Lesbian Representation in the media
By Harshi Gadudasu, Wisteria Magazine
For many years, societal pressures have caused lesbian representation on screen to hide in the shadows. Even then, many relationships have enforced harmful stereotypes about lesbians. However it is no secret that representation on screen has grown tremendously in the past decade, generating more support and acceptance for the lesbian community. The industry has finally taken steps to represent the LGBTQIA+ community with inclusion and equality. With this incline in representation, it is important to recognize the internal stereotypes and queerbaiting towards lesbian relationships that relay through the media. And while more art containing lesbian relationships is put out for people to see, we must recognize the difference between good and bad representation, and what it means to give a these relationship onscreen a good story with a genuine happy ending. As diversity and representation in film and tv are on a rise, it is vital that lesbian relationships in are represented in the correct way.
One way in which lesbian relationships are harmed through film is when they are used for profit through the process of queerbaiting. “Queerbait” is a technique used to hint at an LGBTQIA+ representation, but never actually depict it. For example, in the CW show Riverdale, the first trailer showed a clip of the two main characters, Betty and Veronica, kissing. However, when the show actually aired, the kiss scene was abrupt and meaningless and did nothing to develop the story, the characters, or any relationship between them. Queerbait is harmful because it takes away the representation that drew LGBTQIA+ viewers into the show in the first place. Of course, Riverdale did end up showcasing a lesbian relationship between two main characters, but I’ll personally never forget how rejected I felt watching a relationship with real potential get thrown out the window. Queerbait also occurs when two characters share romantically coded scenes and are marketed and promoted as a relationship, however they are never developed upon or confirmed. The casual viewer wouldn’t think anything of it. Finally, the ‘bury your gays' trope in the media, where a character comes out as LGBTQIA+ and then is killed off almost immediately. This is harmful because it sends the message that a person’s true identity is worthy of being killed for, especially with the history of discrimination against the LGBTQIA+ community. A person’s sexuality is not something to be baited and profited off of in the guise of true representation. Although the media has advanced in terms of LGBTQIA+ representation, these harmful tropes and the concept of queerbait as a marketing tactic should be dispelled to create grounds for any real progression.
As of 2019, 84.9% of directors for theatrical films were male (Watson). All of the nominees for the “Best Director” category in the 2020 Oscars were male. Even with the spike of female directors in the past few years, men, and the patriarchy, dominate much of the film industry. Because of this, women in film are often diminished to roles with no emotional depth or development beyond their bodies. They are subjected to the “male gaze,” an object of sexual desire designed for men and by men. This also applies to the lesbian relationships portrayed on screen. Yes, with an adequate amount of research and time spent, a man could produce something that speaks to women in the correct way. However, straight men who direct movies that portray lesbian relationships are often less interested in exploring a genuine love story as opposed to a sexualized one are prone to inflicting their male gaze on stories that they are simply not qualified to tell. It shows in Blue is the Warmest Color (2013) dir. Abdellatif Kechiche during Adéle’s first sexual experience with a girl, an experience that is largely transformative, and the camera focuses entirely on the sexualization of a teenaged girl. In a New York Times article, filmmaker Ren Jender says, “...The woman who is being looked at must look back at the woman (or camera) looking at her for any real connection to take place. And the look she gives has to be one that communicates not only pleasure in being looked at, but pleasure in what she sees.” Rather than the focus being solely on a woman's body, it should be on the pleasure that they feel to share an experience with another woman.
Lesbian relationships are not usually complex or pivotal to the storyline. An important aspect is relationship development, which is built on scenes upon scenes of chemistry and bonding that allow the characters to uniquely grow together. For example, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice are two characters who must overcome their pride and, well, prejudices for us to finally see their love unfold. We see them grow as people after they meet and get rejected by each other. We itch to find out what happens in the end because we are intrigued by the tension and chemistry. In my opinion, relationships like this are the most important kinds because they clearly take so much thought and passion to create. It is one thing to write a relationship between two women where they visibly fall in love, but it is a totally different thing to provide layers for a relationship with a complexity that makes the viewer become entirely invested in the outcome.
These complex relationships onscreen are not always well written between a man and a woman, let alone a woman and a woman. A well developed relationship onscreen is usually one that is integral to the plot. When you can see the characters come together, offering their best qualities to one another and become stronger as a whole. This can be played in many different ways.
An example of such a relationship is the french movie, Portrait de la Jeune Fille en Feu, or Portrait of Lady on Fire (2019) dir. Céline Scammer. This movie is about a painter, Marianne, appointed to paint a woman, Héloïse, for her arranged marriage on a remote island. I’ve personally never seen the nature of a lesbian relationship depicted so well in film. Ren Jender also says, “This initial deception is conveyed through the intent, searching looks Marianne casts toward Héloïse and the curious, wary glances Héloïse returns to her — exchanges that reveal a mutual attraction and cement a powerful bond over time.” The experience of yearning between two women, tangible yearning between two parties, is so beautifully shown on screen in Portrait. Even the scenes of nudity are clearly not just for the viewers' entertainment, but because these women enjoy each other’s company to the point of sexual intimacy. You root for them because you see how well they understand each other. Something that I appreciated was the innate poetry of it all. For example, in one scene, the pair are discussing why, in the Greek story of “Orpheus and Eurydice,” Orpheus turns around to see his lover when he knows that what comes after will crush him. In another scene, when Marionne is leaving the island, she hears Héloïse say “Turn around,” and behind her is Héloïse in her wedding dress: a vision that haunts her. Also, the two women alone together on an island, secluded from the rest of the world and their responsibilities, allowing them to form a close companionship and level of intimacy that wouldn’t be approved of in the world speaks volumes. It lets us watch the two grow together on their own through our very own lens. Societal pressures are gone. It is just Marianne and Héloïse, and then the viewer watching from a distance. This is the kind of complexity that is not present in a movie like Blue. Two women who take notice of each other and grow together in solitude.
Representation is so important in the media. And more than that, healthy representation. Giving the gays something that is well developed and fleshed out, complex and intricate that they can identify with. Representing these relationships/characters as normal people instead of just fetishized relationships will largely change the public’s view of that sexuality or gender identity. Enforcing stereotypes is harmful, and as the world progresses, the media should too. It is vital that instead of portraying the LGBTQIA+ community as a concept to profit off of, it is as a form of validation and solidarity. While representation has come a long way in film and TV, we still have a long way to go!
Watson, Amy. "Gender Distribution of Film Directors in the U.S. 2011-2019." Statista, 17 Feb. 2020, www.statista.com/statistics/696871/movie-director-gender/#:~:text=In%202019%2C%2084.9%20perc ent%20of,of%20theatrical%20films%20were%20male. Accessed 24 June 2020.
