RE: Re: :SPOILERS For next week's ep. plus rambling

["Italiangirl" <Italiangirl1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hokay, here are some other points of view about the whole bi/lesbian issue
where Willow is concerned.

Beware, because a big ME rant is coming. Eventually, it WILL relate to this
Willow issue, I promise! =)

Now.

I too love Willow.

I too am a lesbian.

I too loved W/T, love the thought of B/T, and the thought of F/B, and I'll
even go one or two further and say that I'm all for T/B or A/W. Femslash is
so exciting, and Buffy has a wealth of what were ONCE complex, strong,
interesting, wonderful female characters to play with.

I think that can no longer be said of the writing on the show, as of last
season and much of this season so far. It is full of misogyny, gender and
sexual stereotyping, and patriarchal superiority. I think it has completely
underminded everything that was great about it for the first five seasons.
I can cite example after example of this to back myself up, but I think this
may not be the most appropriate venue. Please feel free to email me
privately for that debate.

As for how this relates to Willow's character and sexuality, and the so
called "political correctness" and militancy of the Kittens, or financial
backers of the show...

The problem with Willow losing Tara and then having a relationship with a
man is not about bisexuality. It is not about political correctness. It is
not about money, it is about the hundreds and hundreds of fans that went
insane when Willow started seeing a woman to begin with. Fans that were
vicious, ugly and negative about the relationship, about Willow's character,
and ESPECIALLY about Tara's character, and then finally about Amber Benson
herself. I believe that the issue of "Gay Now" by the writers was an
attempt to legitimize and commit to Willow's sexuality arc, in the face of a
huge amount of fans that were demonstrating loud, intense homophobic
complaints.

Complaints that would be yelled in the direction of ANY readers of this
list, if ME ever dared to explore a canon relationship between Buffy and
Willow.

Which leaves us, now, on the other side of the entire sexuality debate.
Personally, I don't care if Willow is a lesbian or if she is bisexual. I
too would love her either way. The problem is that the majority of Buffy
fans would care, and would not accept or understand anything beyond that. I
think a really complex bisexuality storyline would go over people's heads,
or they would see what they wanted. If Willow started dating a man on the
show right now, I'm sickened to think how much of the mainstream viewing
base would breathe a collective sigh of relief and say "See, stupid dyke
bitches, we told you it was a phase. Thank god Willows normal again."

The point could be argued that the writers of the show cannot allow their
stories to be dictated by the fans, not on either side of the issue.

I say, bullshit. As a lesbian, as a feminist, I can't watch the show and
not care about what the implications are for the lesbian and feminist
community.

And frankly, I'm not going to let the writers have their cake and eat it
too. I have said this in other posts in other places, but I'll say it again
here. They don't get to accept a bunch of accolades/awards from the
feminist community for creating a strong, positive female hero...and then
collect a bunch of accolades/awards from the GLBT community for portraying a
positive, loving queer relationship....and then turn around later, when it
all goes to hell, and say that their show isn't about issues and they don't
care what the social implications are. And like it or not, there are very
negative social implications for Willow dating a man or not being a lesbian
on the show anymore.