As the first letter in LGBTQ, one would think that lesbians get plenty of representation, but that assumption is far from true. Over the past few decades, as queer media and characters became more prominent, lesbians stayed behind. They would either be side characters, created to die, or both. There is an abundance of problems with lesbian portrayals (or lack of) in today’s media.
A popular trope among queer characters is heartbreak or death. These are called the “Bury Your Gays” and “Dead Lesbian syndrome” tropes, which are described as “[when] queer characters face tragic fates, including death, much more often than straight characters.” This is an overarching issue within the LGBTQ+ community, with gay, bisexual, and lesbian characters often getting killed off. But with the recent successes of shows like Heartstopper and Heated Rivalry, and movies like Red, White, and Royal Blue, gay male representation is turning away from tragedies. Of course, this is a huge plus, as gay men are no longer defined by devastations like the AIDS epidemic or are thrown into the “gay best friend” role. But the lesbian and bisexual women are not so fortunate.
Frequently, the “Bury Your Gays” trope is used to prevent a lesbian relationship from flourishing. In The 100, Lexa is killed off right as she gets into a relationship with a girl. Killing Eve and The Walking Dead, relatively new pieces of media, have also used this trope. In addition to this, most of the shows revolving around a main lesbian character have been cancelled. For example, I am not okay with this and First Kill, two shows with a lesbian main character, were both cancelled after one season. Though I was unable to find many examples of any recognizable TV shows centering on a lesbian, the shows I could find that contain lesbian characters–Orange is the New Black and The L Word–are largely filled with stereotypes, and center solely on their lesbianism, which doesn’t add much nuance to the conversation. Representation doesn’t mean that a show has to focus solely on the facets of a lesbian’s sexuality. Lesbian relationships can be portrayed in the same casual way as straight relationships are.
The issue with lesbian-based media is that it almost always flops. Straight people are a lot less willing to watch a relationship involving two women over a relationship with two men. The reasons for this are plentiful; from relatability to the patriarchy, lesbians are always looked down on. Straight women (aside from gay men) are the main target for much, if not all, of gay male media. It is relatable to them in some aspects, as a man is always involved. Yet these women are unwilling to watch lesbian-centric pieces of media. Furthermore, some people believe that a relationship involving two women just wouldn’t work. There isn’t a man there to build or do the rougher things in life that a woman “just couldn’t do.”
So how do we fix this? We make lesbian women the frontrunners in shows. No more gay best friends or tragic side characters. Lesbians need their own spotlight. If there are more viewers of media of this kind, people will have a deeper and more complex understanding of lesbians’ lives and feelings. Additionally, lesbians will feel more represented, aiding their mental health. Lesbian women deserve just as much positive representation as straight and gay couples have.
