Gay Fanbase

[Cast No Shadow]

Why do you think it is that Buffy has such a huge gay fanbase?
Is it because of the unique relationship Tara and Willow had?

Is it because, as Steven Frank says,

Intensifying her sense of herself as an outsider, Buffy's status as a vampire slayer "” a secret she had to keep from almost everyone in her life, including her mother for several years "” forced her to grapple with an isolating loneliness that could easily be a metaphor for the traumas of the closet, particularly for gay youth. This subtext pretty much became the show's text in the Season 2 finale when Buffy comes out about her secret to her mother.

Or perhaps as Steven Lawrence observes,

The interesting thing about Buffy was she came from an experience of being very popular but then found out something about herself that she felt couldn't be known by others. She came to this new high school carrying that knowledge but managed to build a circle of trusted friends she could confide in. That directly tied into my own experience coming out, and that of many other gay and lesbian people I know.

What do you think?

 

[caritas08]

I think it may also have something to do with the fact that the show doesn't pigeon hole the characters into traditional gender roles. It allows the characters (and the audience members who relate to certain characters) to grow and develop without setting into predetermined tropes and stereotypes which so many shows fall victim to.

 

[kittenpoker]

I was not aware that buffy did have a particularly large gay fanbase. However, I can see how having a part of you that you feel like you have to hide would be something a gay person could (unfortunately) identify with. And also how coming out, accepting yourself for who you are, and telling people the truth - is a process.

 

[BuffyElevated]

I remember when the show was on first-run, and Tara and Willow's first kiss was shown on TV. It was SUCH a huge deal, with the networks and with fans because back then gay couples were pretty much only supposed to hold hands on TV; PDA between gay couples was kinda taboo in the 90's, even though people were starting to get more comfortable with it.
I think that because of this, BtVS is known as one of the forefathers, as far as shows that staked a claim for gays on TV. The Willow/Tara relationship in itself was pretty groundbreaking, since not a lot of other teen dramas had gay characters in relationships.

 

[Living Dead Boy]

[MENTION=8356]HisMrs[/MENTION] totally. I remember hearing that "New Moon Rising" sparked quite a bit of controversy. Especially the ending. People were going off on Willow and Tara, especially Amber Benson. I loved what Joss Whedon had to say about that:

"Okay, let's do this. For real: how @#$%&ing disappointed was I in the American public after Tuesday night? Of course I realize the rabidly homophobic posting contingent represents a smaller percentage of Americans than the EVIL GAYS they were posting about, but that's not it. It's the fact that everyone went nuts about it THIS WEEK, when this has clearly been going on for MONTHS? Did anyone see the spell scene in episode 16? Hello? It's the not the bigotry that offends me, it's the lack of filmic insight.

Okay, and the bigotry. But of course there were just as many voices raised in support of the arc as against, which was swell. Plus one post from a gay or questioning teen saying the show helped them is worth six hundred hate letters.

And the fact is, stirring up controversy is sort of fun. It's just that I never actually set out to do that. To me, having a character that is open to exploring their sexuality is about the same as having a girl hero -- just something natural and cool. Here's the word: Tara not gonna disappear. She's part of the show, part of Willow's life. i'm not saying everything will be sunshine and roses (not on MY show, dammit), but there is more to explore with the two of them. And hopefully, this NONSENSE will die down, because I'm not TRYING to make a political statement. I NOD OFF during political statements. My show is about emotion. Love is the most powerful, messy, delightful and dangerous emotion. (Although I think envy is kind of the sexiest.) Willow's in love. I think it's cool."

Read more: http://www.buffyguide.com/extras/josswt.shtml#ixzz1iGNxz0ZA

I'm so glad Joss didn't shy away or try to sugar coat anything about the relationship. It was (and in my opinion only) the most real and natural depiction of a homosexual relationship on TV. It's one of the many reasons why Buffy has such a big gay fandom, because it was probably the only show that treated gay people not as caricatures, or cut-out stereotypes, but as human beings.

 

[Cast No Shadow]

[MENTION=8356]HisMrs[/MENTION] totally. I remember hearing that "New Moon Rising" sparked quite a bit of controversy. Especially the ending. People were going off on Willow and Tara, especially Amber Benson. I loved what Joss Whedon had to say about that:

"Okay, let's do this. For real: how @#$%&ing disappointed was I in the American public after Tuesday night? Of course I realize the rabidly homophobic posting contingent represents a smaller percentage of Americans than the EVIL GAYS they were posting about, but that's not it. It's the fact that everyone went nuts about it THIS WEEK, when this has clearly been going on for MONTHS? Did anyone see the spell scene in episode 16? Hello? It's the not the bigotry that offends me, it's the lack of filmic insight.

Okay, and the bigotry. But of course there were just as many voices raised in support of the arc as against, which was swell. Plus one post from a gay or questioning teen saying the show helped them is worth six hundred hate letters.

And the fact is, stirring up controversy is sort of fun. It's just that I never actually set out to do that. To me, having a character that is open to exploring their sexuality is about the same as having a girl hero -- just something natural and cool. Here's the word: Tara not gonna disappear. She's part of the show, part of Willow's life. i'm not saying everything will be sunshine and roses (not on MY show, dammit), but there is more to explore with the two of them. And hopefully, this NONSENSE will die down, because I'm not TRYING to make a political statement. I NOD OFF during political statements. My show is about emotion. Love is the most powerful, messy, delightful and dangerous emotion. (Although I think envy is kind of the sexiest.) Willow's in love. I think it's cool."

Read more: http://www.buffyguide.com/extras/josswt.shtml#ixzz1iGNxz0ZA

I'm so glad Joss didn't shy away or try to sugar coat anything about the relationship. It was (and in my opinion only) the most real and natural depiction of a homosexual relationship on TV.

That's awesome! I actually think I learned a lot from Willow and Tara's relationship, not because it was a gay one, because it was full of love and respect (perhaps less so on Willow's part as she got drawn in to the magicks!).

It sucks that Joss had to say that though.

 

[Buffy Summers]

I honestly think that - especially then, but today as well - any show featuring gay characters gets a built in gay fanbase, regardless of how well/poorly they are portrayed. At the time it really felt like the entire storyline was a publicity stunt.

 

[Living Dead Boy]

I honestly think that - especially then, but today as well - any show featuring gay characters gets a built in gay fanbase, regardless of how well/poorly they are portrayed. At the time it really felt like the entire storyline was a publicity stunt.

That's true sometimes. I think that's with all minorities, though, like racial minorities. When you get so marginalized and misrepresented, any exposure is exposure, regardless if the material is good or not.