SO THE L WORD DOESN’T REPRESENT LESBIANS. WHO CARES?

SO THE L WORD DOESN’T REPRESENT LESBIANS. WHO CARES?

I am currently extremely preoccupied by my quest for donor sperm and my Wednesday nights spent dancing at the Sly Fox. Then there is my obsession with my close circle of friends’ busy sex lives. All things considered, I haven’t had much time to watch The L Word. But despite not getting to see it all that much, it’s definitely my big thing at the moment. I’ve read just about every single thing there is to read about it. I’ve voted in the afterellen.com L Word polls and I’ve listened to a lot of people talking a lot of crap.

I can, therefore, provide the following analysis: What People Think About The L Word. The L Word doesn’t represent lesbians, a straight man said. The L Word doesn’t represent lesbians properly, a straight woman said. The L Word is just showing stereotypes of lesbians that don’t exist, a straight man said. The L Word is a disgusting threat to a moral society, a straight man who hadn’t watched it said.

Yes, there are some very broad opinions. And they’re all kind of true, except for the last one, which comes from an absolute dickhead who doesn’t deserve any further recognition. The L Word doesn’t represent lesbians like Buffy doesn’t represent vampires. Or like Baywatch doesn’t represent lifesavers. Or like Queer Eye for the Straight Guy doesn’t represent food writers and Broadway dancers. Does it represent lesbians? Well, is it supposed to?

How is it that a soap opera set within one small circle of friends in white, middle-class Los Angeles is meant to represent anyone? How is it that one hour-long show a week is meant to represent the weird, wild, wonderful and wide world of lesbians? And just who is this lesbian that The L Word is supposed to represent?

Anyways, I’m a lesbian and I like The L Word, as I’ve said in print before. My lesbian friends and the gay men I work with almost all like The L Word. I don’t feel represented, necessarily, although there are similarities between my life and those of the characters (like the whole sleeping with women thing). And if Channel Seven can manage to keep showing it in a regular timeslot -“ apparently that’s a big ask -“ I’ll keep trying to watch it. If it’s good enough to enrage the bigots of the world, it’s good enough for me. Long haired, non-political, middle-classed or otherwise.

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