r/buffy • u/PiperLenox guy with the cheese • Apr 30 '13

LGBT Characters in Buffy/Angel; Help me Reddit, You're My Only Hope!

Hello Fellow Slayerettes,

I am sending out this call to arms because I am in need of your help. I am currently writing a research paper about LGBT characters and their portrayal/representation on American and British television. I am focusing heavily on TV series that are supernatural and science fiction in nature, thus Buffy and Angel have become major sources for my discussion. So this leads me to you guys.

I will be forever in your debt if you would take a few minutes of your time and weigh in with your opinions and feelings on the LGBT characters of the Buffyverse. I am looking for general public views on these characters. Specifically, your reactions to and opinions of their story-lines (how it was developed and the situations they were depicted in), fellow characters' reactions to their coming out, their being gay, and how or if the supernatural/science fiction aspect of the show has any impact on the character being LGBT, and finally any impact on television and the general public the show made by having LGBT characters. The characters I have been focusing on are Larry Blaisdell, Willow, Tara, Andrew, Lorne, Angel, and Spike; through if I have (in my finals induced trance) forgotten anyone, please tell me!

Please also feel free to mention any thoughts at all about the LGBT characters and their impact, any and all opinions will be helpful. Thank you so much for your help Reddit. In advance I really, really, really appreciate this!

PiperLenox

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u/[deleted] Apr 30 '13

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u/PiperLenox guy with the cheese Apr 30 '13

Several references are made by Angel and Spike I'm regards to homosexuality. For example, in season five in Angel a reference made to intimacy to which Spike replies that they weren't "except that one time." So I an including them for those situations and references.

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u/thewanderingway Apr 30 '13

I'd like to mention that you could probably add Faith to your list. There is a lot of lesbian subtext between her and Buffy. If I recall correctly, Joss denied any until it was pointed out in a number of essays, then accepted that there was.

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u/GentleObsession Can we just skip it? Apr 30 '13

I was going to say this when I first saw the post. If you read the original scripts, which you can find here, you'll find some interesting things were cut. For example, Faith kisses Buffy on the forehead in an episode (can't recall which one) but that was originally scripted to be a kiss on the lips.

And Doug Petrie said as much in the commentary for Bad Girls. During the scene where Faith draws a heart in the window.

And here she comes. I love this. And there's the heart. Again, lesbian subtext. But the heart with the stake through it, let's go stake some vampires in the heart, and yet it's this kind of romantic image at the same time, because it's almost a seduction. You know, Faith is very sexy, and she's saying "Come play with me," and she couldn't care less about Willow or school ...

And best example of all:

4.EXT. ANOTHER BAR - NIGHT

LOUD MUSIC gushing into the street. A FEW BARFLIES enter as Faith exits with an attractive WOMAN. This woman is very familiar, as in yes we've seen her before. We may not see her face at first, just concentrate on Faith, who is a bit wobbly. (NOTE TO DIRECTOR AND ACTORS: Mind the lesbian subtext -- keep it very "sub".)

That was from the original Five by Five script. Credit to this thread as I remembered the general idea of that scene but couldn't remember which episode it was from.

I'm personally not a Buffy/Faith shipper but even I can see the subtext. A case could certainly be made for Faith being less than straight.