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eurOut on AfterEllen.com: “Verbotene Liebe” has a new lesbian storyline, Ann Wauters and wife are pregnant

This is the first installment of a new monthly column about lesbian/bi visibility in European media by eur.Out.org Editor in Chief Saskia Joreen.

FORBIDDEN LESBIAN LOVE IN GERMANY

One of the most lesbian things that has come from Europe in the past weeks is the new lesbian storyline on German soap series Verbotene Liebe (Forbidden Love). The show originally started back in 1995 as an adaptation of Australian soap opera Sons and Daughters. Lesbian character Carla was on the show for years and had several lovers. She got married to Susanne in 2006. The couple also had a daughter together.

Later, Carla got involved with Stella, and apart from the usual soap dramatics, this couple have been treated quite well in the series. They left the show last year to travel the world and came back later for a couple of episodes. They left again to get married in Canada and haven’t been seen on the series since.

However, Verbotene Liebe now has a new lesbian storyline which has been heavily promoted on the front page of the show’s website. Friends Rebecca (who seems to be Carla’s niece) and Miriam discover they might have feelings for each other after sharing a kiss. A kiss that was originally just intended to get rid of a group of annoying guys at a spa. Apart from how unrealistic that sounds (has kissing another girl to scare off guys ever worked for you?), it’s the start of Rebecca questioning her sexuality. She enjoyed the kiss a lot, feels uncomfortable around Miriam since then and now wonders if she’s a lesbian. To her it would explain why she hasn’t been lucky in (straight) love so far.

The show’s website has the following to say about this storyline:

The story of Rebecca and Miriam is a special one, because it’s the first time actresses this young portray a lesbian couple on Verbotene Liebe. ‘The story has an experimental character: two young women that discover each other. To search and find this path, I find that very beautiful’, says Jasmin [Lord, who plays Rebecca]. Romina [Becks, who plays Miriam] also loves this love story: “Gay couples aren’t uncommon anymore. Especially in Cologne — but also on television!”

They’ve also published an interview with the two actresses, who are close friends in real life too. A lot of attention is paid to the shooting of their love scenes, which, according to Jasmin, are more enjoyable to shoot than with a male co-star. Romina commented on the touching part in their love scenes: “I like [to shoot these scenes with a woman], also when it comes to touching. We have been friends for a long time. It’s just like touching yourself or your sister.”

The interview then goes on about how the actresses are not actually gay themselves. This emphasis on the actresses’ sexuality seems a bit redundant to me. Is it that terrible that people might think you’re gay when you play gay? But let’s not digress. What matters right now is that they play gay, and they will continue to do so for at least another month. Without wanting to give away any spoilers, the first kiss they had on the show will certainly not be the last! But whether or not they turn into an actual lesbian couple, remains to be seen. You can read a full recap of the beginning of this lesbian story on eurOut.

GERMAN SOCCER GOALIE NADINE ANGERER: DID SHE ACTUALLY COME OUT OR IS SHE JUST OPEN-MINDED? 

A lot of (lesbian) websites have been reporting about the coming out of German soccer goalkeeper Nadine Angerer in an interview she did with German magazine Zeit. Though, when looking at what she actually said, it’s still a matter of how you want to interpret her words. Especially when considering the line of questioning is a bit weird and vague:

Zeit: There are always these rumors, that there are more lesbians in soccer than anywhere else. What’s your stance on this topic?

Angerer: Me personally I’m open, because I believe that there are nice men and nice women and because I think a final decision [on who you fall in love with] is completely absurd.

Zeit: And you can live both sides?

Angerer: Absolutely.

TIPPING THE VELVET AUCTION

British actress Rachael Stirling, known for playing Nan Astley/King in Tipping the Velvet, is holding a charity auction of props from the miniseries. “These will include the notorious gold painted phallus and the ‘Nan King’ door plate,” her website reads. Money earned with the auction will go to the Too Many Women campaign, which aims to raise a total of over one million pounds for the charity Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

BELGIAN BASKETBALL PLAYER ANN WAUTERS AND WIFE ARE SIMULTANEOUSLY PREGNANT

About two weeks ago it was reported that Ann Wauters, who has played basketball for countries like Russia and the US, is pregnant. It doesn’t stop at that though — her wife, ex-professional basketball player Lot Wielfaert, is pregnant, too!

Wielfaert says in an interview:

It was of course a very conscious decision to decide to be pregnant together. Ann is 30, I’m 33. It’s an ideal moment to have children. And I must say, it’s wonderful to be pregnant together.

Ann will give birth in June next year, her wife a month before that. Ann’s fans won’t have to worry about her career though; Lot will be a stay-at-home mom while Ann goes back to work. Where that will be is still unclear, but Lot has hinted at the possibility of it being somewhere in Southern Europe.

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