A dangerous topic by PrincessRohannen

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A dangerous topic

POSTED BY: PRINCESSROHANNEN
UPDATED: Monday, January 23, 2006 04:23
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VIEWED: 2000
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Sunday, January 22, 2006 8:39 PM

Let me say this right at the top of this thread. I'm not looking to start a flame war, and not looking to criticize anyone's lifestyle. Just want to bring up a question that I've been asking myself for the past few weeks.

Why is it, do you suppose, that storylines about lesbian romance tend to pop up in Whedon's shows?

As examples, we've got two separate moments involving Inara and another woman, and several moments in Buffy (Willow's character development, in particular).

Is it for ratings? I've noticed that a large portion of the male population of Earth has a certain obession with the idea of women being with women sexually.

Is it a personal fetish on Whedon's part?

Is it that he's trying to promote open-mindedness?

If he's doing it for the ratings, I find that a little irritating. I'm of the opinion that no part of a story, no matter how commercial, should be included only as a selling point.

If he's going after the open-minded thing, I have to wonder why there are so few gay men in his stories (can anyone think of any?).

If he's satisfying a personal fetish, I'm on board. It's his show, after all.

Don't get me wrong; I've got no issues with seeing women engaging in sexual relations. Seeing women kiss women doesn't offend me any more than seeing men kiss women.

On the other hand, it is making it difficult for me to convince some of my more conservative friends to watch this show when they hear about the "girl on girl action."

I just wonder why the apparent obsession?

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Sunday, January 22, 2006 8:52 PM

LITTLEALBATROSS

Quote:
If he's going after the open-minded thing, I have to wonder why there are so few gay men in his stories (can anyone think of any?).

Well, Nandi did have her boys...

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Sunday, January 22, 2006 8:53 PM

NDRAGE85

i would hardly call it an "apparent obsession" as you put it. i guess i can't quite say why he would do it. i don't see anything wrong with it. i don't think he'd be doing it for ratings. For one, it hasn't happened often. second, i certainly would not watch a show just for "female on female" action. i mean, how sad does someone have to be to watch a show for that. especially Joss's shows which have, well, not a whole lot of that. and i can honestly say i know tons of men who like female on female stuff, but even they aren't pathetic enough to watch a show for it.

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Sunday, January 22, 2006 10:02 PM

PURPLEBELLY

Isn't it a reflection of the audience's preference rather than Whedon's? His mainstream audience does not feel threatened by a sexual relationship between two women, so those can be portrayed in an overt, albeit saccharine, manner. The portrayal of sexual relationships between male characters is more stylised because a naturalistic approach would be unacceptable to a network TV audience in the US.

It could be that the relationship between Buffy and Spike shows the most intriguing aspects of male/male sexuality that network TV has allowed
-- but only Purplebelly believes this

EDIT: an Andrew/Dana spinoff could be wild.

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Sunday, January 22, 2006 10:06 PM

SINGATE

If a man is going to introduce gay characters into his work it is probably easier to do with females. Most men understand why a woman would be attracted to another woman but cannot fathom what causes men to be attracted to each other.

Also man on man action is still somewhat taboo on TV except for HBO and the like.

I think you may have hit on a point when it came to Willow turning out to be gay. It was a progression of her character. She had just come out of her first real relationship which ended quite painfully. Then she just happens to meet a sweet girl who is also into witchcraft. Not to mention Tara was even more meek than Willow which is something she would have never found in another guy(well maybe Andrew).

As far as Inara goes it shouldn't be at all surprising that she has female clients but even she says most of her clients are men.

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Sunday, January 22, 2006 10:07 PM

DRUIDESS

Considering Joss' reaction in the commentary on Serenity (pilot) when Inara has her spong bath, I'm gonna guess, he just likes it.

"The world's divided into two groups, panda's and alligator boys."

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Monday, January 23, 2006 2:01 AM

DISKA

i could be really pedantic and say whats joss's obsession with heterosexuality, its in all his freakin shows!

my belief is that joss is just really great at developing characters and making them believable. willow's characterisation as gay was so natural and not played for kicks and represents the many other sexualities that actually do exist but just never get shown on tv because its not deemed acceptable.

the same with inara, as a companion it was part of her life really that she would also choose women, and it seemed to develop her character more.

i think mr whedon is simply trying to present developed and realistic characters rather than presenting a cookie cut normal person and being scared to show diversity which makes so much of tv bland these days.

"Dear diary: Today I was pompous and my sister was crazy. Today we were kidnapped by hill folk, never to be seen again. It was the best day ever."

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Monday, January 23, 2006 4:23 AM

JAYTEE

and if you're at all envious that there is so much girl on girl action go to the theater and see Brokeback Mountain.

Jaytee

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