The L Word is very big in San Francisco. Each Sunday night, at least five girl bars show it on their big screen TVs, and the lesbians flock to the viewings the way frat boys flock to the keg. I guess I got sucked in. I hate jumping onto any bandwagon, and I really don’t live my life as gay as some people do—most of my friends are straight, and I am not a vegetarian, nor do I wear Birkenstocks—well, not anymore. But let me tell you, I am really glad this bandwagon stopped by my place. The L Word has been a nice addition to my consciousness, and I would much rather have my drama on the screen than in my bed.
Sure, it’s great to see some relationships on TV that actually reflect my life. It’s also pretty cool to see a storyline where a female is transitioning to being a male—you don’t get that on the OC. And I will admit that I enjoy seeing two women having sex on the screen, since the only other girl-on-girl action is in porn films made by guys with two very straight females with long fingernails doing things I would never even think of doing to another person.
Imagine never seeing your reality reflected on TV—it sucks. Growing up in Virginia, I didn’t even know what gay was until I read about it in a book at nineteen. Sure, it’s out there more now, but there are still frightened gay kids living all over the world who never see their thoughts or dreams or desires reflected anywhere—shows like this really do have a purpose. Most laymen and experts agree that gays make up about 10 percent of the population, but according to research from the ’90s to the present, gay kids are two to three times more likely to commit suicide than their straight counterparts, comprising 30 percent of all youth suicides.
Imagine how much things can change if you just see a little part of yourself in the world and have some of your feelings validated—believe me, it makes an enormous difference. Just reading about “gay” was enough for me to come out of the closet because it showed me that I was not alone and that other people felt the way that I do. I can’t even imagine how awesome it would have been to have watched something like The L Word while I was growing up and feeling like an alien, but not knowing why.
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