Well, it's still happening. For some reason, it is 2016, and people still aren't getting it. A few weeks ago, I wrote a piece called "Please Stop Killing Off the Lesbians." I wrote this soon after Lexa was killed off of "The 100." Since that time, there has been a huge outcry from fans about the treatment of queer women on television shows. To be clear, this movement didn't start with Lexa, but it definitely picked up a lot of momentum there. Yet, as most of us have seen, the deaths just keep on coming.
This past week, we saw the deaths of two more queer female characters: Pamela Clayborne from "Saints and Sinners" and Felicity from "The Catch." This will add to the growing number of over 15 deaths of queer female characters in 2016. The total in 2015 reached 19, and at this rate, we just might beat that.
This leads to a question I have for writers, producers and any other show runners that are involved in these decisions. Are there no other story lines you can write for queer women? Because in real life, queer women aren't dying left and right from stray bullets. We are living our lives. Sometimes characters leave shows, but have you ever thought of maybe having them move away or go on a vacation? Literally anything would be better than taking the easy way out. However, if it's just the case of you know how to write characters that are queer women, then that's an easy fix. Try actually hiring a queer woman. Maybe the reason we're losing so much representation on screen is because we have so very little off screen.
With almost every show wrapping around this time, this television season seems pretty hopeless, but there is no reason why we have to see this in the upcoming year. The "LGBT Fans Deserve Better Movement" has put out what is being referred to as the Lexa Pledge. The pledge promises to provide representation, avoid perpetuating the "Bury Your Gays" trope and against queer baiting. The pledge has been signed by multiple industry professionals including writers from "Saving Hope," "Rookie Blue" and "The Catch." Although, "The Catch" is not off to a great start considering their recent actions.
It's time for these harmful tropes and mistreatment of queer women on television to end. It is both painful and harmful to viewers who find hope in these characters. In case you needed more persuading, BuzzFeed put out a video that just about sums it up.
If you think that we're asking for special treatment, you don't understand the movement. Yes, both straight and queer characters die on television, but there is an abundance of straight representation. When you lose some of that, you don't see a significant drop in characters that identify as straight. It is different with queer women and the high number of queer women that are dying.
It has to stop. So please, don't be part of the problem. Be part of the solution. And if you are affiliated with a TV show, I hope you hear our concerns and hear our pleas. We deserve representation that is fair and accurate. Please help us get there.