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Date Posted: 17:59:51 05/31/08 Sat
Author: manwitch
Subject: sexual identity
In reply to: ScottS 's message, "Willow's Plot Twist" on 09:21:49 05/22/08 Thu

Your post is interesting. You make a point of saying that Joss knew Willow would "be, not become, lesbian."

This implies a sexual identity that lives behind one's actual behavior. I am so against this idea, its hard to actually express the vehemence with which I oppose it.

We know that willow had sex with Oz. Does that make her a lesbian? I think not. How is one a lesbian if one is a woman having sex with men? What criteria decide that one is a lesbian? I guarantee you that ALL of the potential answers to such a quesion revolve around competing definitions of words. There is no way scientifically to demonstrate that someone is a lesbian in opposition to their observed behaviour UNLESS the science has coopted specific words and definitions that otherwise would not have proven the same. The "facts" will not have changed, only the definitions. Only the meanings. That's what we call in postmodernism, "cultural contingency." Its not that facts don't exist, its that their meaning is entirely contingent on sometimes violently contested discourse.

My personal belief is that there is no way to claim willow is a lesbian prior to her exhibiting any kind of lesbian behavior. Well, gee, manwitch, what is lesbian behavior? Yes exactly. That's more to my point. But I think banging Oz certainly does not qualify. The behavior of her vampire double from another univers, while delightful and comically foreshadowing, does not constitute evidence of Willow's lesbianism. Vamp willow from another universe is a separate organism.

Willow "becomes" lesbian when she begins to have feelings for Tara. Its actually a very beautiful development in the show both literally and metaphorically. No actor or actress gets upset about not having known in advance about the FUTURE of their character. That they take as it comes. They don't like suddenly discovering, after years of portraying their character, that they were a lesbian YEARS ago. That did not happen here, so it shouldn't be an issue. Willow developed, and most actors should love the chance to develop.

As an aside, about a month ago, my wife put on Surprise after our daughter went to bed. We are now up to No Place Like Home ( One of my personal favorites.) Having not watched these for a long time, I am struck by how much they are as good or better than I remember them, superior to anything available on TV now. And I find that every moment of Season Five just leaps off the screen as some of the most brilliant and exciting television ever created.

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