Lesbian/bisexual visibility has come a long way in the last few years, with more lesbian and bisexual characters on TV now than every before (on shows like The L Word and Nip/Tuck). Most of these characters are either out, or relatively sure that they are gay, but one of this season’s new shows, Joan of Arcadia (created by Barbara Hall), introduces an entirely new type of character in Grace Polk (Becky Wahlstrom): a girl whose sexuality is unknown, both to the audience, and to herself.

The premise of this show is fairly original: an otherwise-ordinary teenage girl (Joan, played by Amber Tamblyn) speaks to God in the form of various strangers, who, each week, help Joan learn something new. Shortly after moving with her family to a new town, Joan met Grace, a butch and somewhat belligerent teen. They became friends despite Grace's unwillingness to get close to anyone, and her ongoing insistence that she only tolerates Joan.

The show has been received favorably by critics and viewers: it frequently wins its time slot, and it recently received a People’s Choice Award for Favorite New Television Dramatic Series, and garnered Tamblyn a Golden Globe nomination. But there has been little written about the character of Grace, or of how homosexuality in general has been handled by the show--a little disappointing considering how well the show appears to be tackling this issue.

The character of Grace has shown interest (albeit subtly) in both Joan and Joan’s younger brother, Luke. Early in the show’s run, some of the popular girls at school talked Joan into trying to get Grace to define her sexual preference. Although Joan initially asks, “Is it anybody’s business?” she goes along with the plan. After dropping a few hints (like trying to talk to Grace about guys), Grace figures out what Joan is up to and tells her “my sexuality is my business,” adding that just because she may not be interested in the high school heartthrob does not necessarily confirm that she is “singing in the other choir.”

This leads the audience to wonder about Grace’s sexuality, and to wonder whether Grace herself even knows yet. Coming to terms with one’s sexuality can be extremely difficult for teenagers, and we have seen many lesbian and bisexual teenage girls on television, like Jessie on Once and Again, who were initially afraid to acknowledge their attraction to other girls. But not many teens on television have been truly confused, for a long period of time, about their sexuality, which is what makes Grace so unusual.

There are not many butch teens on television today, which also makes Grace stand out. Although her appearance has softened somewhat in more recent episodes, it is obvious that the writers are not going for the usual feminine look seen on most women on television (regardless of sexual preference). Furthermore, the writers are not ignoring Grace’s appearance and sexual identity for other less-controversial topics; a couple of characters have already mistaken Grace for a boy, and she has been mocked several times as being a lesbian. While this is upsetting behavior, it is a realistic reflection of what some girls experience in high school.

Fortunately, Grace is a strong character who doesn’t back down in the face of this behavior. She’s extremely intelligent and fiercely loyal to her friends. She’s not afraid to stand up for a cause she believes in, and she has no tolerance for homophobic remarks, as she illustrates in a scene where Grace and Joan are referred to disparagingly as “girlfriends’ during a science lab. “This is sulfuric acid," she tells the instigators as she pours sulfuric acid into their test tubes, causing the chemicals to fizz and bubble. "If it reacts with your substance that means its baking soda. Interesting how something corrosive can tell you what something’s made of. Kind of like using ‘gay’ as an all-purpose insult.”