Viewpoint | All My Children: The Reese/Bianca Reunion

The Bianca & Reese reunion happened so quickly, I thought I was unknowingly pressing fast forward during their scenes.

It feels like so many things were left unresolved, most glaringly a dialogue about Bianca's rush to judgment when it came to Reese. I almost choked on a sip of water when Bianca claimed not to care what anyone else thinks about her relationship with Reese, as if she hadn't allowed the seeds of doubt planted by her mother and sister to grow wildly out of control. And Reese didn't have time to call her out on it either, she just claimed sexual confusion, taking on more of the unwarranted blame that was haphazardly thrown her character's way.

I think what irks me most about the rushing of this storyline, is how viewers were left with an implicit implication that Reese was this destructive, predatory woman with an utter disregard for the sanctity of relationships, rather than a woman unjustly attacked by the loved ones of her partner, and left unsupported by the woman she loved. I walked away with a sense that the writers were screaming:

"Just in case lesbianism and bisexuality aren't vilified enough, here are a couple of additional stereotypes to add to the pile!"

Maybe expecting a more complex exploration of a breakthrough relationship was too much to hope for.

*sigh*