Gay Vampire Helps Ease Sexual Tensions
I watched Buffy The Vampire Slayer growing and it is relative to this week’s discussion. Primarily, I am going to focus on Chapter 3 in Queer Girls entitled: Willow’s Queer Transformations On Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Yes we are talking about Willow from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and yes I did watch the show semi-habitually. Good thing I did, or else I never would have understood the significance of Willow in relation to this week’s discussion.
The text discusses how the majority of major-network television shows are not realistic when it comes to non-heterosexual relationships. In fact, most shows do not include any such relationship, and if they do it is labeled a “special” or some kind of climatic plotted event that gives the audience no real time to relate to the deep issues at hand. Susan Driver categorizes Buffy The Vampire Slayer as one of the first shows to break that mold. Throughout a seven year season, the character known as Willow on the show, experiences sexual urges, attractions, and experiences, ultimately becoming one of the most prominent lesbian characters in American television.
Queer Girls goes in depth to discuss Willow’s transformation from a normal stereotypical heterosexual female into a lesbian who gains an understanding of her true sexual feelings. Willow begins the series as the dorky, geeky, and cutesy sidekick to Buffy. She is interested in guys but end up being rejected. This all changes by the third season when she encounters he evil vampire counterpart and she describes her as “kinda gay.” Willow soon encounters a girl named Tara and they fall in love; Willow eventually comes out of the closet to Buffy.
What makes Willow’s character so important in Buffy The Vampire Slayer is character development. Willow’s character develops along with the plot of the series. She experiences many different thoughts and feelings regarding her sexual orientation, eventually discovering that she is gay. This is a groundbreaking phenomenon in American television. Never before in a television series does a character have so much time to develop into a lesbian character that viewers can relate to. The show allows for girls in the audience that are exploring their own sexualities, to view Willow as a positive role model.
Personally, when I used to watch the show, I thought Willow was pretty cool. She always knew what to say and she seemed smart and savvy. I never realized the impact that her sexuality could have on young girls as part of the audience for the show. The discussion in Queer Girls really made Willow’s importance clear to me. It is now more obvious to me how biased and one-sided major network television can be toward sexuality. Now that shows are starting to appear to be more open and friendly toward different sexual preferences, I think it will be a lot easier for confused young people to find positive characters that they can relate to.
The text discusses how the majority of major-network television shows are not realistic when it comes to non-heterosexual relationships. In fact, most shows do not include any such relationship, and if they do it is labeled a “special” or some kind of climatic plotted event that gives the audience no real time to relate to the deep issues at hand. Susan Driver categorizes Buffy The Vampire Slayer as one of the first shows to break that mold. Throughout a seven year season, the character known as Willow on the show, experiences sexual urges, attractions, and experiences, ultimately becoming one of the most prominent lesbian characters in American television.
Queer Girls goes in depth to discuss Willow’s transformation from a normal stereotypical heterosexual female into a lesbian who gains an understanding of her true sexual feelings. Willow begins the series as the dorky, geeky, and cutesy sidekick to Buffy. She is interested in guys but end up being rejected. This all changes by the third season when she encounters he evil vampire counterpart and she describes her as “kinda gay.” Willow soon encounters a girl named Tara and they fall in love; Willow eventually comes out of the closet to Buffy.
What makes Willow’s character so important in Buffy The Vampire Slayer is character development. Willow’s character develops along with the plot of the series. She experiences many different thoughts and feelings regarding her sexual orientation, eventually discovering that she is gay. This is a groundbreaking phenomenon in American television. Never before in a television series does a character have so much time to develop into a lesbian character that viewers can relate to. The show allows for girls in the audience that are exploring their own sexualities, to view Willow as a positive role model.
Personally, when I used to watch the show, I thought Willow was pretty cool. She always knew what to say and she seemed smart and savvy. I never realized the impact that her sexuality could have on young girls as part of the audience for the show. The discussion in Queer Girls really made Willow’s importance clear to me. It is now more obvious to me how biased and one-sided major network television can be toward sexuality. Now that shows are starting to appear to be more open and friendly toward different sexual preferences, I think it will be a lot easier for confused young people to find positive characters that they can relate to.
Comments