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News, Reviews & Commentary on Lesbian and Bisexual women in Entertainment and the Media

“In the Life” explores LGBT women in TV and film

Julianne Moore is so low-key that I tend to forget how much I like her.

Then I see her performance in films like The Hours and Children of Men and remember just how, um, talented she is.

This month, In the Life features a conversation between Moore and her longtime friend and collaborator Christine Vachon. The segment is part of a Women’s History Month episode, “Women Through the Lens,” that explores representations of LGBT women in TV and film.

Moore and Vachon have a wonderful rapport and raise some interesting points.

Whether or not Hollywood is homophobic doesn’t matter — because money isn’t homophobic. Milk is the perfect example of how a terrific script and a terrific director will attract a terrific cast — and that attracts an audience.

“Queer cinema” was more apparent in the ’90s because, for one thing, AIDS brought a sense of urgency to LGBT filmmakers. They wanted to tell their stories and felt the need to do it while they still could.

Vachon believes that her film Go Fish, which Moore loves, attracted an audience because gay women simply didn’t have movies that represented them. Now, with shows like The L Word, LGBT women have more choices. If Go Fish were released today, Vachon says, nobody would go see it.

In the Life also takes a look at The L Word with a behind-the-scenes video from 2005 that made me a bit nostalgic and melancholy. And not just because Dana was still alive.

What can I say? I’m going to miss that show.

The segment also reminisces about Desert Hearts, which in 1986 was the first mainstream lesbian film that didn’t feature a bisexual love triangle or kill off the lesbian protagonist. Director Donna Deitch and Patricia Charbonneau (Cay) discuss the making of the classic film and the excitement it generated from the community.

Deitch reportedly is working on a sequel — I sure wouldn’t mind seeing Cay and Vivian in all their glory again.

You can watch the entire episode, “Women Through the Lens,” at the In the Life website. How does seeing this overview make you feel about our representation onscreen? Do you truly identify with any of the LGBT characters currently in film and on TV?

  • the linster's blog
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  • username_taken's picture

    I don't really feel as

    I don't really feel as though I relate to many LGBT characters in the media. I'd say that Dana on The L Word came the closest for me, but for the most part, they all seem like caricatures instead of characters.

    "Bon anniversaire et donne moi le salle de bains. Which translates as 'happy birthday and hand me....the bathroom.'"

    Chantal's picture

    wrong address

    the address seems to be wrong, it is http://www.inthelifetv.org/ you forgot the 'tv' in there.

     

     

    The Way The Cookie Crumbles

    No Borders Allowed
    the linster's picture

    Thank you!

    Fixed.
    candice's picture

    Very cool

    Defintely interested in hearing what they think about The L Word. 

    http://www.thehumansaredead.wordpress.com

    Joyous's picture

    I Love Ms Moore

    *sigh* I have been extolling the greatness and hotness of Ms. Moore for years. I even used that pic before:

    http://www.afterellen.com/blog/gracechu/mia-briefly-comes-out-of-retirement-and-introduces-mini-MIA#comment-628174

    I have to watch this episode of In the Life

    Veasty's picture

    It's really hard to find a

    It's really hard to find a lesbian character that I can relate to.. probably because we are a very diverse marginal group that has not until recently been represented. I guess the closest for me would have been Moira from the L word, before she became Max. because she was from a small town, where tolerance levels were very low she couldn't fit in in her home community, and couldn't really find her spot amongst the classy city folk either. But as the show progressed the small town girl became a big city boy and I lost my connection.  Also.. the relationship with Jenny threw me right to begin with.. I mean, Jenny?

     

    I guess the more visibility we see, the more options there are to relate to. When writers start branching from the cliches, they will start relating to real people.

     

     

    justaquickie's picture

    I'd say, as a young

    I'd say, as a young lesbian, I started paying attention to LGBT representation in media in the past few years, and although it hasn't been much - it has been more than what the generations before me have experieced.

    For me, the most relatable lesbian character in the media today would a combination of Naomi and Emily, the sort-of lesbian couple of the popular teenage drama Skins which I am certain plenty of you have watched :)I pretty much feel like their storyline was written about me, it's uncanny. 

    Trublu's picture

    It Seems to Be Hard

    To find a decent lesbian storyline that isn't on a premium channel like HBO or Showcase. We don't get them channels here at college (nor do I in my room at home, for that matter).

    I'm writing my research paper on this very matter; the portrayal of lesbian and (female) bisexual relationships on television, after 1997 (after ellen [came out], in fact).  The funny? thing is, the few that I'm finding on cable TV just aren't that fascinating; they fall into the trap of being very obviously made for TV relationships. 

    I'm definitely going to watch this show, but I have to say, I'm not getting my hopes up for the next couple years for lesbians on TV.

     

     

    http://everydaygay.proboards.com

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    hmorsey's picture

    I'm definitely gonna check

    I'm definitely gonna check that link out, sounds very interesting. There are a few characters on tv that I relate to on at least some level, Dana and Alice on The L Word and Tara and Willow on Buffy.
    luvthatErin's picture

    Stay Tuned...

    For myself, the passing of the L Word will be a sad event, regardless of how odd some storylines may have become over the years.  There were mere glimpses into any scenarios that many of us could find realistic.  But it was a only a tv show, and what it did do was try to portray out and proud lesbian and bi women.  So that in itself has been an accomplishment.  Especially considering that the current tv climate seems to want to squash any hope of a lesbian couple survivng more than 3 weeks.  I will venture to guess that there will be a severe drought of viable lesbian storylines, on mainstream or even cable television, for some time to come.    *sigh*

    I am going to watch "In the Life" to see the discussions regarding LGBT women in film as well as revisiting Desert Hearts.  Love it or hate it, the movie does have significant historical relevance in LGBT cimematic herstory.   

    Babyjune's picture

    I'm such a terrible

    I'm such a terrible lesbian. I couldn't get pass the first half hour of Go Fish. I thought the movie to be insufferable, just like The L Word Season 6 is now... 

    As for Desert Hearts, I loved that one and would sure be glad to see a sequel on the way =)

    --------

    http://rafaeladias.wordpress.com/

    jen's picture

    disagree.

    as sarah warn would probably be quick to point out, queer female representation has actually decreased recently, especially as the l word comes to an end.  lesbian and bi characters are being killed off, written out, or find a man to play with.  i disagree completely with christine vachon's claim that today queer women have more choices.

    and to be honest, if we actually had mainstream lesbian films out there today, i would go see them.  where's the lesbian version of brokeback mountain or milk?  don't get me wrong, i loved both of those films, but lesbian/bi female characters are simply few and far between in mainstream cinema, and are similarly so in tv--particularly primetime tv.  it's one thing to have a lesbian show on showtime, which is premium pay cable, and quite another to have a primetime show with lesbian characters that a) last more than one season, b) have healthy relationships, and c) are realistically portrayed, and not just caricatures as username_taken stated in the comments here.  

    we may have come a long way from ten years ago, but i haven't seen any real progress recently.  even the l word is doomed to have an extremely depressing and horribly unrealistic ending, which is such a disappointment for all viewers.

    happykt's picture

    Lesbian Cinema

    I've been an avid movie goer since I was a little girl.  I even worked at Blockbuster Video for a while and gobbled up most of their foreign film and classic film section just to improve cinematic knowledge of the greatest films in the world.  As for a lesbian cinema, I can only name a few that I thought were well done and didn't make me want to take a bottle of valium and kill myself after watching them. 

    We need more quality lesbian films out there -- just because its a lesbian film doesn't mean I'm going to go see it if the reviews are poor and the storyline is depressing or uncompelling. My favorite lesbian movies are: DEBS, When Night Is Falling and Imagine Me and You.  My favorite lesbionic TV show is Xena Warrior Princess. I stopped watching L Word after they got rid of Dana (and almost stopped watching when they got rid of Marina.) I own about 25 lesbian films but I rarely dig them out and watch them again because they just don't interest me.

    Related issue --- I miss the Ghostella series on afterellen.com and thought those short films were incredibly funny, scary, campy, and most of all CREATIVE!  Bring GHOSTELLA back or beg the woman who made these films to come back!

    professorscout's picture

    Desert Hearts

    Linster

    Do you really think there will be a sequel to DH? I have been waiting since 1986.  Of course, it won't quiet be the same without Audrey Lindley who had wonderful clever one liners that I still occasionally quote.  I absolutely would love to see the sequel.

    The professor

    brazen's picture

    but why

    is Julianne Moore there??
    Juzduz4All's picture

    TV's Lack-O-Lesbians

    I kind of expected All My Children to wimp out on their Bianca & Reese storyline. They must have Writer's Block. Someone should take the writer's around the proverbial block & introduce them to REAL lesbians. They always say the tackle the touchy storylines, and have on some subjects, but when it comes to lesbians they always feel the need to throw a man in the mix and then. POOF, they're gone.  I'd have prefer if they'd just left Maggie & Bianca living happily in Paris than do this half-assed crap!

    Grey's Anatomy made a good start at a real lesbian storyline, but cut it off rather abruptly. Hopefully they will have the guts to amp it back up!

    I'm just glad I still have my copy of "If These Walls Could Talk #2" Ellen & Sharon Stone making love is pretty damn HOT!!!