L is for ...

© Anthony G Moore & Janet Mayer / Photorazzi

Fair play to the L Word for taking the decision to kill off one of its core characters – the much loved awkward and gawky Dana Fairbanks – although I have no doubt that the cynics amongst us, not to mention the numerous detractors that the L Word seems to be notching up will be putting the decision down purely to ratings rather than anything else. For those of us lapping up this third series as enthusiastically as we have the previous two, Dana’s death is a significant loss – she was a funny and endearing character that – if Erin Daniels (the actor who plays Dana) and L Word fan-sites are anything to go by – many lesbians related to.

Whilst accepting that you can’t please all of the people all of the time it seems a shame that the L Word is generating such a dichotomous reaction within lesbian circles. L, it seems, is also for Love or Loathe – opposing ends of the lesbian response to the series.

© Janet Mayer & Glenn Harris / Photorazzi

Much of the Loathe response seems to be based upon the series’ lack of realism but let’s not forget that the L Word is first and foremost a soap opera. Did we lament the lack of realism as we all bought into Dallas? Do we seriously project any degree of realism onto Bad Girls? Sex and the City may well have been based on a column written by a real Manhattan-based woman but Carrie et al are characters in a soap – their antics exaggerated for the mass-media consuming public. So why can’t we accept a similar degree of characterisation for the L Word?

It has also been an issue for some that the actors playing the characters have been, and remain, somewhat coy about their own sexuality – but why? Why should we expect them to broadcast something that is entirely personal to them? They are doing a job – their job happens to be acting – ergo: they act. Do we demand to know of Antony Hopkins if he is a psychotic killer just because he plays one? Surprisingly not, nor do we demand to know of every actor who plays a heterosexual role whether they are in fact heterosexual – why would we – they’re acting, what does it matter? What matters – in acting terms – is whether or not they are believable in their roles. Since viewers would struggle to spot any sort of hesitation in any of the girl-on-girl scenes that the L Word demands of its actors it would be a shame if the main reason that makes them unbelievable for many lesbians is the fact that they all happen to be gorgeous and glamorous.

© Janet Mayer & Glenn Harris / Photorazzi

Look beneath its American glossiness and glamour though, and the L Word tackles issues that are inherent within the lesbian community. Bette’s father’s refusal to accept her sexuality and to acknowledge Tina; Jenny’s confusion about her orientation; Dana’s struggle to come out to her family; Bette and Tina’s adoption difficulties; Alice and Dana’s loss of their best-friends status when their sexual relationship ended; to name but a few. All are issues that affect us specifically as lesbians and for the first time, for a change, they are issues that are being aired in our living rooms week after week. The L Word isn’t perfect – what on TV ever is – but for all its faults, for many women within our community the visibility of the L Word can only be a good thing.  Let's hope L also stands for Longevity.

"Do we demand to know of Antony Hopkins if he is a psychotic killer just because he plays one? Surprisingly not ..."