I don't know if you guys are aware, but there are a lot of heterosexual couples on television. A whole lot. Like more than ten at least. And nowadays they even let white, cisgender, middle class, stereotype-conforming gay couples have TV romances too! We're making huge strides toward equality! Soon all the problems will be solved!
Except not. Where are they hiding the ladies? I can't help but feel like all these attempts at equality are just an excuse to further focus on men's stories while sweeping women's stories under the rug. You're only allowed to be queer on television if you're a white, able-bodied, cisgender, middle class, effeminate man or if you're evil. They were interesting stories the first time around, but now it's just underwhelming.
I think there might be some confusion over how to write queer people. That's okay! It's difficult to write something you're not familiar with! I'll let you in on the secret: you write queer people the same way you write straight people except they're not exclusively interested in the opposite gender. That's it. Easy, right? Sure there's extra challenges involved in being queer, but you don't actually have to devote an after school special type episode to it. Being queer isn't 100% dealing with hardship all the time. Most of it is keeping a job and paying bills and making friends. Same as everyone else. And you don't need to use the same gay dude stereotypes all the time. Some gay men are super effeminate and like shopping and want to adopt babies, but a lot aren't. There are so many different stories you can tell! So tell those stories so I don't have to see two queer individuals on the screen and know immediately that they're either going to die off or get married/partnered after a shopping montage and bout of homophobia.
(Disclaimer: My kingdom consists entirely of a handful of pocket change, an opened package of Avengers temporary tattoos, and a paper crown.)
Seriously!
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