#10; Ready or Not, Here They Come

Today, there are many shows which incorporate and/or reference lesbian and bisexual characters, for example: The L Word, A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila, and Nip/Tuck. According to Malinda Lo’s article “2007 Year in Review: Television,” lesbians and bisexuals are being portrayed in a more positive light than ever before. “From sex and dating to gender expression, lesbians and bi women came out of the closet this year as fully fledged individuals with romantic lives and political beliefs — whether you liked them or not” (Para.1). Today, lesbians and bisexuals are being depicted in a more realistic fashion. They have moved out from under the subtext, like in the show Xena, and into the spotlight, like in the show The L Word. Also, many shows began to challenge certain stereotypes. “As in 2006, the vast majority of lesbians on television in 2007 were traditionally feminine in appearance, but this year the gender envelope was pushed by several lesbian/bi women who had more androgynous looks” (Para. 4). In other words, lesbians and bisexuals are being portrayed more realistically than ever before, and the number of shows portraying them is dramatically increasing.