Does television offer a safe place for LGBTQ+ voices and stories to be heard?

Growing up, I religiously watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It's not the usual children's choice, but I loved having a strong female character on my TV. I spent many years wanting to be just like her and fascinated by the evil that she faced. But one day, something happened that made the show's vampires and magical occurrences seem mundane – and rather than my favourite super-powered vampire slayer saving the world, it was her best friend Willow who saved me.

I should explain that at this point, I had only ever seen love between women and men. It was in my books, videos, homework and games. It was presented as the only possibility I had – until Willow and Tara showed me that women could actually love women. Looking back on it, it made so much sense. I was fascinated with female characters and hated the idea of boyfriends. Yet I didn't have the understanding or vocabulary needed to accommodate my authentic self. Not until I was able to ask: "What if I'm like them?"

Representation, therefore, played an important part in the development of my identity. Suddenly, others like me existed and I felt comfort and pride engaging with them. Willow and Tara didn't hide their sexuality, they were loved and accepted, and most importantly, their relationship felt just as valid as any other on screen. They were never defined by their sexual orientation, they were simply two women who loved each other in a complex fictional world.

Unfortunately, their relationship didn't last – and this leads to another important lesson that I had to learn: the portrayal and treatment of characters can impact the wellbeing of fans. For Buffy, this centred on an episode where Tara was killed by a stray bullet. A death that not only shocked fans but devastated its LGBTQ+ audience. What was once a beacon of hope for so many of us was brutally shattered to advance the storyline of a heterosexual character.

This trope, known as 'Bury your gays', comprises of LGBTQ+ characters facing violent or sudden deaths – with Tara being one name in a long line who have faced this brutal outcome. Root (Person of Interest), Villanelle (Killing Eve) and Lexa (The 100) all died by bullet shortly after a moment of intimacy or a scene of self-acceptance. And the response to these deaths, as you can imagine, was outrage. Many felt anger, pain, grief and loss. The characters that they had identified with and lived vicariously through were denied their happy endings, and this was internalised by many fans, who believed their happiness would end just as tragically. 

But in the wake of Lexa's death, a fan campaign was launched to spread the message that #LGBTFansDeserveBetter. This demanded better treatment of LGBTQ+ characters and for more positive LGBTQ+ representation in the media. Fans were also vocal about the impact this had on their mental health and the beliefs they held about themselves, even going as far as raising over a hundred thousand dollars for an LGBTQ+ crisis service in Lexa's name.

Since then, improvements have been made – with more shows featuring authentic and optimistic storylines, where LGBTQ+ characters are more than their sexuality, gender or trauma. Shows such as Schitt's Creek, One Day at a Time, She-Ra, Sex Education, Heartstopper and A League of Their Own have all managed to showcase people from across the community, as well as work to increase understanding, break stereotypes, and promote acceptance and self-worth.

In these, LGBTQ+ identities are celebrated and their love nurtured, without the need for shock deaths, tokenism or baiting. But we can't stop here. It is vital that positive representation becomes the norm, offering visibility and a safe place to explore our sexuality or gender. Simply existing is no longer enough – LGBTQ+ stories and voices should be uplifted and protected, both on screen and off.

Christina Murphy is an Assistant Lecturer in Psychology at Arden University and a member of the BPS Psychology of Sexualities Section.