode of The L Word was released on Jan. 18, 2004. The show follows a group of lesbian, queer, transgendered, bisexual, and everything-in-betweens through the ups and downs of life, relationships, coming out, changing, and sex. I don’t know about you, but from my perspective, before 2004 no other show in mainstream media discussed these topics and shared the stories of LGBTQ+ people in a genuine and thoughtful manner.
According to The A.V. Club, The L Word was the first TV show to portray a hearing impaired lesbian, a regularly occurring transgender character, and an interracial lesbian couple. To top off all these firsts, the vast majority of the series was directed and written by women. I also feel pretty proud knowing that The L Word was filmed in Vancouver. Good job, Showtime!
In 2004, I was 12 years old, so I didn’t watch The L Word yet. I began watching the show at the age of 16. Looking back now, I believe that I already identified as being a lesbian, and was in the process of coming out and showing my peers who I really was. The show was an eye-opener for me because it showed the kinds of lives being lived by other LGBTQ+ people. It showed me that I wasn’t alone and that there was actually a community for us. Having grown up attending catholic school, I was one of the first same sex couples to go to prom at my high school. Having shows like The L Word helps young gay people feel less scared and pressured to “fit in” and conform to heterosexual norms. Everyone’s experience is different, but I know this show helped me feel confident in who I am. I try never to feel scared to show people who I am, because you never know what young people who are still figuring things out are watching and reflecting on.
Because of its many firsts, The L Word made way for other shows to portray the more serious LGBTQ+ characters we see on TV today. In 2019, it’s not strange or new to see a gay, lesbian, or transgender character represented in popular media. Examples I’ve noticed include: Ian Gallagher in Shameless (an out and proud gay man), Sophia in Orange Is The New Black (a trans woman who experiences a lot of systemic hate), and Jay Bilzerian in Big Mouth (a bisexual teenager going through puberty).
What I hope to see in this reboot of The L Word is greater diversity in the characters. The L Word from 2004 to 2009 mostly portrayed the lives of thin, beautiful, white, femme women. I also hope it shows and represents a fuller spectrum of lesbian and LGBTQ+ people. The show failed the trans community, for example, by the false scientific dialogue regarding Max; the female to male transgender character. Even in the LGBTQ+ community there are still a lot of stereotypes, such as: in a gay relationship there has to be a masculine and a feminine personality, or that all lesbians can fit into the moulds of butch, femme, or lipstick. Having been a show of firsts, I’m expecting to see The L Word take on the political issues of our day, like the ban of trans people from the United States military, and some of the states not allowing same sex couples to adopt.
Photos courtesy of Showtime