Charlie Richmond/OutWrite Content warning: Discussion of lesbophobia. “someone will remember us I say even in another time” • Sappho, fragment 147, trans. Ann Carson Since the 1970s, the use of the term Sapphic in reference to lesbians has grown in…
Arts & Entertainment
Love in the Big City: Heterobaiting and Queering Relationships in Korean Media
Korean queer media and literature do not need to conform to Western definitions of queerness to be meaningful. As I write for an Anglophone queer audience, I am reminded that this dialogue is not about proving the queerness of Korean media, but about expanding the scope of queer representation to include its many forms and contexts. Perhaps, rather than queering Korean media for the West, we should allow its stories to challenge and reshape what we consider queer altogether.
Can Queerbaiting Exist In A World Where Sexuality Is Fluid?
Since a heterosexual-presenting couple got a sex scene on screen while Caitlyn and Vi didn’t even kiss by the end of the first season, many people felt as if their relationship was a part of a phenomenon known as queerbaiting.
My Own Modern Prometheus
Late one Friday night, long after my mother had tucked me into bed, my eldest brother Ricky came home. Hoping he would not wake me, he quietly crept into the living room and turned on the TV. With the volume low, he perused the channels, finally settling upon a black-and-white movie. Unbeknownst to him, I peeked out from beneath the covers and was introduced to the 1931 horror classic “Frankenstein.”
Queer Neon Lights: A Light in the Dark at the Museum of Neon Art
Although the Museum of Neon Art may be a small piece of the Los Angeles area art scene, it can be a light in the dark for many. In a time where so many queer spaces are moving online, MONA is a small queer refuge in the heart of a busy city that works to maintain the legacy of queer spaces that came before it.
From “I Am Not Okay With This” to “Everything Sucks”: A Lack of Lesbians in Media
After the cancellation of the beloved show “Warrior Nun” on Netflix, fans speculated as to why such a popular show could have been kicked to the curb by the streaming powerhouse. Some theorized that it may have been provoked by the second season’s relationship between two women. Though its fanbase’s dedication eventually led to the series’ development into a feature film trilogy, this isn’t the first case where shows with sapphic central characters have been stripped of funding and future seasons.
The Underrepresentation of Sapphic Identities in Literature: A Historical Analysis
My first June after discovering sapphic literature was one of eager anticipation. I had loved sapphic novels from the moment I picked up “The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics” the year prior, and waited all year for Pride Month so that I could get new recommendations. Sure enough, they started rolling in! Scrolling through TikTok, I saw video after video advertising “queer book recs.” But what I saw was disappointing at best. In these videos, the word “queer” seemed to be synonymous with male-loving-male (MLM); every single video was full of nothing but MLM novel recommendations.
The Oversexualization of Lesbian Relationships in Media
The entertainment industry profits off the sexualization of women. Whether typecast as a complacent suburban housewife or a strong crime-fighting machine, women in media are reduced to their sexual attributes, especially lesbians and other queer people.
Queerbaiting to Queer Couples: The Evolution of Queerness in 21st Century Media
2023 has truly been a great year for LGBTQ+ representation in media. From movies like “Bottoms” to TV shows like “Heartstopper” and “Good Omens,” we are living in the very recent development of what Them calls “a golden era for LGBTQ+ representation.”
“Glen or Glenda”: Feeling Seen Through Art
“Glen or Glenda” is a 1953 transgender exploitation film directed by Ed Wood. It was made incredibly cheaply and quickly and is full of out-of-date ideas and terms about gender and transitioning, with film critic Leonard Maltin describing it in his 2004 movie & video guide as “possibly the worst movie ever made.” That being said, as a transgender woman, I have never felt more seen while watching a film than while watching “Glen or Glenda.” The movie’s critical panning has held it from the fruitful examination it deserves due to its radical stance on gender as it relates to the self and society.