“The L Word”: Pandering to Male Fantasies?
by Kelly
Two beautiful women are slowly undressing. As they let each garment drop to the floor they gaze hungrily at each other. Throwing her partner onto the bed, one woman licks her lips and goes in for a kiss.
This isn’t porn. It’s the widely-acclaimed television series called “The L Word,” which follows the lives and relationships of a dozen or so lesbians in Los Angeles. In a country where homophobia is still rampant and homosexuals are portrayed as overly flamboyant in the media (Jack of Will & Grace and half of the male judges on America’s Next Top Model, for example), it’s refreshing to see a drama focused on lesbian women. However, I have to admit, “The L Word” doesn’t exactly give a realistic depiction of the gay community.
The most glaringly obvious problem with “The L Word” is the cast of beautiful women. Don’t get me wrong, I could look at Bette Porter all day, and I have been drooling over Shane since the first episode. However, I can’t help but feel like the cast of gorgeous women panders to the male demographic rather than the female. Sure, lesbians (and even straight women) watching the show probably enjoy the eye candy, yet, the “The L Word” in many ways fuels the male fantasy of two women hooking up – not for their own pleasure, but for the men watching.
The show itself is aware of this dynamic. In the second season Jenny and Shane have a male roommate who secretly tapes their sexual escapades. Of course, in true Hollywood style, the pervert eventually becomes “emotionally attached” to his unknowing victims and realizes that what he’s doing is wrong. Duh. Obvious plot lines aside, the show acknowledges that many men objectify and trivialize lesbian relationships to the point where they aren’t about love or emotions but rather sex, lust, and being naughty.
I love this show, probably because it’s Sex and the City without men, but I really feel like the “soft-core porn” scenes are a bit gratuitous. I say this not because I’m a prude, but because I can’t watch them without thinking about how America can’t seem to have a drama about lesbian relationships without objectifying the characters.
Having a cast of hot women isn’t the only indication that “The L Word” is lacking a dose of reality. Where are the butch women? I admit I’m only up to the third season, but so far there have been lots of feminine “lipstick” lesbians. The only so-called “butch” lesbians on the show are Shane (who is the ultimate player) and Max (a very cute but confused pre-op transgender . . . which actually leads me to believe that calling him butch is not entirely correct). I mean, that’s my point. There is one “solidly” butch lesbian on the show and a few characters who are bisexual or transgender. Instead of giving a wider range of characters and body types, for the most part, the women are “beautiful” in the conventional way – they wear feminine clothes and make up and generally fit into society’s standard of beauty.
While I think “The L Word” has been rather ground-breaking in the sense that it’s not only a show about homosexuals, but women in particular, it could be pushed even further. Maybe it could focus less on the sex and give us a more realistic and dynamic view of the lesbian community. Or, maybe I’m just over-thinking all of this and should sit back and enjoy the show.
What are your thoughts and opinions on “The L Word”? Love it, hate it, or think I’m overanalyzing Showtime’s cash cow? Please share.
Okay, so I live under a rock. I hadn’t even heard of the show until I saw this post. But, I can give my first impressions of the images you’ve posted: all the women are tall, thin, and looking sexily into the camera as if to invite the “male” gaze. Frankly, I’ve never seen a nude shot of the Queer Eye for the Straight Guy hosts hugging one another. I’m not saying that lesbians don’t take physical attraction into consideration when picking partners, but from what I’ve read one reason why lesbian relationships are more coequal is because lovers do more than objectify one another. To me, a lot of porn featuring lesbians isn’t intended for lesbians but for straight men and this smells eerily simlar. And don’t all these women fit our conventional standard of beauty for your average straight male? I see only 1 women of color and she’s way at the back. So lesbians are mostly white? I’ve never seen the show so I can’t speak to its merits, but I can say I’m put off by what I’ve seen here. And, for the record, there’s no such thing as overanalyzing. That just gives peepz an opportunity to dismiss your ideas. ;)
Okay, so I’m totally glad this post came up! :] As this is a feminist blog, I was kind of waiting for it.
I’m a total fan of the L word. I’m a lesbian, and between me and my girlfriend, we collectively own all five seasons.
I have to agree with you about it’s clueless version of the real world. It is set in West Hollywood, and actually filmed in Vancouver. This is obvious in some of the scenes where they are way overdressed for hot LA weather. But at least to me, it isn’t giving me a false sense of reality. I know that the things that take place in this show – are just not actually happening in the real world. Maybe individually, yes, but the liklihood of all these things happening in one group of friends in one town – crazy. Besides it kind of creates this Lesbian Paradise, that besides from palm springs spring break, just doesn’t exist.
however, i can’t say that it bothers me. Shane might be the only outwardly butch girl, but there are definitely a fair amount of masculine girls. Take for example, Bette. While she dresses very femme, she is obviously male minded. She craves power and control, not typical of the female role. I guess i just look at gender objectively because, i don’t think it can be seen through appearance. Helena, can also be considered masculine because of her need to dominate, until she goes to jail (hope i didn’t ruin something!! – well you’ll see what happens).
But overall, i love this show. I think it is hilarious how it sort of mocks the real world. In the fifth season Jenny and Nikki’s relationship is like a basic jab at Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson’s relationship. How her producers want her to date boys, but Nikki is so gay, and so into Jenny.
I don’t think the show means to attract a male audience. I think it does by default, because as long as there is girl on girl action, men will watch. But lesbians are attracted to the same sexy things that some straight men are attracted to, just in a more romantic way, less perverted, and overall more respectful.
And dolly ann!! – the show adds more diversity in it’s later seasons. Kit is the obvious black one, and she is straight. Bette is half black, and gay. Natasha is a black woman introduced later, through Papi who is latina. And there is always Carmen. Who is hispanic, and they even go as far as to dive into that culture, as Shane visits her family and attends a quinceriria (sp!?)
I think it is appropriate to refer to Max as butch until he decides to take T. Which then I think he’d prefer to be a “him”. instead of a butch “her”. Confusing, right?
haha <33 mermaid
I love L Word but I can’t comment on the reality of the show because I’m not a lesbian and I don’t actually know any lesbians in the real world. Sounds like it’s like every other TV show though, in that relationships are made interesting for an audience. Relationships between a man and a woman are usually unrealistic in other shows.
I’d definitely include Tasha in the list of butch lesbians. Candace and Ivan deserve mentions too even if they’re not always on the show.
Whether the portrayal is close to reality or not I think it’s excellent that a show like this is being made and is popular if only to make homosexuality non taboo!
I love L Word but I can’t comment on the reality of the show because I’m not a lesbian and I don’t actually know any lesbians in the real world. Sounds like it’s like every other TV show though, in that relationships are made interesting for an audience. Relationships between a man and a woman are usually unrealistic in other shows.
I’d definitely include Tasha in the list of butch lesbians. Candace and Ivan deserve mentions too even if they’re not always on the show.
Whether the portrayal is close to reality or not I think it’s excellent that a show like this is being made and is popular if only to make homosexuality non taboo!
that’s true ms. constantine – i totally forgot about the fact that tasha, candace and ivan are butchies.
:]
Good points, mermaid. :) I’m still pretty limited for not having seen the show. But a question for you… while undoubtedly lesbians are attracted to women in similar ways as hetero men, do you ever get the sense that supposedly “pro-lesbian” things are actually more designed for hetero men than actual lesbians? Like, Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl” music video, in which girls loving girls is just an “experimental game” but she’s back in bed with her boyfriend by the end. What do you think of that?
(Sorry to derail a little here! Hope dollface and harlequin don’t mind. Call me out if you do.)
Derail, please, dolly! I love everyone’s comments & will reply to them soon.
In respect to the Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl” song, I really feel like it’s representative of girls who kiss other girls at parties because they are drunk or someone dared them to, and it’s for the benefit of those watching (generally guys) not because they genuinely want to kiss a girl.
To me, the line “I kissed a girl and I liked it…the taste of her cherry chapstick” is sexual imagery. Not only is Katy being a “naughty” girl by kissing a female, but she *liked* it!!! Shocking. Add in the delicious taste of the girls’ lips and you’ve got every 14 year old boy’s fantasy going on here.
Okay, wow. I just looked up the lyrics, and at the risk of going overboard….here are some highlights that pretty much prove my above points:
This was never the way I planned
Not my intention
I got so brave, drink in hand
Lost my discretion
It’s not what, I’m used to
Just wanna try you on
I kissed a girl and I liked it
The taste of her cherry chapstick
I kissed a girl just to try it
I hope my boyfriend don’t mind it
It felt so wrong
It felt so right
Don’t mean I’m in love tonight
No, I don’t even know your name
It doesn’t matter,
You’re my experimental game
Just human nature,
It’s not what,
Good girls do
Not how they should behave
My head gets so confused
Hard
honestly, i completely hate Katy Perry’s “I kissed a girl” song.
I feel like the song gives the public a place to judge girls acting in a homosexual nature, saying it’s just an “experiment” or just a phase. While it is natural when someone is confused to experiment, i don’t think they would consider it a “game.”
similarly to how the public reacts to Lindsay Lohan. She is so outwardly with Samantha, and yet people still want to deny it.
I do agree with dollface, that it wasn’t marketed to the gay community. it is definitely geared to the male audience.
since being gay is still such a sensitive subject for most, it almost seems like the only time it is appropriate in the general public, is when it is exploited for a “straight” person’s benefit.
such as straight women who enjoy watching two men together, straight men who enjoy watching two women together
as if the media means to say that being homosexual isn’t okay, unless it is done in a pornographic nature, to the benefit of the straight audience.
of course, that is reading pretty deeply into it. i think Katy Perry is great fun, i just don’t care for that song.
I still think that the L word is geared toward the gay community though, not necessarily at straight men. The topics of the show are so feminine and “chick flick-ish” that I can’t see how a guy would repetitively watch the show, unless only for the sex scenes. And while i’m sure some would, I think most men accept that they can find more raunchy girl on girl material in the web without all the filler in between.
But i’m glad you asked dollyann! :] a lot of people assume that I like the song, because i’m a lesbian and it’s about girls kissing girls. But i have to say in this context, it’s more of a turn off than turn on.
Oh, and i want to visit your blog and link you to mine!
“I think most men accept that they can find more raunchy girl on girl material in the web without all the filler in between.”
That pretty much sums it up for me. Great comment!
“since being gay is still such a sensitive subject for most, it almost seems like the only time it is appropriate in the general public, is when it is exploited for a “straight” person’s benefit.”
This is 100% made of awesome. And I think that’s what I wanted my question to drive at; it pisses me off when I do see homosexuals (particularly women, who are already overly objectified) exploited for straight people’s pleasure. It just proves how heterocentrist our society is.
I am also willing to acknowledge though that marketing is an important factor here and the more I hear you guys talk about the show, the less it seems like it was intended for guys getting their jollies on (like, say, A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila)
Oh, and on Katy Perry’s music video–I absolutely HATE that every single one of those girls is in frilly feminine lingerie and they’re all playing with pillows and shit like it’s some teenage boy’s wet dream slumber party (which, as dollface pointed out, is pretty explicit just in the lyrics). Katy struck me as a bit narcissistic too since most of the shots were on her (or otherwise detached female limbs). It’s the willing objectification of women by women! Huzzahs! *rolls eyes*
Thanks for the blog link, mermaid! :D
It saddens me that after we have come so far in diminishing the negative view of homosexual people in society (with a long way ahead of us), a song like this emerges, and rubs everyone the wrong way.
Not to mention Tila Tequila’s tv show, that makes bisexuality look ridiculous and promiscuous. I identified as bisexual for a long time, and never once acted in that manner.
Plus so many children are growing up in sheltered homes, where homosexuality is not discussed, so they learn from what they see. If smut like Shot at Love, and I Kissed a Girl is all that’s out there, would perhaps they gather that homosexuality is a natural part of learning who they are? Or could it go the other way, as a ridicule to the gay community?
All in all, I’m still glad that these things are out there – because now at least people are talking about it. They can no longer turn a cold shoulder and act like it doesn’t exist. :]
I think the L-word is soft-porn dressed as seriousness. Whether it’s catered to only men is questionable as research has shown that women can get turned on by men and women. I like it, I watch it when I remember and I think there’s a lot worse things out there.
I’m so proud I refrained from throwing hate-words at the nonsensical Katy Perry.
[...] Read more about it: http://therottenlittlegirls.com/2008/10/18/the-l-word-pandering-to-male-fantasies/ [...]
[...] lesbians and their friends and not anonymous dudes looking to get their rocks off. There are other shows for [...]
I like the show, but I REALLY think they should show A LOT less sex scenes. They say it’s to be more realistic, but there IS a way of having MUCH LESS sex scenes. Besides, the show isn’t very realistic, right? So what’s that excuse all about? Besides, since the stories really are, from what I can see, for the homosexual audience, then why do the characters look like they are for the straight audience? Because, from my experience, most lesbians and bisexuals don’t find those overly feminine dressed women as attractive as the ones who wear more discrete clothes, or even male clothes. Of course, there are the ones who prefer women who look like that, but, from what I’ve noticed, they are not majority.
I even feel sad about how unrealistic this is. There should definetely be more tomboys, butches and even more transgenders. I don’t think it goes for the homosexual standard of what is beautiful and attractive, even though the stories seem to do! But, again, what’s up with so many sex scenes? It really bothers me. There could be sex scenes, but there is no need for so many.
I loved your website! Just found it, I’m adding it to my Favourites (actually “Favoritos”, since I’m Brazilian :P Hehe)
Wish you girls the best! (I said “girls” because no boys have commented yet, but since there are people who read but don’t feel the need to comment, then: wish you all the best, boys and girls!!!) <3
@ Julie — Glad you enjoy the blog! Love all of your comments.
I agree about the abundance of sex scenes…a lot of them seem to be unnecessary (and/or lasting way longer than I have the attention span for). I also find the show unrealistic. After finishing the last few seasons I admit there were more “butch” characters like Tasha. However, there really weren’t that many, and I was definitely disappointed with their treatment of the trans character, Max. Poor guy just couldn’t win… (but I won’t spoil the ending for anyone)
I have to say that I don’t seem to have the voyeuristic qualities of many of my peers I do not find it attractive to watch other people having sex on TV or movies, which is to say that it limits most of what I am are presented with in today’s media. The I refuse to support an industry bent on the objectification of women, straight or lesbian. I believe that creativity and imagination are far greater qualities then blatant tits and ass in my face. The stupidity of media is almost laughable if it were not pitiful. My boyfriend (a straight male) has watched this show and you can bet it is not for the intellect.